It started with a Papaya Lime sauce and ended with pineapple and coconut.
I had to use one of the new sauces I picked up today, and the Papaya Lime seemed the way to go. I’ve been looking at a 3-year old Bon Appetit magazine all about the Caribbean and have been feeling the island call.
Tonight, I started off with a pork tenderloin that I marinated in the Papaya Lime sauce and a bit of boonie pepper. I wanted some heat on the pork because I wanted pineapples on top.
Pineapple Relish
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 can pineapple chunks, drained
- 1/4 cup dried apricot, chopped
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Melt butter in saute pan. Add everything but balsamic vinegar and cook about 5 minutes or until pineapple begins to brown a bit and caramelize. Add balsamic and stir until nicely thickened. Serve over pork (or chicken, fish…)
And with papaya, lime, and pineapple, the only thing missing was coconut. Coconut Rice to the rescue.
Coconut Rice
- 1/2 cup wild rice
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup dried coconut
Cook wild rice separately, drain, and set aside.
Melt 1 tbsp butter in sauce pan. Add white rice and stir to coat. Add coconut milk, water, dried coconut and a pinch of salt. Cook about 20 minutes or until done.
Stir in reserved wild rice and serve.
I grilled the pork loin and topped it with the pineapple relish. The coconut rice was really good – the addition of the wild rice kept it from being a coconut rice pudding! And who doesn’t like green beans?!?
And for dessert…
Jamaican Coffee Brownies
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cubes butter
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons very finely ground coffee beans
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup walnut pieces
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 13x9x2-inch pan. Combine sugar, butter, cocoa, ground coffee, and salt in large bowl. Place bowl over saucepan of simmering water and whisk until butter melts and ingredients are blended (texture will be grainy). Remove bowl from over water; cool mixture to lukewarm if necessary. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Sift flour over and fold in. Mix in pecans.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool brownies in pan.
Methinks we’ll have to have chicken tomorrow…..