Since getting home from my recent holiday to the Bahamas, I’ve been dreaming of Caribbean food.
This spicy ‘pepperpot’ broth comes from Jamaica and can be made with meat or fish but I looked it up as it has echoes of the food we ate in the Bahamas. Jerk, fish and spice, plus such a warming dish really brightens up that mid-week supper. If you are feeling extra special though, you could add some squid or a second type of fish.I’d call this a broth because really, the sauce is relatively thin, almost like a soup yet the fish and vegetables fill you up.
There are two ways you can cook this, either on the hob or in the slow cooker! The nice thing about sticking it in the slow cooker is that after the initial prep, you can just go and get on with whatever else you need to! I love love love my crock pot, which I got online from Appliances Direct. They have loads to choose from but I went for the classic ‘Crock Pot’ brand. I’ve used it so much but sadly the poor thing has suffered an injury! Check that scratch out 🙁
Here’s my take on this traditional classic:
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 rashers streaky smoked bacon
- 800ml vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp jerk seasoning – I use Tan Rosie.
- 2 large white fish fillets of your choice cut into chunks
- 150g small prawns (frozen is fine)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
- 1 chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced
- large onion finely diced
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1/2 green pepper
- Olive oil
Method:
Slow cooker:
Hob:
Turn the heat down to a very low simmer and add the fish and prawns. Season and put a lid on. Allow to cook for 30 mins or until fish is cooked through.
I served my pepper pot stew with rice but it’d also work well with crusty bread – basically something to mop up that spicy juice! You can also adjust the strength of the spicy heat by changing the type of chilli you use, or use dried if you prefer. I used this amazing little thing from a friends garden, so tiny but it really packs a punch!! It was green when she picked it but I let it ripen on the windowsill before using.
The Tan Rosie Caribbean rub is a fantastic blend of herbs and spices and worked well in this dish as a seasoning as opposed to a rub. Based in Birmingham, this mother – daughter duo are right up my street, ticking the boxes of local, artisan and most of all their produce is delicious! You can buy their products online here.
That’s all for now, over and out!
