Though we’re already well into the school year and the throes of football season, most days it still feels like the middle of summer. So, we decided to make a West Indies-inspired menu full of flavors and ingredients that are perfect for our warm climate. These dishes are a snap to throw together and great for an early fall dinner/football-watching party. Your family and friends will love them!
ON THE MENU: • West Indies Curry Pasta with Grilled Chicken • Fresh Mango and Avocado Salad • Old Cuban Cocktail • Lime Cooler Cookies
Recipes by Tracey Koch
WEST INDIES CURRY PASTA WITH GRILLED CHICKEN Tracey and her family go to Grand Cayman every July, and they have found many great places to eat. One of their favorite haunts is a café called Cimboco, which serves great Caribbean fusion dishes and wood-fired pizzas and pastas. A dish they consistently order is a West Indies curry-spiced pasta, which Tracey has recreated here. It is a delicious blend of flavors in a hearty coconut-milk sauce. This is an easy dish to throw together on a weeknight, but it is special enough to save for company.
Servings: 6
FOR THE CHICKEN:
2 cloves minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon dried herb blend
¼ cup olive oil
1 pound thin-cut chicken breast
1. Combine all the marinade ingredients, and whisk to blend. Pour over the chicken, marinating 30 to 40 minutes. 2. Heat the grill or broiler to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Cover with foil for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
FOR THE PASTA:
8 ounces bowtie or penne pasta
½ cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cans light coconut milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup water
½ cup fresh chopped spinach
1. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. 2. In a large skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in the coconut oil for 2 minutes. 3. Add the tomatoes, curry powder and salt, and continue sautéing for 5 minutes. 4. Pour in the coconut milk. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch and water together, and add to the curry sauce. 5. Continue simmering until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. 6. Slice the grilled chicken and add it to the sauce. 7. Drain the pasta well. Add it to the sauce. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes and then toss in the fresh spinach. 8. Pour the finished pasta into a large serving bowl and serve.
FRESH MANGO AND AVOCADO SALAD This salad is an interesting blend of textures and flavors, combining sweet and floral mango with creamy, buttery avocado and crunchy bell peppers. The onions add a bit of bite. This is a beautiful and colorful early fall salad that can also serve as a main dish by tossing in grilled shrimp, chicken or even fresh lump crabmeat.
Servings: 6
¼ cup chopped red onion
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup lime juice
½ teaspoon lime zest
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup grape seed or safflower oil
Mixed greens
2 ripe mangoes, chopped
2 ripe large avocados, cut into slices
¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped red onion and red bell pepper. 2. Add the Dijon, lime juice and lime zest. Mix well. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil until well combined. 3. Set the dressing aside until you are ready to toss the salad. 4. Place the mixed greens in a large salad bowl. Top with the chopped mango and avocado. 5. Spoon the dressing over the salad, and toss gently. Sprinkle the salad with toasted sunflower seeds and serve.
OLD CUBAN COCKTAIL This has become the signature summer cocktail for Tracey’s husband, David. Though it sounds like something that dates back to the 1920s, the original version was created in 2002 at New York’s Pegu Club. This quintessentially Caribbean-style cocktail is refreshing, like a kicked-up mojito with the added dimension of sparkling wine or Champagne to top it off. Tracey and David have put their own stamp on it, making a mint-infused simple syrup rather than muddling simple syrup and mint at the bottom of the cocktail glass. Either way, the Old Cuban is just out-there enough to be a fun addition to your next party.
Servings: Yields 1 drink
Recipe is adapted from Audrey Saunders of the Pegu Club.
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 ounce mint-infused simple syrup (see recipe below)
2 ounces dark rum
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 ounces sparkling wine or Champagne
1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the lime juice and mint-infused simple syrup. 2. Add the dark rum and bitters. Shake well, and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Top with the Champagne. Garnish with a lime wedge and sprig of fresh mint.
For the mint-infused simple syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
6 to 8 sprigs of fresh mint
1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. 2. Bring the pan to a simmer over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off the heat. 3. Add the mint sprigs. Allow to steep while the syrup cools for an hour. 4. Discard the mint. Pour the syrup into an airtight container and chill until ready to use. Syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
LIME COOLER COOKIES We always like to serve a little something sweet after dinner, and these lime cooler cookies are the perfect way to end a meal. They are delicate and buttery with a tart kick from the lime. They are dusted in powdered sugar to give them just the right amount of sweetness. This recipe is easy to double, and the cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week—if they last that long in your house. Enjoy!
Servings: Yields 2 dozen cookies
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime zest
1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 ¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. 2. In a small bowl, sift 1 cup of the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of the lime zest together. Set aside until you are done baking. 3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and remaining powdered sugar until light and fluffy. 4. Add the lime juice and remaining lime zest. Mix until well combined. 5. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and salt together. Gently fold the flour into the butter mixture, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. 6. Once the dough is all incorporated, use a tablespoon to spoon it out. Roll each spoonful into a ball. Place on the lined baking sheet. 7. Bake the coolers for 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. 8. Roll the cookies in the powdered sugar and lime zest mixture. Set them on a cooling rack. 9. Once the cookies have cooled completely, place them into an airtight container until you are ready to serve.
This article was originally published in the September 2018 issue of 225 Magazine.
