THECARIBBEAN

FROM BBC GOOD FOOD

All those islands, all that ocean. Seafood, whether swimming or in a shell, is a Caribbean highlight. Long a staple of sailors crossing the Atlantic, flying fish are a firm and tender whitefish, best served grilled and hugely popular on Barbados and the Windward Islands. Grouper, a large fish, makes excellent steaks and is good in stews while countless varieties of shellfish are served in beachfront bars.

JERK

Seafood

The signature flavor of Jamaica and one of the Caribbean's most famous cuisines, jerk refers to a very spicy dry or wet rub applied to chicken or other meat. After absorbing the flavors, the meat is smoked and/or grilled to fiery perfection. Variations are many, with influences from Africa to Portugal to Latin America.

Roast Pork

Ubiquitous across the islands, especially those with a strong Spanish heritage such as the Dominican Republic and Cuba, roast pork is often served with other regional staples like rice and beans plus plantains. Succulent and juicy, pork drippings give everything on the plate a rich flavor. Roadside stands across Puerto Rico serve the much-loved lechón asado, which is spit-roasted suckling pig.

Pepperpot

Simmered in huge pots across the Caribbean, this thick and rich stew can include aubergine, okra, squash, potatoes and pretty much anything else that grows in the islands' rich earth. Beef is the most common meat, while fungi - tasty cornmeal dumplings - add texture. It's called souse in the Bahamas, which may refer to the condition of the cook given that no two recipes or even batches are alike.

Conch

A sort of sea escargot, conch is one of many different large sea snails that are housed in often beautiful shells (piles of them in Bonaire form pearly pink mountains). Something like a huge clam, the meat makes fabulous fritters - a staple in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and cruise-ship ports everywhere. Conch also appears in salads, soups and stews. Farm-raised is the most sustainable.