Category: Appetizer

Jamaican Pepper Shrimp

Jamaican pepper shrimp is a snack or appetizer that packs a lot of heat and flavor. It is a great beginner recipe if you are wanting to try Jamaican food and cooks in under 30 minutes. This cleaned up homemade version is Whole30 compatible, gluten free and free from artificial coloring.

Jamaican pepper shrimp

What is Jamaican pepper shrimp?

Pepper shrimp is a very popular street food in Jamaica. It’s shell on head on shrimp that is marinated in hot pepper scotch bonnet pepper, herbs and spices and simmered in a spicy broth. It is commonly served in a small plastic bag and tied up around a metal ring. Street venders will walk up to you as you walk or drive around town and sell them. It’s an experience I remember vividly from my childhood.

Is it just an appetizer?

While this recipe is typically a snack or appetizer, you can totally serve this as your main protein for a dish. I like to serve this with cauliflower rice with vegetable salad. You can also enjoy this with some rice and peas if you are not doing a Whole30.

To make Jamaican pepper shrimp do you need head on shrimp?

It’s ideal but not necessary. It’s challenging for me to find head on shrimp where I live but if I could find it, I would use it. Having the head on gives a lot more depth of flavor and is traditionally how this dish is made. But if you don’t like shrimp with the head on or can’t find it, just shell on shrimp will do.

Other things to know about Jamaican pepper shrimp:

  1. While this is a recipe for pepper shrimp, you don’t have to make it super spicy. It’s up to you how much spice you want to put into it so customize to your liking.
  2. If you cannot find scotch bonnet pepper, habanero pepper will make a great substitution.
  3. The bigger the shrimp the better. I recommend ultra jumbo or colossal shrimp 20-24 per pound count.
  4. This will store well in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
  5. This can be served hot or cold.
  6. For seafood seasoning I used All Seasoning New Bae.

Other recipes to try:

Looking for other spicy recipes to try? Check out my Air Fryer Salmon or Jerk Pork recipe.

Jamaican pepper shrimp

Jamaican Pepper Shrimp

Firey hot shrimp appetizer or seafood snack. Great option for a main protein choice.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Jamaican
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Dutch pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cup

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs shrimp jumbo or colossal
  • ½ onion diced
  • ½ red bell pepper diced
  • 3-5 habanero peppers diced
  • 2 TBSP seafood seasoning
  • 1.5 TBSP red chili flakes
  • 1-1.5 TBSP paprika
  • 1 TBSP garlic powder
  • ½ TBSP pimento
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 2 TBSP white vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Season shrimp with onion, bell pepper, habanero, seafood seasoning, chili flakes, paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, pimento, salt and pepper.
  • Mix and let marinate 15-30 minutes.
  • Remove as much of the seasoning from the shrimp and set aside.
  • Add water to the bowl with left over seasoning and mix.
  • In a Dutch pot on high heat pour in water and seasoning mix and let come to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes covered.
  • Add in shrimp and white vinegar. Mix and let simmer for 7-10 minutes covered. Stir occasionally.
  • Remove shrimp and eat right away or let cool.
Keyword caribbean, caribbean food, gluten free, grain free, jamaican, jamaican food, jamaican recipe, pepper shrimp, seafood, shrimp, whole30

Plantain cups

Plantain cups are a great appetizer that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. They are really easy to make and require only two ingredients, plantain and coconut oil. Plantains are one of my favorite things to cook. They are so underrated and can be used in many ways like in this recipe.

Plantain cups stuffed with ackee and saltfish.

What are plantains?

Plantains are a part of the banana family. It’s a fruit that is very starchy in nature and must be cooked before eating it. As the fruit matures in ripeness it becomes sweet. Green plantains are green and as they ripen become a dark yellow and can get some black areas on them. While they are believed to be native to Southeast Asia, they are very common in Caribbean and Latin American food.

What are the best fillings for plantain cups?

Anything you want! I like it with ackee and saltfish, but you can use shredded jerk chicken, carnitas, or even shrimp and avocado. The possibilities are endless.

Do you have to pan fry them?

There are many ways to make plantain cups. If you don’t want to do a second fry you can finish them in the oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes. You can also cook them in the air fryer. Spray the plantain chunks with olive oil and air fry at 350 for 5 minutes or until just golden then finish them in the air fryer after molding into cup at the same temperature.

