Carribbean Menu

Sorry the Prague and Dresden post is taking so long. There are a lot of pictures and I'm trying to be cute and clever with them, and it's not something that comes naturally to me. So I struggle, and I give up, then I come back determined and the computer has to be restarted. Then I get distracted and decide my time is better spent napping. Then I have to give two fuzzy headed boys haircuts. Then Silas throws up on me. OK, so that's not an entirely accurate order of events, although all those things have happened in the past few days.

Of course planning a tropical luncheon menu took some time away from my blogular duties as well. Again, time spent on something I can eat seems much more important these days.

So, because I'm too technically challenged to offer much else, here's what we ate for lunch today, and recipes so you can make it yourself, if you are, you know, nuts.

Appetizer: Plantain Chips with Fruited Guacamole
(also delicious with plain old tortilla chips, if slicing plantains 1/16 of an inch thick and deep frying them aren't your idea of a good time)
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 Serrano chilies, finely chopped
1 t coarse salt
4 avocados
2 T lime or lemon juice
1 pear, peeled and diced
3/4 cup red seedless grapes, quartered
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Mash together the first 6 ingredients. Fold in the grapes and 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds. Garnish with the remaining seeds.

Plantain chips
Score the skins of a couple plantains and pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. This makes them easier to peel. Chop the ends off and remove the peel. Slice the plantain as thin as possible, 1/16 inch is recommended, so use a mandolin if you have one, or try a veggie peeler. Although I had good, if variable, results with a chefs knife. The thinner you get them the crispier they will get. Fry them in an inch of veggie oil that's been heated to 375 F, flipping them over, until golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towel. Season with salt, lime zest, an a little cayenne. Or plain salt, if you forgot to get limes, and you are hoping you might get your kids to eat them.

Main course: Chili Chicken Skewers with Cilantro Pesto
Toss chunks of chicken (four breasts worth) in
1 t brown sugar
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t cayenne
Thread onto skewers and grill in a couple T of olive oil until chicken is cooked through- 10-15 minutes. Serve with pesto as a dipping sauce.
Combine 1 cup of cilantro
2 T peanut butter
1 T lime juice
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
in a food processor or blender.

Side Dish: Sweet Potato and Banana Mash
Boil 8 cups of cubed sweet potatoes in salted water until quite soft. Drain and return to pan to dry for a few minutes.
Off heat add and mash 1 banana
2 T honey
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup orange juice
Salt and pepper

Dessert: Coconut Pudding Parfaits
Whisk together 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 t salt
Add 4 cups of coconut milk (2 cans) and cook together, whisking until thick and smooth. Refrigerate overnight. Layer together with diced mango, pineapple and macaroon crumble.

Macaroon Crumble
Preheat oven to 350 F, combine
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 t salt
4 T butter
cutting in the butter until crumbly clumps form. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pressing down slightly. Bake for 20 minutes, cool, and crumble. Store airtight.