It's time to celebrate Caribbean Food Week and what better way than to make some make some delicious Caribbean inspired recipes like my Caribbean beef patties, marinated chicken legs or spicy skinny curly fries.
Caribbean Food Week
In the UK Caribbean Food Week runs from 22nd to 29 August and so what better time is there to cook up some spicy Caribbean recipes? And if you're in or near London then why not head down to Brixton for the Caribbean Food Week Festival at Windrush Square on 26th-27th August? There'll be loads of amazing Caribbean street food as well as live cookery demonstrations, music and other entertainment.
I won't be able to get to the festival but I've been lucky enough to receive a hamper full of lovely Caribbean products from Grace Foods. I was so excite to create my own tasty street food party at home.
3 Easy Caribbean Recipes
I've created three easy recipes that would work just as well served from a street food stall as they would if you prepared them for a simple meal at home.
Caribbean Beef Patties
The first recipe is for Caribbean beef patties. These are simply minced beef and potato pasties but with the addition of some hot pepper sauce in the filling. You can make them as hot as you like and a little extra hot sauce on the side when you serve them just gives them an extra kick!
My kids loved making the pastry for the patties
I have to admit that I allowed Little Miss Spice and Master Spice to help make the pasties and so they are a little rough around the edges and in the chaos of cooking with the children I forgot to glaze them. Even so, they tasted great and make great street food! The recipe is at the end of this post.
Jerk Marinated Chicken Drumsticks
The next dish was the Jerk marinated chicken drumsticks. They are so simple to prepare and cook that you don't need a recipe. I just marinated the chicken legs overnight in a couple of tablespoons of Dunn's River Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. The next day I baked them in the oven till they were cooked through (about 35 minutes). If you can cook them on the barbecue they'd be fabulous too!
I must warn you though, these chicken legs were very very hot. I think the marinade is almost completely made up of chilli peppers. The little bits of charred marinade on the skin of the chicken are only for those who really can take the heat!
If you want a slightly less fiery chicken dish then use the marinade a little more sparingly and mix it with some yoghurt. You could also scrape the excess marinade off the drumsticks before cooking them.
Spiced Spiralizer Fries
The final dish was almost as simple as the chicken drumsticks and was a clear favourite with both Little Miss Spice and Master Spice. It was these spicy skinny fries made from sweet potato and normal potato.
I got my spiraliser out to make the fries and so they are long and curly like spaghetti. I then added a heaped teaspoon of Dunn's River Hot and Spicy Jerk Chicken Mix and tossed it with the fries before deep frying them.
So if you've got an unused spiraliser hidden in a cupboard, this really should be the recipe to make you get it out. I know it's not the healthiest spiralised recipe but they really are so so worth it! I don't very often deep fry anything but these spicy skinny fries are certainly going to get made again. And again.
Caribbean Beef Patties Recipe
Recipe
Caribbean Beef Patties
Ingredients
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 250 g beef mince
- 1 potato cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoon tomato purée
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1-2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Use more for really hot patties!
For the shortcrust pastry
- 450 g plain flour I used a mix of 100g wholemeal and 350g white flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 200 g butter diced
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Cook the onion gently in a little oil until softened. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute.
- Add the mince and cook, breaking it up until it is browned on the outside.
- Add the turmeric, the potatoes, the tomato puree, the thyme and 200ml of water.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes till the potatoes are cooked through and the sauce has reduced.
- Stir in the hot sauce. Add a little at a time and keep tasting so you get the level of heat just right.
- Leave to cool.
- Make the pastry. Mix the salt into the flour then either rub the butter into the flour using your finger tips or use a food processor. Stop as soon as it is rubbed in and the mixture is like breadcrumbs.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of cold water and knead the mixture together to form a dough. Add a little extra water if it is too dry.
- Wrap the dough in clingfilm and put in the fridge for half an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 200C
- Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each one out into a circle. Put a tablespoon of the mince mixture on one side and fold the other side over to form a parcel. Press the 2 sides together. Brush a little milk on the top.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
More Caribbean Recipes
If you like these Caribbean beef patties then why not try one of my other Caribbean inspired recipes:
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make these Caribbean beef patties or any of my other recipes. I love to get feedback from readers.
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Beck
When do I add the thyme?
Corina
I'm so sorry I missed it out of the recipe. I've updated it now and it gets added at the same time as the tomato puree, potatoes and turmeric. Thanks so much for letting me know.
Heather
Thanks for sharing these recipes! I love spicy food and this combination looks absolutely delicious, I'll definitely have to try this out!
Corina
I'm so pleased you liked these! I do love homemade pastries when I have time.
anyone4curryandotherthings
Having lived for 3 wonderful years in Trinidad (&Tobago/W.I.) I just love those patties. Make them small and they are also nice cocktail party food there. But they do need to be HOT (spices) 🙂 🙂 🙂
Corina
Yes, they would be lovely for a cocktail party! I probably haven't got enough heat in here for you as I was making them with and for my children to eat as well but I would definitely make them HOT if it was just for me! The great thing is that you can just add extra hot sauce to get them right for whoever you're making them for.
anyone4curryandotherthings
Lol, you are a girl after my own heart!!!! You surely will have no trouble finding HOT (as in spices) recipes on my own site then
Charlotte Oates
These pasties sound delicious - I love the combination of flavours you've used. I;ve never really done any Caribbean cooking and looking at these is making me want to go and try some out.
Corina
They are lovely and so easy to make. To make them quicker you can use ready made pastry too. I like to make pastry with the children as it's a bit like playdough for them and it really encourages them to eat it but the filling would be yummy in any pastry!
Eb Gargano
Ooh lovely recipes - I especially like the look of the beef patties! I love that you let the little spices make them - what a fab job! Eb x
Corina
Thank you! I love encouraging the little spices in the kitchen but it is a challenge for me to make things look edible too!
Mandy Mazliah
We tried some of that jerk marinade last year and I am so glad I tried it first before serving it to the kids!!! It's seriously firey stuff. These recipes all look delicious and I think your kids did a great job with the patties. Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare
Corina
I was hoping to serve some to the kids but couldn't! Luckily they loved the beef patties and the skinny fries though.
babyledblog
OOOOO fab! Love the look of those patties - I don't eat beef do you think chicken or turket thigh would work? #cookblogshare
Corina
Yes, chicken or turkey thigh would be great. So pleased you like them!
peter @feedyoursoultoo
This recipe is so up my alley. I really like that you created a traditional recipe using the such warm spices.
Corina
Thank you Peter! I love warm spices so I loved creating (and eating) these!
Food Done Light (@FoodDoneLight)
We just had a great beef patty from a restaurant. I would love to make them at home.
Corina
They are fairly easy to make at home! My children helped me make these so it could have been a lot easier and they might have looked a bit prettier without the help too!
Everyday Sarah Jane
These patties sound like they are packed with flavor...actually, they all do! The Caribbean Food Week sounds amazing!!!
efwalt
I love Caribbean food! There's a Caribbean food festival near my home each year. They set up stalls in the park, there's loads of music and of course food. I've never tried cooking Caribbean food at home though. Your recipe looks so simple to follow I will have to start!
Azlin Bloor
Great post, I wasn't aware of Caribbean Food week here, so thanks for he heads up! I love your beef patties! Isn't it amazing that so many cuisines have the same dish in so many different ways?
Corina
It is indeed! And so pleased you like the post.