This meal came together relatively quickly. It is a classic one-pot dish based on veggies that are on ‘standby’ and tinned pantry staple. What gives it a little twist from other cobbler-style casseroles is the use of cornmeal as the crust. As I enter my 3rd year of preparing gluten-free meals where my mother is concerned I have come to have an even greater respect for cornmeal’s versatility. In this case, the corn provides a crisp textural contrast to the soft vegetables. I have to give a shoutout to …

One of the things that I love about operating Trinigourmet is the wealth of knowledge and experiences that readers bring to the table. Whether it’s commenting on other’s questions left in posts, participating in the #caribbeancooks hashtag on Twitter, or contributing to my Facebook presence, I am always left inspired.
Case in point. Recently I asked fans of the Trinigourmet Facebook page, what was their favourite way to enjoy plantains. Many of you picked fried ripe (and green) as the method of choice, with boiled a rather distant second. One …

Oiled down (also more commonly referred to as ‘oildown’) is one of those truly transcendent West Indian delights. As I wrote, in one of this blog’s first entries:
“Oil Down, is a colloquial Caribbean name for any dish of starchy vegetables cooked in coconut milk until all the milk is absorbed and the ingredients have turned into a creamy mush (or have ‘oiled down’). The two most popular oil downs are breadfruit oil down and cassava oil down. Oil down is really something to experience first-hand, I am not sure that …

Famous in Brazil
We call chuchu christophene
Click here to learn more

Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetitmagazine, this warm and creamy soup became an instant classic in my home and graced the table at last year’s Passover Seder.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger
Source: Adapted fromBon Appetit
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients
2 butternut squash (about 4 3/4 pounds total), halved lengthwise, seeded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cinnamon stick
5 cups (or more) canned low-salt vegetable broth
Chopped fresh parsley
Heavy cream (omit/substitute for vegan)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Oil baking sheet.
3. …

Red-Red is a Ghanian dish I stumbled across quite accidentally while looking at a recipe for Kelewele that was kindly sent to me via my Facebook page by Corinne, a regular contributor. Traditionally served with fried plantain it is a rich, luscious and spicy combination of thick tomato sauce and black-eyed peas which visually lives up to its name. Having never tried it before I used a multitude of online photos and recipes to get a general gist of how the final product should be constructed and appear. The ingredients …

This post was originally published on February 6, 2009. It has been updated once since then for submission to Mango Moods
Earlier this month I asked Trinigourmet readers on Facebook and Twitter what their favourite way to enjoy mango was. The runaway winner? Mango Chow!
Green mango chow is a wonderful accompaniment to most meals. Light and yet spicy, it adds a tart sweetness when used as a condiment. Chows like these are best used by slightly under-ripe fruits. In this case I have used a green mango, however pineapples are …

Curried Pumpkin and Rice – a popular Vegan Recipe on TriniGourmet.com
From time to time people reach this site by running a search for “Vegan recipes from Trinidad and Tobago”. Veganism as a movement isn’t very pronounced here however many of our most popular dishes (such as doubles) are actually vegan, and many are easily adaptable to vegan requirements. I am currently going through my archives and retagging recipes (where appropriate) as Vegan in nature. You can see a list of them by clicking this Vegan category link.
I have …

This post was originally published on June 18, 2009. It has been updated once since then.

I’ve fallen off my raw food adventure wagon BADLY. And I do mean BADLY. With all of the stress of the past 2 months and the nonstop up and down around the island it’s been hard to keep any kind of routine, health or fitness-wise. Maybe it’s telling that this post is now being written as my stresses have begun to wind down. My body fortunately hasn’t succumbed to flus the way it would have …

Chive Blossoms – our garden
Tonight marks the start of Tu B’Shevat, one of my favourite holidays on the Jewish calendar. There’s something whimsical and life-affirming about having a New Year’s celebration for the environment and the seder (religious) service which accompanies it has a focus on our role as stewards of the planet, as well stewards of our own ever-evolving personal natures that I find inspirational. Traditionally this holiday is celebrated with vegetarian fare, and my centerpiece for many years has been eggplant lasagna.
I think it’s time to shake …