|
wendy@tstt.net.tt
http://www.caribbeangourmet-tt.com
PASTELLES
FOR CHRISTMAS
A
TRINI Christmas would lose a lot of flavour without pastelles.
These delicious parcels of corn stuffed with a spicy meat
mixture studded with raisins, capers and olives have evolved
today as many cooks prepare them using various fillings
of beef, chicken, soya, vegetable and fish.
It’s all a matter of taste really and of course dietary
restraints. Don’t forget though, there’s really
no substitute for your banana leaf wrapping, that’s
one of the sure signs of an authentic pastelle.
To prepare fig leaves, steam them in a large pot of boiling
water for ten minutes until they become pliable and soft.
Or they may be softened by waving them over an open flame.
Cornmeal
dough and pastelle assembly
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2-3 cups warm water
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp salt
In a food processor or by hand, combine cornmeal with butter
and salt, add water—about two cups of water first and
process to make a soft, pliable dough.
Wait a while and check the dough, it should still be very
soft, but not mushy, if dry add a little more water.
Divide the dough into 12 balls of dough. Cover with a damp
cloth to prevent drying.
Place one piece of dough on a greased fig leaf, and press
to an eight-inch width, spoon two tablespoons filling onto
the middle of the dough and fold and seal pastelles.
Wrap in fig leaf and tie into a neat package.
Steam pastelles for 45 minutes until cooked.
n Makes 12 to 15 pastelles
CHICKEN AND BEEF PASTELLES
Filling
1 lb chopped beef and chicken or chicken only
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
2 pimento peppers chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tbs chopped celery
1/2 Congo pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup tomato sauce
4 tbs capers
3 tbs stuffed olives, sliced
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbs fresh thyme
Combine beef with chicken. Add salt and black pepper.
Add 1/4 cup chopped chives and one tablespoon thyme.
In a large sauté pan heat olive oil, add onion, garlic
and sauté until fragrant. Add pimento peppers, add
remaining chive, pepper, and thyme, add meat and cook until
brown.
Add tomato sauce, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add raisins, capers and olives and stir to combine.
Cook for about five minutes more, taste and adjust seasoning.
Add two tbs fresh thyme and stir to combine.
Remove from heat and cool.
Prepare dough as in recipe above and fill and fold pastelles
as indicated.
n Makes 12 to 15 pastelles
CRAB AND SHRIMP PASTELLES
Filling
1/2 lb crab
1/2 lb shrimp
3 onions, finely chopped
4 tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh Spanish thyme
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 pimento peppers chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 Congo pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4cup tomato sauce
2 tbs capers
2 tbs stuffed olives, sliced
1/3 cup raisins
12 nine inch by nine inch sized pieces of prepared fig leaves
String to tie pastelles.
Combine shrimp with one tbs chopped chive and 1/2 tbs thyme.
Combine crab meat with one tbs chopped chives and 1/2 tablespoon
thyme.
In a large sauté pan heat olive oil, add onion, garlic
and sauté until fragrant. Add pimento, peppers, cook
until fragrant.
Add shrimp and sauté for about three to four minutes,
remove and chop finely, return to pot, add crab meat.
Add tomato sauce and the balance of the thyme and chives.
Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add raisins, capers and olives and stir to combine.
Cook for about five minutes more, taste and adjust seasoning.
Add parsley and stir to combine.
Remove from heat and cool.
Prepare dough as in recipe above and fill and fold pastelles
as indicated.
n Makes 12 to 15 pastelles
Q.
When making vinaigrette what is the difference between adding
the oil to the vinegar in a thin stream or just mixing the
two together?
A. When you whisk or blend the oil into the vinegar you
are creating an emulsion. When you have this, the vinegar
becomes dispersed evenly throughout the oil, and stays that
way longer. When you combine the two together and then whisk
or blend, you can have a good vinaigrette but the mixture
may separate on you later on, an emulsion also tastes better
as the vinegar is evenly distributed.
Q. When I go to the supermarket and I check out the spice
shelves, I am always faced with many different varieties
of curry powders, such as Madras and Caribbean curry and
even Vindaloo, what is the difference; or are they all the
same?
A. No; all the curries on the market are not the same. Basically,
curry powders are made up of the same ingredients but in
different proportions.
Most curry powders you see will include coriander seed,
Fenugreek seed, fennel seed, curry leaf, mustard seed, cumin
seed, and turmeric and pepper. If the curry seems very yellow
then that is an indication that there is a large quantity
of turmeric powder.
The greener the curry the smaller the amount of turmeric
and the stronger and hotter the flavour. Vindaloo or bindaloo
curries tend to be hotter than most.
I choose my curries depending on the food I am going to
curry, for duck, goat, lamb or beef I tend to use a greener
or stronger curry, this often combines well with the stronger
tasting meats. If I am currying fish or vegetables then
I tend to use a milder curry so as not to overpower the
flavour of the fish.
Curries are relatively inexpensive so you can experiment
and see which flavours and or brands that you prefer.
Confused...Challenged?
Now you can write Wendy with your questions on Food and
Cooking at:
Wendy Rahamut
Trinidad Guardian
22-24 St. Vincent St.
Port-of-Spain
OR You can e-mail Wendy at:
rahamut@gmail.com
|
