Recipes
Ooey Gooey Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Cookies
I make my own oat milk and I didn’t like the waste. I decided to repurpose the leftover oat mash into these decadent cookies. You don’t have to make oat milk to make them, though. These cookies are best warm, so pop cold cookies into the microwave or toaster oven for a couple of seconds to make them ooey gooey again!
Ingredients (Makes about 3 dozen)
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup water
12 large pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
1 cup date powder from Bob’s Red Mill
1 ¼ cups room temperature butter or coconut oil
3 large free-run eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp grated orange zest
1 cup ground almonds (almond flour)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped Ti Kay La St. Lucian Cocoa Stick or dark chocolate chips
Ooey Gooey Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Cookies
In a medium bowl, combine oatmeal and water, cover and let rest for 2 hours.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl combine the chopped dates and date powder; mix well. Add the butter and blend until smooth.
Into a small bowl, beat eggs with vanilla and zest; add to the date and butter mixture and beat for about 2 minutes. Add the almond flour and mix for another 2 minutes or so.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda; add this to the batter 1 cup at a time, mixing as you go until well incorporated. Add chocolate chips and mix well.
Arrange cookie dough by the spoonful on a baking tray; leave ½ in space for spread. Bake cookies for about 15 mins or until golden brown. Allow to cool somewhat before serving.
St Lucian Dhal
Feeding a family of 14 in St. Lucia was challenging, but this was my mother’s go-to dish. It was inexpensive to make and delicious to eat! Mother would fry the affordable peas and flour creations in her own homemade coconut oil. To make life easier for you, start the day before by soaking the split peas overnight.
Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the surface
1 Tbsp dried instant yeast
1 tsp sea salt
3 cups lukewarm water
6 cups vegetable oil for frying, plus more for greasing the bowl
Directions
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients, making a well in the center.
Add water to the well and mix with fingertips until the ball forms.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes or until nice and smooth.
Pour a little oil into the same mixing bowl and spread; return the dough ball to the greased bowl, smooth a little oil all over the dough ball, cover with a damp kitchen towel; set aside somewhere warm to rise – about how long? Punch risen dough down, transfer to counter and portion into approximately 20 balls about the size of a tennis ball.
Arrange the balls on a lightly floured tray, re-cover and allow to rise again for about 20 minutes.
St Lucian Dhal
Ingredients
5 cups of yellow split peas
6 cups of water
1 Tbsp sea salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped green onion
2 cups chopped cilantro, fresh coriander, or shado bennie
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp cumin powder
1 – 2 Scotch bonnet peppers; about 1 Tbsp finely chopped
1 Tbsp Ti Kay La Turmeric Powder
1 mild banana pepper; finely chopped
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp black pepper
Directions
Add peas, water, and salt to a pot and soak for a minimum of 20 mins to overnight. When soaked, transfer to stove over medium heat and cook uncovered, stirring often, until very tender and all water has evaporated; about 45 minutes.
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil, cook onion, stirring often, until translucent – about 6 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and continue to cook for another 5 – 10 minutes; stirring often.
Add the onion and pepper mixture to the pot of peas; set aside.
Flatten the dough with your hands – about 1/2-inch thick, and 5-inches across; place about 2 tablespoons of the pea mixture into the center of the flattened dough disc. Fold the dough to form a half-moon shape. Close the dough tightly by pressing the edge with the tines of a fork; gently flatten the dough pocket a little with your hand.
To a large heavy-bottomed skillet – cast iron is great – over medium heat, add about 6 cups oil, to the pan. When oil is hot, add a few dahls to the pan; do not crowd. Fry until golden brown; about 3 minutes each side. Transfer to towel or wire rack to drain excess oil, serve with a side of Ti Kay La Hot Ginger & Tamarind Chutney.
Jerk it Like You Mean it for Chicken or Pork
One of my favourite memories of growing up in St. Lucia is the aroma of marinated pork and chicken roasting over wood fires, especially at Christmas. One bite and I was in heaven! With my Hot Jerk Marinade, I’m bringing those flavours to you.
