The Courses
Course 1
Hot Pepper & Coconut Milk Broth, Pan Fried Saltfish n’ Dumplin
“I have no words, only breaths in the shape of letters that call attention to themselves…”
N1.
Salt is life!
Salt is possibility.
It is a symbol of sustenance, protection, and preservation. It does not matter where it is mined, or the kind you choose to cook with, or its variations and textures. As an ambassador of flavor, salt has been on its own journey for millenia, preceding taste and the very concept of food. A journey that began long before us. This dish honors the many generations of black bodies and spirits that came and those to come, its own constant movement an essential guide for us.
And an evolution.
Element: Salt
Prep time: 30mins | Cooking Time: 10mins | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
1lb of Calabaza Pumpkin, small chop
1 large Yellow Onion, sliced
The core of 1 very ripe Pineapple
1 cup of Passion Fruit pulp
8-10 Garlic Cloves, smashed
4 bulbs of Green Onions, medium chop
2 Scotch Bonnet Peppers
8 sprigs of Thyme
16oz Coconut Milk
8oz of Vegetable Stock
Coconut Oil
½ Tbsp Annatto powder
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Instructions
Over medium-high heat add enough oil to cover the bottom of a large stockpot. To that, sweat the onions and the garlic for 3-4mins stirring occasionally before adding the annatto powder. Stir in the pumpkin, pineapple core, green onions and cook with the lid one for another 3-5 mins before adding the coconut milk, stock, passion fruit, thyme, and hot peppers. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer with the lid one for no less than 45 mins. Taste the fragrant broth: at first, the sweetness from the pineapple core should play up the flavors of the coconut milk more while you get the pleasant tartness from the passion fruit that prepares you for the lingering hot pepper down your throat. Add salt and pepper to your liking and for a sweeter taste, turbinado sugar can be added. Strain the broth twice using a large fine-mesh strainer or with a chinois.
Serve immediately, in a bowl with Pan Fried Saltfish ‘n Dumplin
Course 2
Sweet Cream Semifreddo w/ Molasses Caramel and Biscuit Crumble
“These things that compose me are not mine…they come from those before me, and those before them”
N13.
As a Trini woman—and a woman of African descent—I believe it is my birthright to enjoy every part of the sugarcane. Yes. From the refreshing juice to its many-hued crystals, the scented smoke of burning fields, the drives through the old cane roads. The nostalgia. They bring visions of thick, hot syrup bubbling with the sheen of the darkest of nights. Deep sweetness. Lasting sweetness. Even at the last boiling, when dey did want to throw ’way ting – Molasses. This provincial syrup is all powerful, significant and honeyed like my own black skin.
Element: Molasses
Prep time: 30mins | Cooking Time: 10mins | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
1 pint of cold Heavy Cream
1 large Egg + 5 Egg Yolks
1 tsp good Vanilla Extract
3 tsp Rum, dark or gold
1 cup Superfine Sugar
Instructions
Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
In a cold large mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until thick and firm, and place in the freezer. Whisk all the eggs and sugar in a large bowl over a medium saucepan of gently simmering water until the mixture doubles in size and becomes thick, with a pale yellow glazed sheen. You can also use an electric mixer for this step. Run the custard through a mesh strainer before adding vanilla and rum. Allow to cool by gently mixing for a minute before folding the cold cream into the warm custard. Pour into the prepared loaf tin, and cover carefully with plastic wrap before freezing overnight.
This cold cream can be eaten on its own, or with Molasses Caramel and Digestive Biscuit Crumble.
Molasses Caramel
Prep time: 15mins | Cooking Time: 10mins | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
½ cup of Unsalted Butter
½ cup of Raw Sugar
4 Tbsp Molasses
1 cup warm Heavy Cream
Sprinkle of Fleur de Sel
Instructions
Over low to medium heat melt the butter, raw sugar and molasses in a heavy bottom, one with enough surface space. Be mindful not to stir the mixture too many times to create crystals on the sides of the pot, I use the pot’s handle to control the heat while incorporating the mixture. When the large and small steam bubbles appear, allow the syrup to boil for about 3-4mins before you remove from the heat and stir in warm heavy cream. Add a generous sprinkle of Fleur de Sel at the end.
Transfer to a 6-8oz glass jar and cool before serving, the sauce can be refrigerated for up to a month.
Digestive Biscuit Crumble
Prep time: 15mins | Cooking Time: 20mins | Difficulty: Easy | Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
6-8 plain Digestive Biscuits
2 Tbsp of Superfine Sugar
3 Tbsp of finely chopped Candied Ginger
4 Tbsp of softened Unsalted Butter
1 tsp of good Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Over low to medium heat melt the butter, raw sugar and molasses in a heavy bottom, one with enough surface space. Be mindful not to stir the mixture too many times to create crystals on the sides of the pot, I use the pot’s handle to control the heat while incorporating the mixture. When the large and small steam bubbles appear, allow the syrup to boil for about 3-4mins before you remove from the heat and stir in warm heavy cream. Add a generous sprinkle of Fleur de Sel at the end.
Transfer to a 6-8oz glass jar and cool before serving, the sauce can be refrigerated for up to a month.
Leigh-Ann Martin is a trained Chef and Administrative Professional based in the New York City area. In 2018, Leigh-Ann launched A Table For Four, an intimate dinner series that merges her Trini upbringing with her culinary training. Her series and work have been featured in The New York Times, Eater, The Washington Post, Vittles, and A Hungry Society.
See Leigh-Ann’s full bio here.
