The warmth, aromas and flavors of the Caribbean are flowing into Northeast Florida.
Story and recipe by Jeffrey Spear
When visiting the Caribbean, you’ll discover that, regardless of proximity and similarities corresponding to sandy seashores, warmth and humidity, every island that peppers this portion of the Atlantic Ocean has its personal distinctive tradition. It begins with the strains of energetic conventional music—some reggae, some metal drums, some brass—all spilling out into the streets and letting you already know Cuba isn’t Jamaica, Nassau isn’t San Juan. Relating to delicacies, island meals are as distinctive as their particular person heritages. Some candy. Some spicy. Many with stunning components and textures.
There’s additionally the attract of the treats in bakery home windows, in addition to countertop shows stuffed with handheld specialties, sizzling and able to go. Whilst you can actually hop on a airplane and fly to Marsh Harbor, Freeport or Santo Domingo for a scrumptious dish or two, there’s no want. Jax has it coated..
Broadly talking, the Caribbean refers back to the island international locations nestled straight beneath the southern tip of Florida’s peninsula within the Caribbean Sea. The biggest of those islands are Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti, Dominican Republic) and Jamaica, with greater than 700 smaller islands and cays scattered throughout the Atlantic. Because of European exploration and colonization that began within the early 1500s, the cultures on these islands grew to become a fusion of indigenous Taino, African, European and Asian influences. The spices and flavors of East India and the Center Jap will be discovered, as properly.
Contemplating their relative proximity (Cuba is lower than 100 miles from Key West), it’s straightforward to know how islanders discovered their manner onto Florida’s shores. In Jacksonville, about two p.c of the inhabitants identifies as West Indian or Afro-Caribbean American. That’s a small quantity. Nevertheless, whether or not from Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico or different factors of origin within the Caribbean, there are a rising variety of eating places round city that replicate a culinary heritage from this a part of the world.
When taking a look at these cuisines, there are similarities—such because the frequent use of beans, rice and plantains. There are, nevertheless, noteworthy distinctions when it comes to components, flavors and number of ready dishes that deserve recognition.
One of the vital extensively used components in Caribbean cooking is sofrito, typically known as sazon. Utilized in a way just like mirepoix in French cooking, it serves as a taste basis in all kinds of dishes. Beginning with sautéed garlic, onions and bell peppers, variations also can embody tomatoes, cilantro, culantro, oregano, bay leaf and/or cumin. In Jamaica, whereas sofrito could also be used, their culinary basis depends extra on Scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, thyme and allspice. Missing taste, they don’t seem to be.
Many eating places promote themselves merely as Caribbean, providing meals with various culinary origins. Though they range dramatically when it comes to dimension, atmosphere, ranges of service and high quality of choices, Cuban eating places appear to be essentially the most quite a few throughout the First Coast.
There are three of observe that serve Cuban delicacies with plain aplomb—Havana Jax Cafe and 1928 Cuban Bistro are based mostly right here in Jacksonville whereas Paladar operates in Butler Seashore in St. Augustine. In all three instances, the choice to open their doorways was a tribute to their heritage and the will to convey top quality, genuine Cuban meals to their group.
“Though I’m initially from Nicaragua, I used to be launched to Cuban delicacies once we moved to Miami 50 years in the past,” says Silvia Pulido, proprietor of Havana Jax Cafe, a long-time fixture of the Jax restaurant scene. Savoring a treasured Cuban cookbook, together with steerage from her Cuban mother-in-law, she provides, “I realized to make Cuban dishes like every home in Havana. At present, while you come to our restaurant, you possibly can style the standard recipes and indulge your self in our home-made desserts.” Just a few of those conventional dishes contains ropa vieja (beef) bowl ($14), arroz con pollo, and vaca frita ($20).
Equally, Rebecca Gonzales, founding father of the string of native 1928 Cuban Bistros, says, “Cuban meals is heat, comforting, and flavorful. It brings individuals collectively irrespective of the place they’re from.” When requested in regards to the motivation behind her eating places, she says, “I needed to convey that taste and power to North Florida and share a bit of the place I come from.”
Just a few dishes of observe embody the Cuban tostada ($2.50) for breakfast (sometimes accompanied by a shot of sweetened Cuban espresso), La Viejita, a sandwich made with ropa vieja ($14) together with an assortment of appetizers together with croquetas, empanadas and yuca rellena. Not surprisingly, the Cuban sandwich ($13), made with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles & Dijon mustard on Cuban bread, is 1928’s most iconic providing.
Whereas many of those traditional dishes are additionally obtainable at Paladar Cuban Eatery & Bakery, together with a big number of freshly baked pastries, truffles and breads, you received’t wish to miss the Frita Cubana ($13.50), a well-known Cuban-style burger first created in Miami. In line with Co-owner Isela Gonzalez, “This isn’t your on a regular basis North Florida burger. Made with seasoned floor beef, pork and chorizo topped with crispy shoestring potatoes on a house-baked Cuban bun, it’s in contrast to something you’ve ever had.” She’s not mistaken. It’s delish.
