Bring the tastes of the Caribbean to your party.
A party with Caribbean flavor should include lively music, bright colors and authentic foods from the islands. Foods from the Caribbean blend the spices and export items from the region with the influences of Creole, African and Island cooking. The menu can be as diverse and colorful as the people who call the islands home. Does this Spark an idea?
Jerk Chicken
It's hard to imagine a Caribbean party without what is perhaps the most well-known dish from the region. Jerk chicken is a spicy, sweet dish originating in Jamaica that is commonly found all across the Caribbean and will be a favorite at any island party. Jerk chicken is traditionally made with a whole chicken, chopped, but any type of cut works since it's more about the spice than it is the actual part of the chicken.
The chicken is marinated overnight in jerk sauce made from Scotch bonnet peppers, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, chopped onions and peppers, and various other spices and seasonings that are liquefied in a blender. The chicken is grilled or baked until thoroughly cooked, all the while being basted with more sauce as it slowly reaches perfection. Serving this dish with a green salad and some bread will put a smile on the faces of just about any party guest.
Rum Cake
A rum cake will tempt guests at the island party and make them consider dessert first. Rum cakes are made in a variety of ways. However, choosing the right rum is important to successful sweets. Most recipes will suggest rum from the Caribbean with vanilla flavoring, but everyone has their own opinion about which makes the best cake.
Rum cakes are made from a basic flour cake mix with added walnuts, rum and vanilla extract. More rum is added to sugar, butter and water to create a soaking glaze. This glaze is poured onto the cooling cake after it is cooked, allowing the cake to soak up the rum flavor.
Black Bean Stew
Variations of black bean stew can be found in Cuba, Jamaica and Brazil and the stew is the Caribbean's version of chili. In fact, making this stew is no different than making chili, with the exception of a few unique ingredients. Those with a favorite Southwest-style meatless chili can stick to their own recipe and add the citrus flavors and choose black beans to give it an unexpected appeal.
Citrus flavors stand out in this stew thanks to the addition of a quarter-cup of lemon juice, grated orange and lime zest and garnish that can include lime wedges alongside a dollop of sour cream in the serving bowl.
Grilled Bananas
A sweet treat for guests at a Caribbean-themed party can include grilled bananas, a snack related to the popular New Orleans dish Bananas Foster.
Bananas are peeled, halved and soaked in a mixture of rum, brown sugar, melted butter, lime juice and allspice, and then grilled on an open flame for a short time, then placed on a plate with a topping of additional sauce. The host won't receive any complaints about this tasty island food.
Tags: cakes made, from Caribbean, from region, island party, Jerk chicken, made from, this stew