Other recipes to try.

Looking for other plantain recipes? You may like the recipe for Plantain Croutons, Jerk Chicken Caesar or Plantain Hash.

Plantain cups

Plantain Cups

Easy and fast vessel perfect for appetizers.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Jamaican
Servings 4 servings 2 cups per person

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Tongs
  • Lemon/Lime squeezer

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Plantains
  • ¼ cup Coconut

Instructions
 

  • Peel plantains and cut each plantain into 4 chunks.
  • Heat skillet on medium heat.
  • Add oil.
  • Once melted and heated add plantains.
  • Turn to ensure all sides get golden.
  • Remove to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool a bit.
  • Once cooled, place in lemon squeezer and form into cups. repeat until you have 8 plantain cups.
  • Put cups back into oil. baste the inside with some of the oil. After a minute or two, carefully flip cups over.
  • When cups are fully cooked, remove to a paper towel lined plate and salt if needed.
  • Allow to cool for a minute then add filling of choice.

Notes

Let plantain chunks cool before forming into cups so they hold their shape better.
While forming plantain cups, turn the heat off the oil so it doesn’t overheat.
Keyword caribbean, caribbean food, gluten free, grain free, jamaican, jamaican food, plantain, plantain cups, whole30

Jamaican Festival

Jamaican festival was one of my favorite things to eat when in Jamaica. I decided to make a gluten and dairy free version and it’s just as good as the regular version. Using some simple swaps, I’ve made this recipe gluten and dairy free. It has a nice crispy outside with a fluffy interior. Perfect side to accompany summer dishes.

Jamaican festival being served with jerk chicken
Jamaican festival being served with jerk chicken

What is Jamaican festival?

Jamaican festival is a type of fried dumpling made with equal parts flour and cornmeal. Some people call it a hush puppy; however, it is a bit sweeter than a traditional hush puppy. I made this dairy free by using water instead of milk and gluten free by using Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Baking Flour instead of flour. I used the baking flour because it already has xanthan gum in it which helps to stabilize glute free flour-based food. The process of making it is the same as making fried dumplings. just add all the ingredients to a bowl, mix, form the dumplings in whatever shape and size you want and fry in oil.

Things to know about making Jamaican festival:

  1. For best results, use fine cornmeal instead of coarse cornmeal.
  2. I used cane sugar in this recipe, but you can use brown sugar if you like.
  3. If you want to use a dairy free milk instead of water, use coconut or oat milk. Keep in mind they may alter the taste a bit.
  4. If you can’t get the GF baking flour, you can use GF all-purpose flour. Just be sure to add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to help stabilize the dough.
  5. If you added too much liquid to the dough and it’s become sticky, add in an extra TBSP of both flour and cornmeal and mix.
  6. To make it grain free, use almond meal or flax meal instead of cornmeal and substitute all-purpose flour for a blend that’s grain free or use cassava flour. It will need less water to form the dough.

What is this best served with?

In Jamaica, festival is served with jerk chicken, Jerk Pork or fried fish. They are best served straight out of the skillet. If you have leftovers the next day, you can break them up into pieces and use them as croutons in a salad like this Jerk Caesar Salad.

Jamaican festival with jerk chicken

Jamaican Festival

Jamaican festival is a sweet hush puppy, usually served with jerk chicken or fried fish. I made some tweaks to make it gluten and dairy free.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Jamaican
Servings 4

Equipment

  • 1 Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • 1 Large skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Fine or medium cornmeal
  • 1 cup GF all-purpose or 1-1 baking flour
  • 1 TBSP Cane sugar brown or coconut sugar works as well
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Baking powder
  • 3/4-1 cup Water
  • 1/4-1/2 cup Coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing bowl add cornmeal, flour, baking powder salt and sugar then mix.
  • Add water in small amounts (1 TBSP at a time) until you form a dough. Do not overmix. The dough should not be very sticky. If it is add 1 TBSP of cornmeal and flour and knead.
  • Pinch off a small piece and roll into a cigar shape.
  • Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Once heated add coconut oil.
  • When oil is heated add in the festival and fry 3 minutes on the first side.
  • Turn every 2 minutes until golden brown on each side. This should take about 10 minutes.
  • Remove to a paper towel lined plate to let drain.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

