by Jerry Conner
Pamela Dupuis asked me to oversee this column while she is away. I’m happy to share some of my personal recipes from over the years and pass along those submitted by fellow neighbors.
The Caribbean has been on many minds with the upcoming benefit cruise for the Montford Music and Arts Festival, so to put you in the mood, here are a couple recipes from my Tradewinds –Taste of the Caribbean cookbook, which it is no longer in print.
From the Bahamas comes this inventive way to use leftover chicken. (Turkey, pork, or any fish or seafood can be substituted.) The dish derives its name from the nickname for the flag of the British, who held the islands as a possession until 1973 when they became independent. Chicken Union Jack makes a great luncheon or light dinner entrée.
Chicken Union Jack
4 large fresh ripe tomatoes
1 ½ -2 cups cooked chicken (or other meat) cut in cubes
1 green onion, minced (white and green stalk)
1 small onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, diced
¼ cup roasted peanuts
1 tb. sherry
1 tb. oil
½ tsp. curry powder (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
8 strips of bacon
Pickled onions
For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with tofu or cooked barley or rice and replace the bacon with Fakin’ Bacon strips.
Cut the top off each tomato and scoop out the seeds, making sure to leave enough meat attached to the skin. Reserve the tomato mixture in a separate bowl. In a sauce pan, heat oil and add onion, green onion, green pepper, and optional curry. Sauté until warmed but not completely soft. Strain seed mixture and add tomato juice to vegetables with peanuts, cooked chicken, and sherry. Toss, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Generously fill the cavities of the tomatoes with mixture. Lay out 2 bacon strips in an X pattern for each tomato. Place tomato in middle and pull up bacon over the top. Secure with a toothpick. Place in a baking dish and bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest 15 minutes. Garnish with pickled onion on each toothpick before serving. Serves 4.
If you want to share a recipe or are looking for one and can’t find it, contact me at jerrylconner@bellsouth.net.