In Puerto Rico, conventional dishes run the gamut from candy to savory. One of many extra widespread choices is tostones—twice fried and flattened inexperienced plantains—typically served as a aspect dish or appetizer. Equally widespread and a signature of the island is mofongo, made with mashed inexperienced plantains combined with garlic, pork cracklins and spices, in addition to empanadas, a pastry turnover, baked or fried, full of beef, rooster, cheese or greens. The candy variations, full of guava or dulce de leche, are equally pleasing.
Different Puerto Rican classics embody alcapurrias (yuca fritters full of beef, rooster or seafood), pernil (slow-roasted pork shoulder), bacalaitos (cod fritters), pasteles (banana-leaf-wrapped packages just like tamales), sancocho (a hearty meat and vegetable stew) and arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas).
Sadly, there are just a few eating places serving really genuine Puerto Rican delicacies in Jacksonville. Flavorikan, positioned a number of blocks from EverBank Stadium, gives an in depth menu that features mofongo with pulpo ($23), pernil encebollado ($14) and a tasty assortment of handheld snacks. There’s additionally Latin Creations, a quick informal restaurant in on St. Johns Bluff, serving lots of the identical dishes together with Tostones con Mojito, Mofongo de la Isla con Pernil ($17) and rather more.
Crusing west from Puerto Rico within the Caribbean takes us to Jamaica, an island with a inhabitants that’s principally of African descent, inspiring a delicacies that’s noticeably totally different from its neighbors. Just a few signature components of the mountainous island are Scotch bonnet peppers (the spicy core of Jamaican delicacies), allspice (the spine of jerk seasoning) and thyme (lending depth and perfume). This fashion of cooking additionally makes flavorful use of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut milk, yams, candy potatoes and cassava. Ackee, a pear-shaped fruit with a taste aligned with scrambled eggs, was introduced from West Africa within the 1800s. At present, it has develop into a vital a part of Jamaican fare.
You will discover a beautiful number of Jamaican dishes at Eva’s Jamaican Kitchen. In line with restaurant proprietor Nick Ellis, “My mother and I spotted that Jamaican meals weren’t obtainable in Jacksonville. We shared a ardour for cooking and had a number of household recipes to get us began.” When requested if there are any dishes to not be missed, he says, “You undoubtedly must attempt our akee and saltfish ($22). It’s the nationwide dish of Jamaica, very wholesome and really tasty.”
One other Caribbean island with restricted culinary illustration in Jacksonville is Haiti. With dishes emphasizing using rice, corn, millet, yams and beans, there’s a resemblance to meals from Jamaica, Cuba and Puerto Rico. For instance, Riz et pois (rice and beans) is regularly served at lunchtime whereas fried pork (griot), thought-about Haiti’s nationwide dish, is widespread later within the day. As well as, Haitian puff pastries with meat fillings, generally known as pate (pronounced patty, to not be confused with Jamaican patties), are additionally eating staples.
In Jacksonville, Beignets Caribbean Cafe is a haven for diners looking for an genuine Haitian expertise. Whether or not loved of their modestly appointed eating room or ordered prematurely for carry-out, dishes corresponding to combined greens with beef ($15), oxtail ($19), griot, and fried goat ($19) together with many different Caribbean favorites, are menu standouts.
Let’s Prepare dinner!
In case you’re trying to put together Caribbean meals at dwelling, Rowe’s IGA operates seven places in and round Jacksonville and maintains a superb number of island staples. Their largest retailer, positioned on the nook of Blanding Boulevard and 103rd Road, is spectacular. Whereas you will discover a lot of what you’ll want at extra conventional supermarkets, the alternatives at Rowe’s are significantly bigger.
Figuring out that empanadas are ubiquitous all through the Caribbean, this recipe for Shrimp Empanadas is comparatively straightforward to make, a contact spicy and an pleasing handheld deal with.
INGREDIENTS
Filling
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lb. tomatoes, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb. shrimp, minimize into 1/4-inch items
• 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeño juice
• 1 tablespoon inexperienced olives, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon capers, finely chopped
• salt & pepper, to style
Pastry
• 1 cup butter
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, overwhelmed (for wash)
• 1 tablespoon water (for wash)
DIRECTIONS
1. To make the filling, pour the olive oil into the underside of a giant sauté pan.
2. Add the onions and garlic and cook dinner for two minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves and proceed cooking till simply dry. Add the shrimp, jalapeños, olives and capers and cut back till simply dry as soon as once more. Switch the shrimp filling to a bowl, put aside, and permit to chill.
3. To make the pastry, place the butter and cream cheese in a big mixing bowl. Utilizing an electrical mixer, beat collectively till totally included.
4. Combine within the flour and salt, a bit of at a time, kneading the components collectively till a dough is fashioned. Cut up the dough into two balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for quarter-hour.
5. In a small bowl, beat the egg and water collectively and put aside.
6. To assemble, begin by rolling out the dough, making it skinny sufficient to deal with with out breaking. Utilizing a 4-inch round cookie cutter (or an empty can), minimize the dough into circles.
7. Place a tablespoon of filling on one half of the dough circle, brush the perimeters with egg wash, then fold the opposite half of dough over prime to create a half circle stuffed pastry. Press the perimeters along with the tip of a fork to make sure a decent seal.
8. Bake at 375°F for quarter-hour or till golden brown. Serve heat. Makes 30 empanadas.