At the moment of yr, the islands are abuzz with excitement as we prepare for holiday celebrations! While we won’t experience the leaves turning amber in Fall or expect a white Christmas, we do have a number of merry parties to attend with all of the food one can eat!
We’ll make our tables groan with the load of holiday favorites like roasted turkey, sweet hickory ham, savory stuffing, and pumpkin pie, but we still pull out the large guns with down-home Bahamian dishes perfect for winter feasts.
Perhaps this yr you’ll need to add something tropical to the combination of seasonal staples. Then look no further! Listed below are a few of our favourite Bahamian-holiday recipes, and an inventory of others in case you’re preparing for hibernation…
Aperitif
Credit: Recipe Great
Bahama Mama
Even when Bahamians hadn’t already claimed it, the Bahama Mama might be the best-known drink of the country, making it our signature cocktail. It’s fruity and dark, wealthy and smooth, and excellent as a festive beverage. Transport your celebrations to the tropics with this exquisite Bahamian cocktail.
Ingredients:
2 oz orange juice
2 oz pineapple juice
1 ½ oz dark rum
1 oz coconut rum
½ oz grenadine
Cherries and pineapple pieces
Directions:
Mix orange juice, pineapple juice, dark rum, coconut rum, and grenadine and shake well with ice. Serve in a tall glass, using cherries and pineapple pieces for garnish.
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Appetizer
Credit: Timothy Maguire
Lionfish Tacos
Lionfish aren’t indigenous to The Bahamas, but they’ve flourished in our waters and have made themselves right at home in our coves. So, just as we do with the proverbial lemon, Bahamian fishermen and chefs have taken the lionfish and provide you with creative ways to eat it in an effort to keep the population under control and to capitalize on a tremendous tasting fish! Our favourite rendition is Lionfish Tacos, that are an excellent introduction to a Bahamian-styled feast.
Ingredients:
1lb lionfish
Oil for deep frying
2 limes
1 cup flour
8 flour tortillas
¼ head cabbage
½ red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 goat pepper
2 cloves garlic
½ cup fresh cilantro
½ cup sour cream
Directions:
Preheat deep fryer oil to 350 degrees. Wash lionfish and cut into 8 fillets. Marinate fillets in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Coat fillets in flour, then deep fry until golden brown. Shred the cabbage and julienne peppers. Mix with garlic, cilantro, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place one fillet and a pair of tablespoons of cabbage mix on one flour tortilla. Sprinkle with extra lime juice, if desired.
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Entree
Credit: TripAdvisor
Steamed Chicken
This entree is so good and so Bahamian, we even serve it on our Bites of Nassau Food Tour! Steamed chicken is a well-liked Bahamian dish that appears and tastes nothing like its name implies. As a substitute of using boiling water to steam the meat, we make a tomato sauce and braise the meat, making a sultry dish that ideal for any occasion. Add some Caribbean flair to your next holiday feast with a heaping portion of steamed chicken.
Ingredients:
1 lb shredded chicken (or 2 lbs chicken winglets)
1-2 tbsp canola oil
½ onion, diced
¼ green bell pepper, diced
⅛ goat pepper, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
6 tbsp ketchup
14 oz diced tomatoes
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp garlic powder
1-2 bay leaves
½ tsp black pepper
Directions:
Heat oil in a big pot, then sauté onions and peppers. Once sautéed, add shredded chicken. Once chicken is browned, add tomato paste and ketchup and warmth for one more 2-3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes to the pot, together with thyme, garlic powder, bay leaves, and black pepper. Let simmer for 30-45 minutes on low heat. Serve with just about anything!
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Side Dish
Credit: Homemade Zagat
Fried Plantains
In case you’re on the lookout for a straightforward, yet delicious side dish, this one is completely perfect. Fried plantains are a ubiquitous Caribbean favourite, but while many other island nations concentrate on spicy, crisp chips, we here in The Bahamas like our plantains nice and soft and sweet! They pair well with most meats and you’ll be able to eat all you wish without feeling too guilty! One other great reason why they’re a staple a part of any holiday feast in The Bahamas.
Ingredients:
2 ripened plantains
4 tbsp canola oil
Directions:
Select plantains which might be ripened enough to sport brown spots. This means that the plantain is ripe enough to be sweet, but not so ripe that they disintegrate. Slice the plantains at an 45 degree angle along its length, each slice being about ¼-½ inch wide. Heat the canola oil and add plantain slices, frying until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Serve immediately.
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Dessert
Credit: Tru Bahamian Food Tours
Guava Duff
For us Bahamians, as much as we enjoy this fruit in its pure form, probably the most common and celebrated approach to eat guava is in our famed “guava duff”. This traditional Bahamian recipe combines guava fruit, a sweet dough and a special rum or brandy butter sauce to drizzle on top. It’s perfect for all seasonal celebrations!
Ingredients:
12 guavas, peeled (or 14 oz canned guava shells)
½ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice, ground
4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cup shortening
¾ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
Rum Butter Ingredients:
1 cup confectioners sugar
¼ cup butter
1 tsp boiling water; dash of salt
2 tbsp rum or brandy to taste
Directions:
Peel guavas, cut in half and take away seeds. Dice the guava and strain to remove juice, saving the juice to flavour sauce if desired. Place the guava in saucepan and canopy with water. Add sugar, cinnamon and allspice, the simmer until fruit is soft.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening. Stir in milk and egg to form a soft dough. Knead until smooth. Roll out like a jelly roll on a floured board. Place the guava pieces on the middle of the dough and roll over until the dough is spiraled with guava. Seal edges rigorously. Wrap dough in a cotton or linen bag, or foil and parchment paper, tie the highest securely and put right into a large pot of boiling water for 1 hour or more if mandatory to set the duff.
Rum Butter Directions:
Cream butter until soft, but not melted. Beat confectioners sugar in regularly. Add boiling water, salt and rum or brandy. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Cut the guava duff into 1-2 inch slices with a 1-2 tablespoons of Rum Butter Glaze melted on top.
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