Add Jamaican Flavor to Your Cooking Repertoire

By SAVEUR Editors | Published Jun 10, 2020 6:07 PM

Recipes by Cuisine

Photography by Ted + Chelsea Cavanaugh

Caribbean-Style Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce

Grilled Snapper with Habanero and Scallions

Chile heat brings out the sweetness of whole red snapper in this Jamaican recipe.

Curried Chicken

Spaghetti with Shrimp Rundown Sauce

Shrimp pulls double duty here: the shells are used to make the flavorful rundown sauce, and the meat is marinated with citrus and lightly cooked with the pasta. Get the recipe for Spaghetti with Shrimp Rundown Sauce »

Braised Oxtail with Butter Beans

Oxtail, a tough cut of meat, becomes meltingly tender when braised in this traditional Jamaican dish, served with Coconut Rice and Red Beans, which soak up all the flavorful pan juices. Get the recipe for Braised Oxtail with Butter Beans »

Banana Fritters with Cinnamon-Sugar and Rum

Use very ripe organic bananas for these silver-dollar-size fritters, as they will mash the best and create a smooth, sweet batter. Get the recipe for Banana Fritters with Cinnamon-Sugar and Rum »

Coconut Rice and Red Beans

If you prefer, you can use canned red kidney beans in this satisfying side dish, served alongside Braised Oxtail with Butter Beans. Simply skip the first step and rinse one 15-oz. can of beans before adding them to the pan in step two.

Jamaican Jerk Roast Turkey

Get the recipe for Jamaican Jerk Roast Turkey »

Stamp and Go

These road snacks are possibly named for the way travelers would stamp their feet at food stands to hail vendors. This recipe, adapted from one given to us by Jamaican food columnist Jacqui Sinclair, pairs the fritters with a sauce made with culantro, an herb with a cilantro-like flavor.

Fricassee Chicken

Rosemary-Jerk Lamb Chops

Aromatic fresh rosemary sets the umami-rich marinade for these lamb loin chops apart. Get the recipe for Rosemary-Jerk Lamb Chops

Jamaican Punch

Throughout the Caribbean, rum punches flecked with nutmeg have been served steadily since the colonial era.

Hominy Porridge

Dried hominy takes hours of cooking, but it yields a luscious porridge. This recipe comes from Kingston-based caterer Dian Watson.

Vegetable Run-Up

This version of rundown, typically made with mackerel, was renamed by chef Yvonne Peters-Hope of Ashanti Oasis Vegetarian Restaurant, who gave us the recipe for this meat-free take on the savory breakfast stew.

Jacqui Sinclair, food columnist for the Jamaica Observer, gave us the recipe for these mini brunch quiches made with callaloo, a spinach-like Jamaican green.