Fusion is an overused word in our business, especially when all it effectively means is combining different types of food.
We like to KISS here in the SK kitchen and by that we mean Keep It Simple Stupid, so fusion, along with rustic, artisan, authentic, farm to table and many, many more, incur the wrath when used in our presence.
However, when it comes to Caribbean food, we make one exception.
That’s because when the food comes from African, Creole, Cajun, American, European, Portuguese, British, Irish, Spanish/Latin American, East Indian/South Asian, Arab, Chinese and Japanese, fusion is the one word that really sums it up!
The Caribbean people have, of course, created styles that are unique to the region and that’s why dishes such as jerk chicken, plaintains, callaloo are so delicious.
If you look outside the major cities, it’s a cuisine that is still overlooked, which is a great pity because whilst we love Chinese, Indian and Mexican food, given the abundance of these restaurants on our high street, they are not always authentic (whoops, KISS alert!), so it would be nice to see more Caribbean restaurants.
But perhaps we enjoy Caribbean food because it’s not as widely available, so it becomes a real treat when you do have it?
Here’s this week’s recipe:
Jamaican coco bread
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rest time: 90 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients (MAKES 12 COCO BREADS)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (+ 1/2 cup for kneading)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-1/2 teaspoon quick-rise yeast
- 14 oz coconut milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2tsp of smoked paprika
Method:
- Mix flour, sugar, smoked paprika, salt and yeast together then set aside.
- Warm the coconut milk until it’s warm, but not too hot then add 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and stir. Now add the liquid to the dry ingredients and combine to make a soft and sticky dough.
- Turn out the dough on to a floured surface and knead, flouring the surface as needed, until dough is smooth and soft (about 10 minutes).
- Brush a bowl with melted butter and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper and a damp tea towel.
- Place bowl in warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Preheat oven to 190c/375 F. Roll dough and cut into smaller squares to make individual coco breads.
- Roll each square until 1/8 inch thick; brush dough with melted butter and fold over.
- Use a medium bowl to cut in a semi-circle.
- Repeat last step to make more; place each on parchment-lined baking sheets and brush the tops of the dough with melted butter.
- Place baking sheets in warm spot for 10 minutes so dough can rise; place sheets in oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
About SK Foods
SK Chilled Foods | Your Food. Our Passion
Your food. Our Passion.
