Caribbean Appetizer

Corn & Pumpkin Fritters
(Makes 8 pieces)

These scrumptious fritters are made with pumpkin, a popular vegetable throughout the Caribbean. Serve with our Green Curry Dip. Yum!

1 1/2 C flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. jalapeno or Scotch Bonnet pepper (seeded,
   minced)
2 eggs (well beaten)
1 T butter (melted)
1/2 C milk (more if needed)
2 C canned pumpkin
1/2 C corn kernels
Oil for deep frying

Combine first 3 ingredients. Add eggs, stirring throroughly till smooth. Mix in remaining ingredients and stir till it forms a heavy, sticky batter (add more milk or flour if neccesary).

Bring the oil up to 375 degrees (make sure it's hot enough or fritters will be soggy). Scoop up about 2 or 3 T of batter into a spoon and drop into the oil. Cook in batches for 4-5 minutes, turning, until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel and serve warm with Green Curry Dip.

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Tips & Glossary

Caribbean cuisine is an exquisite blend of African, Asian, European, and Carib Indian (the area's original inhabitants) foods. Dishes are highly seasoned, either with a dry rub or marinade —or both. Below are some typical ingredients found in Caribbean food.

Callaloo: young leaves of either the taro root plant or amaranth; used widely in Caribbean cooking. Spinach can be used as a substitute.

Spices: Allspice, bay leaves, black pepper, chives, chili peppers, cilantro, cinnamon, coconut, curry powder, escallion, garlic, ginger, lime, mace, nutmeg, onion, oregano, sugar, thyme, orange, tomato paste, vanilla, cayenne (red) pepper.

Jerk: Jamaican cooking method in which meat is rubbed, prior to grilling, with a blend of seasonings, often firey hot.

Jerk is also the name of the seasoning (from Spanish charqui, or dried meat). You can buy jerk in most grocery stores (even McCormick makes it), or can make and store your own.

• 1 T each—onion powder, garlic powder, dried chives, brown sugar; 2 tsp. each— (ground) allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon; 1 tsp. each—sage. thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne (or more to taste). Mix thoroughly and store in a tightly covered jar.

There are thousands of versions; figure out what flavors you like most and add or subtract accordingly.

Typical meats: goat, pork, chicken, and some beef (though beef has tended to be expensive).

Fish: varieties that abound in surrounding waters, some familiar to us—grouper, cod, tilapia, blue marlin; others not so—200 species of jack, chip-chips (tiny clams), casadura (primitive armored catfish).

Native plant foods:
• ackee—peach-looking fruit with pulp like scrambled eggs
• annatto (achiote) seed
red coloring or flavoring agent w/ slightly sweet peppery taste.
• cassava root (taro root)
• malanaga root
• scotch bonnet peppers
• breadfruit—fruit used like a potato in salads, stews, even whipped.
• passion fruit

More familiar foods:
bananas and plantains, okra, yams, papaya, mangoes, coconut, yams, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, corn and cornmeal.