CT Cooking by John Jacobs
Summer Sunshine in the City Hello City Times readers and welcome to June/July CT Cooking. Finally the sun is peaking out of its hidey-hole. I’ve fired up the bbq once already and fight to pass a travel agent without popping in for some holiday inspiration. I’ve also managed to find the time have a meal at the not so new a-canteen which has been on my hit list since its move to bigger premises. The food was pretty good but be prepared for a bit of a wait on a busy night. Great to see it thriving. Carluccio’s is close to opening in the city and goodness knows, the one thing Chelmsford is crying out for is an Italian restaurant. What I am awaiting for with eagerness is the coming of Turtle Bay. Inspired by beach shacks and street hawkers across the Caribbean Islands, this move away from the traditional high street standard will be a welcome addition to the new Bond Street development. I spent a little time in the Caribbean a few years ago; I remember the rum - and not a great deal else. At least I think it was the Caribbean. Considering the amount of rum, could have been Norwich. I miss those days... London is experiencing a boom in Caribbean restaurants which involves far more than just jerk seasoning. Like our love for Asian food, Caribbean cuisine is intensely spiced and a blend of African, European, East Indian, Arab and Chinese influences. The most popular of these restaurants centre around Jamaican cuisine with its heavy emphasis on marinades of scotch bonnet peppers, spring onions and fresh thyme.
2 large mangos diced. 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, chopped. ½ red onion, finely chopped. 1 red pepper, finely chopped. 425g can black beans, drained and rinsed. Zest of 1 and juice of 2 limes. Method 1. Preheat the grill to high and coat the chicken with the jerk marinade, cover and set aside. 2. Meanwhile, toss all the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl, cover and chill. 3. Grill the marinated chicken for about 13-15 minutes, or until cooked through with no pink meat, turning half way through. Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes then slice and serve with the mango black bean salad, and some extra lime wedges on the side to squeeze over if you like. If you want to make it a night to remember, serve with a freshly made Jamaican rum punch of Jamaican white rum, lime juice, grenadine syrup, light rum, orange juice and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Have a great month Chelmsford.
Jerk Chicken and Mango Salad In keeping with all things colourful, flavoursome and Caribbean, this recipe is super quick and easy. Have this with your barbecue or it will store in the fridge for a couple of days without losing anything. Serves: 4 Preparation time:5 minutes Cooking time:15 minutes Ingredients 4 chicken breast fillets (though thighs work equally well with a little more flavour). 2 tablespoons of jerk marinade (available in any supermarket or pop into one of the West End groceries for authenticity). Page 10 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk