Spy Valley Sauvginon Blanc one of our pick for 2012

Spy Valley Sauvignon  Blanc one  of caribbeanlifestyles pick for 2012
This light yellow colored Sauvignon Blanc is a classic New Zealand styled wine. It opens with a very ripe grapefruit bouquet with a hint a lime. This wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic. The flavor profile is a tasty ripe ruby grapefruit with a touch a touch of lychee. Great for sipping alone or with poultry, pork, fish this one of  caribbeanlifestyles pick for 2012
Enjoy!

Mango Daiquiri

Ingredients

2 cups chopped ripe mango
1 banana
½ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice (4 limes)
¼ cup of simple syrup
1 cup of rum (optional)
2 cups of ice
 Directions

Place the mango, banana, lime juice, sugar syrup rum, and ice in a blender and process until smooth. Add 2 cups of ice and process again until smooth and thick. Serve ice-cold in highball glasses with mango slices.

How to make pisco sour

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 tablespoon pasteurized egg white
1 tablespoons sugar or more to taste
1/4 cup crushed ice
2 ounces Peruvian pisco (1/4 cup)
Angostura bitters
Directions
In a blender, combine the Pisco, sugar, lemon juice, ice, and egg white. Blend for 30-45 seconds until mixture turns into the form of a frappe. Serve straight up in a martini glass or a champagne flute and top with a few drops of Angostura bitters and a wedge of lime.

How to Make Cherry Clafoutis

Cherry Clafoutis
This is  one of my favorite dessert.

Cherry Clafoutis

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter for greasing

• 3 large  eggs, at room temperature
• tablespoon of rum dark rum,   I used light  coconut rum
• 1/2 cup sugar
• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup of  fresh cherries, pitted, or 1 1/4 lb.
  Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375ºF. Butter a large rectangular baking dish.
In a small bowl, toss together the cherries and rum and set aside

In another bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.  Add the eggs and whisk until the batter is smooth. Slowly poor in the cream,  and vanilla extract whisking constantly.

Preheat the prepared baking dish in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, Pour the cherries and their juices and top with the batter. Bake until the clafoutis is set in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm with pistachio or vanilla ice cream.

 Serves 6 to 8.

 

Smothered Pork chops

2 thick loin pork chops
1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger (ginger paste preferably)
1/8 teaspoon of freshly grated garlic (ginger paste preferably)
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
¼ cup of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cilantro and thyme
½ cup of chicken broth
½ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
1 tablespoon of butter
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
3 tablespoons of oil
1 big shallot or small onion chopped

 Directions

 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Season the pork chops on both sides with salt, ginger and garlic paste. Let it marinate for an hour if possible.

3) Dust the pork chops in the flour.

4) Heat the oil in a large oven-proof pan over high heat. Add the pork chops and sear on both sides until brown (about 3-4 minutes).

5) Transfer the pork chops to an oven baked dish. Bake the chops for 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the thinness of the pork chops.

6) In the same pan that was used to sauté the pork chop, sauté the shallot until brown, then add the tomato paste and the mixture of chopped parsley, cilantro and thyme.

7) Add the broth and white wine vinegar. Deglaze the pan, scraping to incorporate any brown bits. Reduce the liquid by half. Cook for about 4 minutes, add the tablespoon of butter.

8) Transfer the pork chops into the sauce, add the ground paper. Serve warm.

 NOTE: This recipe is perfect with spicy macaroni and cheese for any radicchio mango salad.

 http://caribbeanlifestyles.com/food/miss-paulettes-smothered-pork-chops/

Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with Carrots, Onions, and Garlic.

Ingredients:

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 -3/4- to 7-lb. boneless pork shoulder roast
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
3 medium carrots, cut into sticks 1/2 inch wide and 2 to 2-1/2 inches long
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Combine 2 Tbs. salt and 2 tsp. pepper in a small bowl and rub the mixture all over the pork. Put the pork, fat side up, in a large roasting pan (about 12x16x3 inches). Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.

Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1 to 1-1/2 hours before cooking.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F. Uncover the pork and roast until tender everywhere but the very center when pierced with a fork, 4 to 4-1/2 hours. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, wine, and 1 cup water to the roasting pan and continue to roast, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until the pork is completely tender, about 1 hour more.

Remove the roast from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 375°F. Using tongs, separate the pork into 8 to 10 large, rustic chunks and spread out on the pan. If most of the liquid has evaporated, add a splash more water to the pan to create a little more juice. (It shouldn’t be soupy.) Return the pork to the oven and continue to roast until nicely browned on the newly exposed surfaces, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving platter, and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 20 minutes. Skim the excess fat from the juices and serve the juices with the vegetables and meat.

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/slow-roasted-pork-shoulder-carrots-onions-garlic.aspx



Haitian Pumpkin Soup

I wish all Haitians a happy Independence Day and New Year!

Serves 8
Haitian households celebrate their country's Independence Day with bowls of this comforting soup. The national holiday falls on New Year's Day, when Haitians walk from house to house to pay friends and family the first visits of the New Year. Although this is a vegetarian version, add small cubes of browned beef stew meat along with the pumpkin, if you like. Simply remove and then return them to the pot just as you do the hot peppers.
Ingredients:
2 pounds (1-inch) chunks seeded, peeled butternut squash or pumpkin (about 7 cups)
10 cups water, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 jalapeño or serrano peppers
10 whole cloves
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 turnips, peeled and cut into small chunks
1/2 small head green cabbage, cored and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 pound vermicelli or capellini
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Method
Put squash, water, salt and pepper into a large pot. Stud peppers with cloves by pushing them halfway into the flesh, then add peppers to pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until squash is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer peppers to a small bowl and set aside.

Working in batches, purée remaining contents of pot in a blender or food processor until smooth, taking care as it will be very hot. Return pureed squash mixture to the pot along with peppers. Add carrots, turnips, cabbage, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and pepper, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in vermicelli and parsley, cover again and simmer gently until pasta is tender and soup is thickened, about 10 minutes more. Because the texture of squash and pumpkins can vary, thin the finished soup with a bit more water, if desired.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2643

Cinnamon Chicken and Plantains

I was in St. Kitts in January 2011, I truly appreciate the island's laid back attitude, beauty and the cuisine. I attended a cooking class hosted by Wendy and Lorraine. She made a cinnamon chicken and plantains dish, it was delicious. I made the recipe twice and my friend love it. I made a couple changes from her original recipe and it is still delicious.

 

SERVES SIX

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 lemon
samll peice of butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil
8 Chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon
1 Cup chicken stock (or more if you want more sauce)
1 Teaspoon brown sugar
3 Ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1” rounds
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash chicken use the juice from the lemon and a pinch of salt to seasons the chicken
Cut the ends of the plantains, slit up the side and peel. Cut into ½ inch half-rounds.

In a large saucepan Sauté the garlic, onion in the butter over medium high heat stirring often until onion is soft . Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour olive oil in the same saucepan add the chicken, let brown for 2-3 minutes.

Remove chicken and place into a large baking dish.

Add sauté onion, chicken broth, cinnamon, brown sugar, plantains, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or more stirring occasionally. Pour the plantains and sauce over the chicken.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 or until the chicken is cooked through, basting 2-3 times.
Enjoy!

Welcome to Caribbeanlifestyles.com

Welcome!

Welcome to Caribbean Lifestyles, where you can find deliciously fun and easy tips for cooking my favorite Caribbean dishes right in your own kitchen. Here, you will also get to experience my travels to the Caribbean to learn about the various cultures and their best recipes.

My name is Miss Paulette and I’m a native of Haiti living in New York. I have traveled extensively throughout Europe, Middle East and Far East, and I’ve lived in Paris and Geneva, Switzerland. Although I’ve been around the world, I’m still an Island girl at heart. My passion is fine dining, wine, traveling and entertaining my family and friends. With the knowledge I have obtained through my travels and love for cooking, I will show you how to make all types of cuisine with an island twist.

Caribbean cooking is more than treating your taste buds to great flavors; it’s about family and good times as well. You will get all of that right here from CaribbeanLifeStyles.com, which will feature tips, ideas and how-to videos. Make sure to watch my new exciting web series called Island Girl Kitchen right here on my site. I will show you how to make delicious meals and introduce you to Island spices, cocktails and produce. Island Girl Kitchen will also take you around the Caribbean so that you can see first-hand where the many ingredients that you will be using come from, and how the locals use it. You will see how the produce and spices grow and the process they undergo to get from the Islands to your table.

Another great feature on the site is “Destination with Miss Paulette”, where I will take you to Romantic get-a-ways, private cruises, beautiful beaches, family retreats and much more.

Invite your family and friends to CaribbeanLifeStyles.com to submit their own recipes and learn new ones that will become family favorites. Thanks for your support and hope you continue to enjoy Caribbean Life Styles!