Ingredients (Serves 6 to 8)
4 Lbs chicken thigh, drumsticks or whole legs with back attached; or pork chops or butt cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ bottle of Ti Kay La Jerk Marinade
1 cup Ti Kay La BBQ Sauce any of the flavours; more or less as desired
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
Jerk it Like You Mean it for Chicken or Pork
Wash pork or chicken under gently running cold water, remove all extra fat, and pat dry with a paper towel. Add meat to a bowl or casserole dish, cover with Ti Kay La Hot Jerk Marinade and soy sauce to coat; cover and refrigerate. For best results, marinate at least 6 hours and up to two days. Do not marinate shrimp for more than a few minutes!
For the Chicken: Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arranged meat on the tray skin side up. Roast until nicely brown and internal temperature reaches 145F – about 30 minutes – then remove from the oven to baste with Ti Kay La BBQ Sauce. Return chicken to the oven and finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165F – about another 6 minutes. Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving. A side of Ti Kay La Hot Ginger & Tamarind Chutney is perfect!
For the Pork: Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange meat on the tray. Roast until internal temperature reaches 120F and beginning to brown – about 35 minutes. Remove pork from the oven and baste with Ti Kay La BBQ Sauce. Return to the oven and finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches 145F – about another 6 minutes. Let rest for about 10 mins before serving. A side of Ti Kay La Hot Ginger & Tamarind Chutney is perfect!
To grill pork or chicken on the BBQ, preheat grill very hot and oil very well before adding meat. Grill over medium flame, following the oven cooking temperature and basting instructions.
Pan Seared Ti Kay La 10 Pepper Grilling Rub Salmon
This is one of the best salmon dishes I’ve ever eaten. It’s blackened outside but moist inside, with just the right amount of heat. My version of blackened salmon will have you licking all ten fingers!
Ingredients (Serves 2)
2, 6 oz. wild salmon fillets, skin on
2 Tbsp Ti Kay La 10 Pepper Grilling Rub
1 Tbsp extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, plus 2 tsp of avocado or melted coconut oil for greasing the skillet
Pan Seared Ti Kay La 10 Pepper Grilling Rub Salmon
Wash the fish under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel; use tweezers to pull any pin bones you can feel with your fingers. Set aside
On a plate mix Ti Kay La 10 Pepper Grilling Rub and oil to make a paste.
Rub the spice paste all over the fish – both sides – until well coated.
Place a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is very hot pour in the 2 tsp of oil and put in the fish, skin side down.
Sear fish for about 3 minutes on each side, making sure that the fish has browned on both sides. Fish should be done in about 6 to 8 minutes. When the fish is nicely browned on both sides, remove from the frying pan and allow to rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
Butter Chicken
Here in Canada Butter Chicken is made with butter and heavy cream, but growing up on the island of St. Lucia I was more familiar with coconut milk – I used to make my own! – so I decided to switch it up a little. Here I’ve used coconut milk and almond butter to mimic the richness of heavy cream, but it’s so much healthier! Look for pure coconut milk, made with nothing but water and coconut. Start marinating the chicken the day before.
Ingredients
For the Marinade
1 ½ Tbsp tandoori masala spice blend powder
½ cup plain full fat yogurt
3 lbs skinless chicken breast, thigh, or whole chicken cut up in stewing size pieces, skin off
For the Sauce
5 cooking onions, finely diced
2 cups diced Roma tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 L pure coconut milk
2 whole red or green long chili peppers
1 Tbsp cumin powder
1 Tbsp garam masala
2 Tbsp olive oil or ghee
4 Tbsp creamy almond butter
1 small cinnamon stick
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp black pepper
Butter Chicken
Directions
In bowl, whisk together the tandoori masala and yogurt; add chicken, cover, refrigerate and marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Place marinated chicken on a baking tray and cook for about 35 minutes; remove from oven and set aside. Chicken will not be fully cooked at this point; it will finish cooking in the sauce.
Over medium heat in a large saucepan cook the onion until translucent – about 8 – 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and continue cooking for another 8 minutes or until tomatoes have broken down to a paste.
Add the ginger, garlic, tomato paste, and all the spices; cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often so spices don’t burn.
Add the coconut milk and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened somewhat. Add cooked chicken to the sauce and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes or until chicken becomes tender.