Jamaican Jerk Chicken

The term “Jerk” comes from the term “Jerky,” which comes from the Spanish “Charqui” (char-key), which is meat cooked over a slow wood fire. Today “Jerk” doesn’t refer to the cooking method, but the fiery spice mix rubbed on the meat before it’s grilled.

While originally from Jamaica, jerk chicken is a popular recipe among spicy food fans all over America. This amazing chicken recipe is great paired with a cold and crunchy coleslaw or stir fry asparagus.

Serve jerk chicken with stir fry asparagus and rice.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken 
Seasoning Ingredients
3 Jalapeno, remove the seed
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
1/2 thumb size ginger
1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon canola cooking oil

1 chicken, cut into 4 parts. Pat dry with kitchen towel.

Jalapeno chillies 

 Fancy chicken coop

1/  Pound the jalapeno, onion, ginger, spring onion till fine. Mix with the rest of the seasoning ingredients.
2/  Put the chicken in a large bowl, and pour over the marinade. Mix the chicken pieces around to coat them completely, cover, and marinate at minimum 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
3/  Grill the jerk chicken until cooked through. You may also broil, or roast the chicken in a hot oven at 190 deg C.

Grill until slightly charred to get the burnt scent.

One for the road

must eat with your fingers....

The chicken will taste better eating by the beach with a lover or hubby, if he not watching football.

 And after that dinner....

Stir fry asparagus with chopped garlic, westchester sauce and pepper.

Designer sweater.

And for dessert......
Chocolate Molten Lava Cake

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook.

For that reason feel free to stir your own ideas into this dish. When you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit.

Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavor, you have to add your own!

Molten lava flowing down active volcano

Molten lava flow from active volcano
Swimming or fooling around on the beach here is not a very good idea......

What did the mama volcano say to the baby volcano?  "don't erupt while I'm talking."
What did one volcano say to the other? "I lava you".


Ring Of Fire
The large series of volcanoes (some active) encircling the Pacific Ocean are referred to as being part of the Ring of Fire, and notorious for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The Ring of Fire, coinciding with the edges of one of the world's maintectonic plates, (the Pacific Plate) contains over 450 volcanoes and is home to approximately 75% of the world's active volcanoes.

Nearly 90% of the world's earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire; most recently, the devasting quakes in Chile, Japan and New Zealand.

Volcanoes and Earthquakes of note:
Christchurch Earthquake, New Zealand
Mount Saint Helens, Washington, USA
Mount Pinatubo, Philippines
Mt. Fuji, Japan
Paricutin Volcano, Mexico
Santiago Earthquake, Chile
Sendai Earthquake, Japan

 Pacific rim of active volcanos.

 

Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
Ingredients
50 gm butter
120 gm granulated sugar
250 mls Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
375 gm bittersweet chocolate, melted
150 gm all purpose flour

Garnishing Ideas
Fresh raspberries/ strawberry
Strawberry sauce

1/  Preheat oven to 200C.
2/ Using electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until pale coloured. Gradually pour in sweetened condensed milk, beating until well incorporated.
3/  Gradually beat in egg mixture, making sure each addition is well incorporated before adding the next.
Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, beat in chocolate.

Life is short, break the rules. Laugh uncontrollable and then just eat one of the piece.

4/  Stir in flour. Divide mixture evenly among eight greased ovenproof ramekins.
5/  Bake in centre of preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until top has lost its sheen and edges are set.
6/  Immediately run small paring knife around edge of ramekin. Invert onto plate.
7/  Serve immediately dusted with icing sugar, fresh raspberries/ strawberry or strawberry sauce.

Note: Always chop your chocolate coarsely before melting, whether it’s melted in the microwave or on top of the stove. There's less chance of it burning this way.

Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream Balls
Ingredients
4 scoops premium vanilla or your favourite ice cream
16 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup shredded coconut

1/  Using an ice cream scoop, form four evenly shaped balls and freeze until hardened on a baking sheet.
2/  Toss the chocolate into a mixing bowl and set the bowl over a pot of simmering water.
3/  Stir the chocolate until it has almost completely melted, then take it off the heat and continue stirring until it's smooth, glossy and fully melted.

 Best to serve the Chocolate molten lava cake with chocolate ice cream ball.

4/  Place the coconut into a mixing bowl. Using two forks and working quickly, dip the frozen ice cream balls one at a time into the melted chocolate, turning until well coated.
5/  Remove and toss with the coconut until evenly coated.
6/  Return to the baking sheet in the freezer and wait until it's time for a treat! Repeat with remaining balls.
7/  If the ice cream melts a bit into the chocolate just return it briefly to the water bath and whisk smooth before dipping the next ball.

Money may talk, but Chocolate sings.

Have a fabulous week ahead. Enjoy!
Amelia