A great new cookbook has hit the shelves this week: Easy Caribbean.
Weeknight dinners don’t have to be boring, and brothers Shaun and Craig McAnuff bring feel-good ‘flava’ to your table in 80 simple, delicious, quick and easy recipes.
About the Authors
Craig and Shaun, raised in London and of Jamaican descent, are bringing Caribbean food to the masses.
In April 2016, they launched the Original Flava brand, sharing videos of them cooking simple Caribbean recipes. Their videos went viral and within a month they had garnered 70k followers and had been interviewed on TV.
Since then, the brothers have been featured on the BBC, Sunday Brunch, Buzzfeed, BET Network, London Live and Reprezent Radio, they have sold out supper clubs and appeared at food festivals around the UK, and often visit schools to inspire the next generation.
About the Book
This is Caribbean food cooked in an easy way.
Using only easily accessible ingredients, and with chapters covering snacks, easy Caribbean classics, everyday favourites, one-pan wonders, mouth-watering BBQ and sweet treats, all with an Original Flava twist, you’ll find a host of recipes.
These include: Air fryer saltfish fritter balls with scotch bonnet chilli jam; Easy Caribbean lamb roast; Coconut cod curry; One pot jerk chicken rice and peas; Pepper steak pasta; Jerk halloumi salad with mango vinaigrette; Maple-glazed Caribbean veggies; Pepper mango baby back ribs; Coconut and lime cheesecake pots; Guinness punch ice cream … and many more.
These are tasty, vibrant and exciting Caribbean meals.
The book is published by Bloomsbury at £25 for hardback. Here’s a brief taster for you:
Coconut Cod Curry – Serves 2
“Sometimes the best meals come from what you already have inna yuh kitchen. This recipe is a perfect example – quick, comforting, and full of Caribbean flava. Whether the cod came from the freezer, the peppers were half-used in the fridge or the coconut milk has been sitting in the cupboard – this dish helps yuh use what yuh got. No waste, just flava.”
2 cod fillets, cut in half diagonally
1 tsp all-purpose seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼–½ scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped (remove the seeds for less heat)
½ tsp grated fresh ginger
2 peppers, deseeded and chopped (use different colours for visual interest)
300ml coconut milk
1 tbsp curry powder
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Steamed white rice or Easy Rice & Peas, to serve
1 Pat dry yuh cod fillets, then season dem up nice with all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, dried thyme and salt and pepper. Rub it all in so every piece gets that seasoning love, then set aside.
2 Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, scotch bonnet, ginger and peppers. Let them cook for about 2–3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
3 Pour in the coconut milk and stir. Let the sauce bubble gently for 5 minutes so it starts to thicken. Sprinkle in the curry powder, give it a good mix, and let everything cook for 30 seconds to wake up all the flavas.
4 Gently lay the seasoned cod into the sauce. Spoon that curry goodness over the fish, cover, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 8–10 minutes until the fish is tender and flaky.
5 Serve the curry hot over fluffy steamed rice or our Easy Rice & Peas, and don’t be shy – pour plenty of that rich coconut curry sauce all over.
Flava tip
If yuh have fresh thyme, drop a sprig or two into di pot while the sauce simmers – it tek the sauce to the next level.
Lemon Pepper and Honey Salmon Salad – serves 4
“This recipe will help get you summer ready. Zesty, sweet and spicy salmon, paired with a fresh salad and a punch of pomegranate seeds – simple, colourful and full of goodness.”
4 skinless salmon fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp honey
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad
½ cucumber, diced
1 red onion, sliced
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
150g rocket leaves
100g pomegranate seeds
A drizzle of olive oil
For the dressing
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50ml lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/220°C/Gas 7 and line a tray with baking paper, or if cooking in the air fryer, proceed to the next step.
2 Cut the salmon into bite-sized chunks and put them in a mixing bowl. Add in the olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, all-purpose seasoning, garlic powder, chilli powder, honey and a good pinch of salt and rub it all into the salmon well.
3 Transfer the salmon pieces to the lined tray and bake in the oven for 10–15 minutes until tender and lightly caramelised. Alternatively, place the coated salmon pieces in the air fryer basket and cook at 200°C for 12 minutes until golden and cooked through.
4 For the salad, combine the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, rocket leaves and most of the pomegranate seeds (saving some to garnish) in a large mixing bowl. Add the drizzle of olive oil and toss together with your hands.
5 Make the dressing by whisking the oil, lemon juice, honey, chilli flakes, parsley and lemon pepper seasoning until well combined. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
6 Plate up the salad, top with your salmon, scatter over the reserved pomegranate seeds and finish with a drizzle of the dressing.
Flava tip
The air fryer keeps the salmon nice and juicy, but you can also cook it in a grill pan over a medium–high heat for 5 minutes each side for an extra smoky flava.
Coconut and Lime Cheesecake Pots Serves 4 – 6
“Fresh, zesty and creamy wid a Caribbean sunshine kick! These likkle no-bake pots are quick, simple and perfect for family or when friends pass through.”
200g digestive biscuits, crushed
75g unsalted butter, melted
300g cream cheese
200ml coconut milk
100g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest and juice of 1 lime
150g coconut flakes
1 Tip the crushed biscuits into a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and mix well, then press the biscuit mixture equally into the bottom of 4–6 small glasses or ramekins.
2 In another bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, coconut milk, icing sugar, vanilla and half of the lime zest and all of the juice until smooth. Spoon it equally over the biscuit bases. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
3 While the cheesecakes are chilling, heat a dry frying pan over a low heat. When hot, add the coconut flakes and toast for 20 seconds or until starting to turning golden and smelling toasty.
4 To serve, top the cheesecakes with the toasted coconut flakes and sprinkle over the remaining lime zest.
Flava tip
Add a likkle dash of rum to the cheesecake mix if yuh making it for grown up folk – proper island vibes!
