I am experiencing a little piece of heaven on earth as gentle dark blue waves with white foamy crests glistening in the afternoon sun form the background while I type this piece. I am in the beautiful Treasure Beach area staying at the mesmerising Minerva villa sitting by the infinity pool which overlooks the Caribbean Sea. I’ve come for two reasons, for a much-needed break and to write about this special fishing community and the surrounding Pedro Plains. St Elizabeth means the world to me as I have roots in this parish. It is also the region that feeds the nation.

I’ve wanted to get out of Kingston for some time now to take in some fresh air and recharge my low batteries. Over the past couple of weeks I have received a few excuses to come down here. Firstly, the growing popularity of farm-to-table dinners co-hosted by agronomist Liz Solms and Jake’s proprietors, Jason and Laura Henzell. This particular dinner was extra special as it featured honey, both foreign and local beekeepers, and a delicious menu prepared by Belcour’s Robin Lim Lumsden which I will get into next week, as well as the amazing efforts to create sustainable practices. Secondly, I was kindly offered a beautiful place to stay owned by Mark and Barbara Martin who reside in my other home, the UK, and managed by the lovely Annabelle Todd.

A third and very special reason is that this column has received a second sponsor, Rainforest Seafoods, a local company dear to my heart. I wanted to research fish and speak to fishermen now that this column will be featuring some lovely seafood recipes as we approach Lent. I have worked with Rainforest in the past, so it is a pleasure that we have forged this partnership to give Thursday Food readers more wonderful recipes from the bounty of our beloved Caribbean waters, as well as other seafood not native to our shores, but available through Rainforest, a local company that is the Caribbean’s number one distributor of seafood, and to show you how to prepare them. Recipes will come from both Rainforest kitchens and my own.

Treasure Beach comprises a number of beaches and bays, namely Billy’s, Calabash, Frenchmen and Great Bay. All are fishing villages. The main fish you will find in a local fisherman’s canoe or boat are mostly parrot, Jack, goat, doctor and turbot. Popular hooked-on-line fish include king fish, barracuda, and dolphin (mahi mahi), not the mammal. Many turtles roam the shores during the winter season. The locals look out for them as they know they are endangered species. Welks are found on the rocks and around the reefs. Edwin, the caretaker of Minerva, has promised to take me foraging for them when I return to the area for further research. He shares that welks are first boiled for about 30 minutes, and then they are cut out of the shell. He said they are then typically curried and butterbeans are added to complete the dish.

Next week in part two of my feature on St Elizabeth, the bread basket parish, I will turn my attention to the Pedro Plains and the organic movement taking place there, as well as the happy partnerships between farmers and fishermen to provide healthy foods on our tables.

Faithlyn’s Coconut Fish and Baked Chocho

Faithlyn is the cook at Minerva Villa in Black Spring near Billy’s Bay where I am staying. This is her most popular dish, which the guests keep requesting her to make. She has kindly shared her recipe with me to share with Thursday Food readers.

Ingredients:

4 Rainforest snapper steaks or fillets

1 Tsp Maggi Fish seasoning

1 Tsp Easi Spice fish seasoning

1 Fresh sprig of thyme

2 Stalks escallion

1 Green sweet pepper, deseeded and cut into thin slices

1 Scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and cut up

2 Cloves of garlic, crushed

1 onion, sliced

_ 14oz tin coconut milk

4 Chochos cut in half

_ Cup/100g Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Vegetable Oil

Olive Oil

Method:

First season fish fillets with fish seasonings.

Brown the fish on both sides in vegetable oil.

Remove the fish and set aside.

In a saucepan, add all the fresh seasonings plus the coconut milk.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, cook until thick then pour over fish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice each chocho in half.

Rub with olive oil and place on a baking pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese when complete and serve with fish in coconut sauce.

Edwin’s BBQ Chicken

Edwin is the caretaker. He makes fantastic bonfires on the beach and is known for his delicious BBQ chicken. He shares his recipe with Thursday Food readers. He doesn’t give measurements for the seasonings (in true Jamaican fashion), but says a real cook will know how much to use.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut up

All-Purpose seasoning

Pimento

Onion

Garlic

Escallion

Thyme

Sweet pepper

_ cup/100ml pineapple juice

_ Tbsp sugar

3 Tsp tomato ketchup

3 Tsp BBQ Sauce

Method:

Crush the fresh seasonings together and rub all over the chicken, plus under the skin; leave overnight.

Bake chicken until the juices flow for 20 minutes.

Remove chicken, reserve juices from the chicken to make sauce.

In a saucepan pour chicken juice; add pineapple juice, ketchup, sugar and BBQ sauce; keep stirring over a low flame until it gets thick.

Use half the sauce to brush all over the chicken.

Then grill over the BBQ until it’s cooked through and glazed. Serve chicken with the rest of the sauce on the side with rice and peas, string beans and cauliflower.

Thanks to my sponsors MegaMart and Rainforest Seafoods.

Please contact me at juicycheffoodmedia@gmail.com

Bon Appétit!