Haiti (2.4.19)
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Recipes contributed by Djamina Esperance.
These festive recipes represent foods enjoyed at special occasions (diri ak djon djon), every day (pikliz), and during Carnival (beignets) -- a celebration similar to Mardi Gras that features parades, music, crowds, and artistic expression. Carnival celebrations vary from city to city, and Haitians either dive right in, leave town to escape the chaos, or travel to attend their favorite festivities. Click here to download these recipes. Pikliz featured on PRI's The World! Want to try more Haitian recipes? Click here for the archive from our program in 2016. Click here for the archive from our program in 2017. |
Diri ak Djon Djon (rice with black mushrooms)
This beautiful, aromatic dish is enjoyed on special occasions. The mushrooms grow in the hills and are picked by hand and dried. If you're not planning a trip to Haiti (or Florida, where they are also available), you can purchase the dried mushrooms online. Djon Djon bouillon cubes are also available through Maggi Seasonings, and they are okay in a pinch.
Ingredients:
2 cups dried black mushrooms (djon djon)
2 Tbsp epis (see recipe below)
1-2 green onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 oz. frozen lima beans (or green peas); may also use canned
7 oz. coconut milk
2 cups Jasmine rice
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon butter
slice of bell pepper (2 or 3 fingers wide)
3-4 whole cloves
Parsley
1 to 2 thyme sprigs
1 green Scotch bonnet pepper, optional (leave pepper whole and take care not to break skin; will make dish very hot)
Directions:
1. In small pot, soak mushrooms in 4 cups water for 10 minutes.
2. Boil mushrooms on low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Strain the mushroom water into another container for later use. The mushrooms in the strainer will no longer needed.
4. In a large pot, sauté Epis, green onions, and garlic in olive oil.
5. Add lima beans to the pot as well and sauté for 2 minutes.
6. Add coconut milk to beans and cover until the beans are slightly softened. While this is happening, rinse your rice.
7. Add the mushroom water to the pot and bring to a boil.
8. Add the rice and stir, making sure the rice is not clumped together.
9. Next add salt, butter, and bell pepper slice poked with cloves.
10. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat when most of the water evaporates (approximately 10-15 min).
11. Stir the rice, set the temperature to low.
12. Add parsley and thyme (tied into a bundle), and Scotch bonnet pepper, if using.
13. Cover the pot and steam the rice for 15 min.
Adapted from http://haitiancooking.com/recipe/black-mushroom-rice-diri-ak-djon-djon/
Ingredients:
2 cups dried black mushrooms (djon djon)
2 Tbsp epis (see recipe below)
1-2 green onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 oz. frozen lima beans (or green peas); may also use canned
7 oz. coconut milk
2 cups Jasmine rice
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon butter
slice of bell pepper (2 or 3 fingers wide)
3-4 whole cloves
Parsley
1 to 2 thyme sprigs
1 green Scotch bonnet pepper, optional (leave pepper whole and take care not to break skin; will make dish very hot)
Directions:
1. In small pot, soak mushrooms in 4 cups water for 10 minutes.
2. Boil mushrooms on low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Strain the mushroom water into another container for later use. The mushrooms in the strainer will no longer needed.
4. In a large pot, sauté Epis, green onions, and garlic in olive oil.
5. Add lima beans to the pot as well and sauté for 2 minutes.
6. Add coconut milk to beans and cover until the beans are slightly softened. While this is happening, rinse your rice.
7. Add the mushroom water to the pot and bring to a boil.
8. Add the rice and stir, making sure the rice is not clumped together.
9. Next add salt, butter, and bell pepper slice poked with cloves.
10. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat when most of the water evaporates (approximately 10-15 min).
11. Stir the rice, set the temperature to low.
12. Add parsley and thyme (tied into a bundle), and Scotch bonnet pepper, if using.
13. Cover the pot and steam the rice for 15 min.
Adapted from http://haitiancooking.com/recipe/black-mushroom-rice-diri-ak-djon-djon/
Epis (Haitian Marinade)
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
6 scallions, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves with tender stems
1/3 cup olive or canola oil
Purée onion, bell peppers, scallions, garlic, parsley, and oil, in a food processor or blender until smooth.
1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
6 scallions, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves with tender stems
1/3 cup olive or canola oil
Purée onion, bell peppers, scallions, garlic, parsley, and oil, in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Pikliz
This delicious relish is a staple in Haitian homes. You can eat them with almost anything! Learn more about pikliz on PRI's The World.
Ingredients:
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (1 cup)
½ medium green, red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
4 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, seeded and very thinly sliced (use gloves to avoid getting hot pepper oils on your skin); jalapenos are a milder alternative
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
12 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1 ½ cups cane vinegar, cider vinegar or white vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
Directions:
1. Combine cabbage, onion, carrot, bell pepper, scallions, chiles, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a large bowl. Toss well.
2. Put cloves at the bottom of the quart jar and pack vegetables into the jar with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Pour vinegar and lime juice over vegetables. Press down on vegetables if needed until they are completely submerged in liquid.
4. Cover with lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days before opening. Stored covered in refrigerator, pikliz will last for at least 3 weeks, if not longer.
Adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017277-pikliz
Ingredients:
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated (1 cup)
½ medium green, red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
4 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, seeded and very thinly sliced (use gloves to avoid getting hot pepper oils on your skin); jalapenos are a milder alternative
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
12 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1 ½ cups cane vinegar, cider vinegar or white vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
Directions:
1. Combine cabbage, onion, carrot, bell pepper, scallions, chiles, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a large bowl. Toss well.
2. Put cloves at the bottom of the quart jar and pack vegetables into the jar with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Pour vinegar and lime juice over vegetables. Press down on vegetables if needed until they are completely submerged in liquid.
4. Cover with lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days before opening. Stored covered in refrigerator, pikliz will last for at least 3 weeks, if not longer.
Adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017277-pikliz
Beignets
A favorite during Carnival, this delicious fried dough features a sweet banana twist.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more to sprinkle on beignets before serving
1/16 teaspoon of salt
Optional - Pinch of cinnamon, ginger and/or nutmeg powder
5 ripe medium bananas, mashed
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl until well combined.
2. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl until well combined.
3. Combine dry and wet ingredients until smooth, but do not overmix.
4. Take 1-2 heaping Tbsp of batter for each beignet and fry in hot oil (in a pan with about 6 to 8 tbsp of vegetable oil). Do not overcrowd because you need space to flip them (maybe 30 secs to 1 min per side). Add more oil as needed.
5. Serve generously sprinkled with sugar.
Adapted from https://food52.com/recipes/40668-haitian-mardi-gras-carnival-beignets
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more to sprinkle on beignets before serving
1/16 teaspoon of salt
Optional - Pinch of cinnamon, ginger and/or nutmeg powder
5 ripe medium bananas, mashed
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl until well combined.
2. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl until well combined.
3. Combine dry and wet ingredients until smooth, but do not overmix.
4. Take 1-2 heaping Tbsp of batter for each beignet and fry in hot oil (in a pan with about 6 to 8 tbsp of vegetable oil). Do not overcrowd because you need space to flip them (maybe 30 secs to 1 min per side). Add more oil as needed.
5. Serve generously sprinkled with sugar.
Adapted from https://food52.com/recipes/40668-haitian-mardi-gras-carnival-beignets