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Food
and Recipes of Haiti
With
very little fertile farmland, a large population to support
and political corruption and instability preventing quality
of life improvements, the country of Haiti suffers from chronic
poverty and a serious lack of food. The need for fuel has
resulted in the cutting down of fruit trees and soil erosion.
Farming, while depended on by the majority of the population,
is very hard work in Haiti.
But, with what they have (and when they have it), Haitians
have developed a very tasty cuisine. Rice, beans and sorghum
(a drought-resistant grain) are the staples of the diet. Citrus
and tropical fruit such as pineapples, mangos, oranges and
grapefruit are also eaten regularly. Millet, bananas, coconut,
almonds, peanuts, cassava, and corn are other items grown
in Haiti. Meat is very rare as it costs too much for the majority
of the population and to raise animals means to feed them
the precious grains that could be used to feed people.
While
cooking the following recipes, keep in mind that most Haitians
do not have electricity. When these dishes are made, they
are often made over open fires or in small ovens.
Haitian
Salad
1 cup cooked corn
1 cup cooked green peas
1 cup of cooked green beans
1 ½ cups cooked carrots, chopped
Dressing:
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Toss together the corn, peas, beans and carrots. Whisk dressing
ingredients together, then pour over the mixed vegetables.
Refrigerate several hours before serving.
Fried
Plantain Slices
Ingredients:
Green plantains
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Peel the plantain and cut off both ends. Thinly slice the
plantain into ¼ - ½ inch rounds. In a large,
heavy skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat keeping
a close watch on it. Once the oil sizzles when a slice of
plantain is added, add several plantain slices and brown them
for about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer them to towels
to drain the excess oil.
On a cutting board, use a rolling pin to flatten each slice
into a flat round. Add the flattened rounds into the oil once
again and brown on each side for a minute more on each side.
Drain again on the towels, add salt and pepper and serve at
once.
**These are very tasty served with Ti Malice
Ti
malice (hot sauce)
Ingredients:
1 small hot pepper, finely diced
1 large chopped onion
½ cup chopped green onions
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Pour the lemon juice over the onions and let marinate for
about 2 hours. Place all ingredients in a pot, bring to a
boil and cook until the pepper is soft (about 10-15 minutes).
Let the mixture cool and refrigerate to store.
Red
Roasted Potatoes
6
red potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp dry parsley
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper
garlic powder
Scrub potatoes well and quarter them. Toss with remaining
ingredients and bake at 375 until tender (about 45-60 minutes)
Rice
and Beans
¼ Cup fresh parsley
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of thyme
½ Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp oil
1 Cup rice
2 Cups cooked beans
1 ½ Cups vegetable broth
1 Cup water
Using a mortar and pestle, mash the parsley, onions, garlic,
thyme and salt into a thick paste. Heat this paste and the
oil in a large pot, then add the rice. Stir to coat the rice
with the oil, then add the broth, water and beans. Bring to
a boil, reduce heat and cover, cooking until the water has
been absorbed. Stir and serve hot.
Boiled
Plantain
Green plantain
Fresh lime
Boiling salted water
Peel the plantain and cut off and discard both ends. Cut into
sections, rub with the lime and cook in the boiling salted
water for about 30 minutes, until tender.
Griots
This dish, often sold along the roads of Haiti, is traditionally
made with pork but we have substituted tempeh to make it vegetarian.
1 package tempeh, thawed and cubed
1 cup onions, chopped
¼ cup chives, chopped
½ cup lime juice
½ cup water
pinch of thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Marinate all ingredients in a shallow bowl for several hours.
Heat some oil and brown the tempeh, then add the marinade
and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, covered. Remove the
lid and cook to eliminate any leftover liquid. Serve hot.
If you are making a Haitian meal out of the above, try ending
it with tropical fruit such as mangos, bananas, oranges, and
pineapple for dessert.
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