 

Garden & Eatin' Chips

I love Garden of Eatin' Chips. My Favorite is the Chili & Lime Corn Tortilla Chips made with organic white corn.. also Gluten free. Perfect with a classic  margarita. Available at

Wholefoodsmarket.com or online http://www.gardenofeatin.com/

ISLAND GIRL DELIGHT COCKTAIL

www.caribbeanlifestyles.com for more cocktials recipes

Tuna Ceviche with Mango and Plantain chips

Tuna Ceviche with Mango  and Plantain chips

20 Hors D’oeuvres

 6 ounces of  super fresh and quality tuna  cut and diced

1. 1 small shallot diced
2. Zest and juice of 1 small orange 1 tablespoon
3. 1 habanero chili pepper,  seeded and finely chopped
4. ½  tsp ginger, peeled and minced
5. 2  tablespoons of  fresh lime juice
6. Salt and  pinch of  black pepper
7. 1 tablespoon of diced red pepper
8. ½ mango, peeled and diced
9. 2 tablespoon of cilantro finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Chop tuna into 1/4 inch cubes. Combine tuna, shallot, bell pepper, mango, orange juice, lime juice, ginger, hot Pepper and cilantro. Season with salt and cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Serve with fried plantains or plantain chips

Holiday Season Wine for Under $20.00

Holiday season  is my favorite time of year, since so many of you will be hosting parties and get-togethers I put together this selection of some of my favorite holiday  wines for   under $20. 00 Watch for my new video coming soon with a wine expert from Warehouse Wines in lower Manhattan.  

Cruising For The First Time

I grew up beside the ocean and have always loved boats and owned a few myself.

So why not try a cruise for a vacation? Sounds ideal, that is until I remembered all the cruise lines commercials which proudly features dozens of plus sized adults frolicking in a minus sized swimming pool. I am not a big lover of highly chlorinated pools and I more often head away from crowds than towards them.  Therefore I doubted than any number of those frozen cocktails with the little umbrellas in them that are everywhere in the ads could get me enjoy such shipboard merriment. Cruises are for other people I would mutter as I tossed yet another glossy cruise brochure away. It is in this way that I put off taking my first cruise for far too long.

(Note to cruise lines and their ad agencies …you might be scaring away more people than you attract especially in the staid northeast with your “frolic with us” approach. just a thought)

My wife and I wanted a travel experience that was new to both of us. Neither of us had taken a cruise so we gave the idea another chance. It did not take long to learn what other cruise veterans already knew. Cruises are a great travel value. Even with my math skills I quickly determined the daily cost to us of traveling to the Caribbean, unlimited meals, a private room with an ocean view, nightly entertainment and all the sun we could want came in at about $100 per day per person.

We could easily blow that on any one of these items alone in our beloved Manhattan. I was not entirely kidding when I quipped that we “cannot afford to stay home at that price.” When we factored in that we would be exchanging a chunk of January in the northeast with its snow, ice and cold for the 80 degree trade winds of the Islands we started thinking we really could be “pool people”afterall.

We being cruise virgins we decided to play it safe and float the cruise idea past our trusted travel agent, Annette  at  Liberty travel  . She quickly calmed our fears and advised us “get a fairly new ship” and “get a balcony” both of which she thought was more important that the cruise line . She soon worked her magic on her computer with the dates we had available and found a six night cruise to the western Caribbean departing out of Miami on the Royal Caribbean’s ship Freedom of the Seas.

Rooms were being reserved even while we sat with her but we still wanted to sleep on it so we left with our credit card balance intact. The cold walk home and the local news predicting more cold on the way was all the further convincing we needed. I was Annette’s first customer the next morning and we confirmed our reservations.

We are going on a cruise!

More to follow, Miami, The Islands ,The ship, Do’ and Don’ts.

Jeff Salisbury, The Travel Guru

Cinnamon Chicken and Plantains

I was  in St. Kitts in January 2011,  I truly appreciate the island's laid back attitude, beauty and the cuisine.  I attended a cooking class hosted by Wendy and Lorraine. She  made a cinnamon chicken and plantains dish, it was delicious. I  made the recipe twice and my friend love it. I made a couple changes from her  original recipe and it is still delicious.

BEFORE

AFTER

   .

SERVES SIX

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 lemon
samll peice of butter 

1 tablespoon of olive oil
8 Chicken thighs
1 Tablespoon of  ground cinnamon
1 Cup chicken broth (or more if you want more sauce)
1 Teaspoon brown sugar
3 Ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1” rounds
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Wash chicken use the juice from the lemon and a pinch of salt to seasons the chicken
Cut the ends of the plantains, slit up the side and peel. Cut into ½ inch half-rounds.

In a large saucepan Sauté the garlic, onion in the butter over medium high heat stirring often  until onion is soft . Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour olive oil in the same saucepan add the chicken, let brown for 2-3 minutes.

Remove chicken and place into a large baking dish.

Add sauté onion, chicken broth, cinnamon, brown sugar, plantains, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or more stirring occasionally. Pour the plantains and sauce over the chicken.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 or until the chicken is cooked through, basting 2-3 times.
Enjoy! 

Beautiful island of St. Kitts