Watermelon Aguas Frescas

Ingredient

5 cups watermelon, cut into pieces and seeded

¹/² cup granulated sugar

¹/⁴ cup fresh lime juice

3 cups water or club soda

Directions

1 In a blender, blend watermelon with sugar.

(If you weren't able to get all the seeds out, strain into a pitcher.)

2 Add lime juice and water of your choice.

3 Add more sugar to taste.

(I prefer this to be a refreshing drink so I generally won't add more)

4 Garnish with limes or fresh mint.

Barbecue Chicken with Home-made Sauce

Ingredients

4lb chicken, cut into pieces,

seasoned

1 cup honey

2 cups ketchup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

(pimento)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cloves minced garlic

¹/⁴ teaspoon minced garlic

¹/² cup molasses

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 cup brown sugar

Scotchie to your liking!

Directions

1 Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan.

2 Bring to a boil, then simmer about 30 minutes to allow the flavours to combine.

3 Season chicken parts with salt, pepper, minced garlic and scallion.

4 Grill chicken and baste with sauce.

Curry Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, diced small
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 4 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tbsp lime juice

• 
  

  Directions

  1. Over medium heat, sauté onions and jalapeno in olive oil. Cook until onions are golden brown and slightly translucent.
  2. Add tomato paste, curry, ginger and chopped tomatoes and then add 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
  3. Add shrimp, cook 4-6 minutes. Stir in yogurt and lime juice and serve with steamed rice.

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Rum and Raisin Cheesecake

cheesecake is combined with rum and spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla and some rum-soaked raisins to create this wonderful dessert. It is a great cheesecake to have year-round, but it is especially appreciated during the Christmas holidays when many of us think about exciting new additions and alternatives to the Jamaican fruit cake. Don't be shy to try this insanely delicious treat. It's a lot easier to make than the fruit cake and you will be glad you did!

Ingredients

(For The Crust)

2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs

¹/² tsp ground cinnamon

¹/² cup melted butter

The Filling

4 eggs

3 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar or 1 can 14 ozs sweetened condensed milk

¹/⁴tsp cinnamon

¹/⁴tsp allspice

¹/⁴tsp nutmeg

2tsp vanilla extract

¹/²tsp almond extract

2tbs flour

1 cup rum-soaked raisins

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. Mix Graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and melted butter together. Press on bottom and sides of a nine-inch spring-form pan.

3. Combine cream cheese, eggs, sugar and beat until smooth. Add allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and almond extract. Blend in the raisins, flour and pour into the crumb crust.

4. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 35 minutes or just till set. Cool.

5. Chill well, about four or five hours. Serve as is or topped with your favourite fruit topping or Chef Henry's coconut caramel sauce.

Coconut caramel sauce

Ingredients

¹/² cup light brown sugar

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Directions

Combine the sugar and coconut milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Simmer briskly until thick, golden and very flavourful, about five minutes, whisking often. Remove the pan from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Place it in a deep bowl. (Can be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Let the sauce return to room temperature before using.)

Stove-top ham with Dijon apple glaze

When there are so many things that need to get in the oven for your holiday dinner, why not do most of the main dish on the stove top?

Stove-top ham with dijon-apple glaze

For the ham:

1tbs whole cloves

1tsp fennel seeds

1tsp cumin seeds

1tbs coriander seeds

1tbs canola or vegetable oil

2 medium yellow onions, quartered

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup white wine

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

7- to 8-lb bone-in ham

For the glaze:

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup apple jelly

Using a mortar and pestle or a zip-close plastic bag and a meat mallet, combine and lightly crush the cloves, fennel, cumin and coriander.

In a large stock pot (big enough to hold the ham) over medium-high flame, heat the oil. Add the crushed seeds, onions and garlic. Cook for five minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Add the wine, orange juice, lemon juice, oregano and Worcestershire sauce. Place the ham in the pot and fill with water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for two hours.

Heat the oven to 450F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place a roasting rack over the foil. Remove the ham from the pot and place on the rack.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and apple jelly, then brush the mixture all over the surface of the ham. Roast for 25 minutes, or until the surface of the ham is golden and the glaze is bubbly. Allow the ham to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes before slicing. 

Start to finish: 2¹/² to 3 hours (20 minutes active)

Servings: 12