This week, our Eat In with Grace journey takes us to St Thomas, to the kitchen of Olympian and Grace Ambassador Hansle Parchment. From he was a “yute” Hansle learnt his way around the stovetop, whether from his mother in the kitchen of their family home, or from the older boys in his community “running a boat”! “Most days I’d be out of the house,” he says, “and in the community with my friends. I was one of the younger boys so it was my job to get the ingredients, and we’d sit and watch the older boys cook roast fish, ackee and salt fish, roast breadfruit!”

In today’s edition, Hansle invites us into his kitchen to show us how to prepare a few of his childhood favourites — Hansle’s Homestyle Grace Fish Tea, St Thomas Roast Fish and Bammy, and Hansle’s Mighty Punch!

Roast Fish and Bammy was one of Hansle’s favourite meals, so he showed us how he does it, St Thomas style! Using Grace Coconut Milk to soak the bammy, Grace Fish & Meat Sauce and Grace Fish Tea Flavoured Soup Mix. Prep the fish with all the traditional steamed fish ingredients, then wrap it in a foil parcel. Then in true ‘yaad style’ Hansle prefers to roast his fish on zinc to bring out those delicious flavours, but of course this can also be done in the oven! A quick 30-minute meal that doesn’t just bring back childhood memories, it’s bursting with flavor!

Hansle’s Homestyle Grace Fish Tea is the perfect warm, hearty meal, especially for seafood lovers like Hansle himself! A pot full of your favourite vegetables — Irish potato, Scotch bonnet pepper, carrots, pumpkin, and of course the stars of the show, fresh snapper and Grace Fish Tea Soup Mix! Let it simmer, add in your spinners (flour dumplings) and you’re good to go! Pro tip: Hansle suggests enjoying your cup of fish tea with your favourite water crackers!

Now let’s complete this meal with a punch: Hansle’s Mighty Punch! Using three of his favourite Grace beverages — Grace Mighty Malt, Grace Smooth Vanilla Food Drink and Grace ALOE — Aloe Vera Drink! Blended up with other ingredients like vanilla, nutmeg and banana to add some sweetness, and if you’re feeling bold, one raw egg for some extra protein, this drink definitely packs a punch!

Hansle’s Homestyle Grace Fish Tea

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 ½ Grace Fish Tea Flavoured Soup Mix

1 ½ fresh snapper

2 tbsps Anchor Butter

½ lb pumpkin

3-4 carrots

4 sprigs thyme

1 large onion

1 whole Scotch bonnet

½ lb yam

4-5 lbs Irish potatoes

½ breadfruit

2 green bananas

2 tsps salt

Method:

Put water boil with salt.

Dice all seasoning, vegetables, ground provision and green bananas.

Add to boiling water.

Boil for 10-15 minutes.

Cut fish in two and add to boil for another 10-15 minutes

Add boiled dumplings & spinners (optional).

Add Anchor Butter and mix in the Grace Fish Tea Flavoured Soup Mix.

Continue to cook on medium heat for 20-25 mins.

Remove from flame and serve.

Chef Hansle’s Tip: Add your favourite water crackers.

St Thomas Roast Fish with Fried Bammy

Serves 1

Ingredients:

½ cup Grace Coconut Oil

1 Sachet Grace Coconut Milk Powder mixed with water (to soak bammy)

2 tsps Grace Fish & Meat Sauce

½ sachet Grace Fish Tea Flavoured Soup Mix

1 tbsp Grace Vegetable Seasoning

½ medium onion

4 mini bammies

2 stalks scallion

5 pimento (mashed)

1 whole Scotch bonnet, chopped

1 Irish potato

¼ lb pumpkin

4 okras

Method:

Clean fish with Grace White Vinegar or lime and water.

Make about 3 cuts on each side of the fish.

Add Grace Vegetable Seasoning and rub on sides and in the gut of fish.

Rub Grace Fish Tea Flavoured Soup Mix all over the fish.

Lay the seasoned fish on a piece of foil paper (the shiny side facing down).

Chop Irish potato, pumpkin, onion, scallion, okras, Scotch bonnet pepper and pimentos.

Stuff some into the fish and place the rest around it.

Wrap everything in foil and twist the two ends (that’s going to be for picking it up from the zinc or the oven).

For cooking on zinc over coal

Make the fire and let the zinc get very hot as you would the oven.

Place on zinc sheet over a medium fire, and you have to turn it.

Let remain 15-20 minutes on each side.

Carefully open foil packet and enjoy.

For cooking in the oven

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place fish in foil on oven rack.

Let remain 15-20 minutes on each side.

Carefully open foil packet and enjoy.

Hansle’s Power Punch

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

½ packet Grace Food Drink Smooth Vanilla Flavour

¼ bottle Grace ALOE — Aloe Vera Drink

1 bottle Grace Mighty Malt

1 cup Grace Instant Oats

1 ripe banana

2 tsps vanilla spice

1 tsp nutmeg

3 inches fresh aloe vera, chopped

Chef Hansle’s Tip: 1 raw egg (optional for more protein)

Method:

Add all ingredients with ice to high speed blender or Nutribullet until smooth.

Pour and enjoy.