For best results, use fine cornmeal instead of coarse cornmeal.
I used cane sugar in this recipe, but you can use brown sugar if you like.
If you want to use a dairy free milk instead of water, use coconut or oat milk. Keep in mind they may alter the taste a bit.
If you can’t get the GF baking flour, you can use GF all-purpose flour. Just be sure to add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to help stabilize the dough.
If you added too much liquid to the dough and it’s become sticky, add in an extra TBSP of both flour and cornmeal and mix.
To make it grain free, use almond meal or flax meal instead of cornmeal and substitute all-purpose flour for a blend that’s grain free or use cassava flour. It will need less water to form the dough.
Keyword cornmeal dumpling, dairy free, festival, fried dumpling, gluten free, jamaican, jamaican dumpling, Jamaican festival, jamaican food, jamaican recipe, soy free, sweet hush puppy

Carnitas and Plantain Crisp Nachos

I love nachos. Super easy to make, shareable and can be made from ingredients found in your pantry. I did a little twist on the traditional nacho using plantain chips. ⠀

Carnitas and Plantain Crisp Nachos

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Can opener
  • Fork
  • Sheet pan
  • Bowl
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients
  

  • 2 bags Trader Joe’s plantain crisps⠀
  • 1 package Trader Joe’s pork carnitas ⠀
  • 1 7 oz package shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese
  • 1 5 5 oz package goat cheese crumbled⠀
  • 1 4 4 oz can diced green chilies⠀
  • 1 can diced tomatoes ⠀
  • ½ onion diced⠀
  • 2 green onions sliced ⠀
  • I small can black olives⠀
  • 4 radishes cut into matchsticks ⠀
  • 1 avocado diced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 460F⠀
  • Cook carnitas in the microwave for 2 minutes. ⠀
  • Once cooked use two forks to pull apart. ⠀
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. ⠀
  • Begin with a layer of plantain crisps, then layer in cheese, carnitas, onions, chilies and tomatoes. Repeat with the second layer. ⠀
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes. ⠀
  • Remove from oven. ⠀
  • Top with green onions, radishes and avocado. Enjoy!
Keyword nachos, plantain, plantain nachos

Pork Rind Crusted Chicken Tenders with Maple Mustard Sauce

 I usually use a seasoned flour blend to make chicken tenders, but I’ve heard of others using pork rinds instead. I decided to give this a go in my air fryer, and it makes for a super easy meal to prep, and I paired it with my super easy maple mustard sauce. This recipe is whole30 and paleo and tastes amazing. ⠀

Pork Rind Crusted Chicken Tenders with Maple Mustard Sauce

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Measuring spoons
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Air Fryer
  • Tongs

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds chicken tenders⠀
  • 2 bags of pork rinds⠀
  • 1 egg⠀
  • A pinch of salt⠀
  • ¼ cup mustard⠀
  • ¼ cup maple syrup⠀
  • pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Open a corner of the pork rinds bag and squeeze to crumble to pork rinds. You can crumble them in a food processor if you wish.⠀
  • Preheat air fryer to 400F.
  • In a bowl whisk an egg with a pinch of salt. In another bowl place crumbled pork rinds. Have a tray available for breaded tenders.
  • Having the assembly line makes things go faster.
  • Have an egg hand and a pork rinds hand. First dip tender in the egg mixture then let drip and roll in pork rinds.
  • Once done, place in the air fryer and cool for a total of 12 minutes (flip the tenders after 6 minutes. This will require you to work in batches.
  • Combine mustard, maple syrup and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix until combined.
  • Taste the sauce and add a little of each ingredient until you get the taste you want.
  • The tenders can also be done in your oven. Same temperature on convection bake. Cook until golden and cooked on the inside.
Keyword air fryer, chicken tenders, gluten free, grain free, maple, maple mustard, mustard, whole30

Asparagus Soup

Asparagus Soup

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Dutch pot
  • Immersion blender or blender
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 pounds asparagus trimmed and cut in to 1 inch pieces
  • 3 parsnips
  • 1 small onion
  • 1-2 TBSP oil olive or avocado
  • 3 cups broth or water an additional cup of water warm
  • salt to taste
  • 1 bay leaf fresh or dry
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil heavy bottom pan on medium heat. Once oil is hot add onions and sauté until translucent.
  • Add asparagus, salt and garlic powder. Sauté for 5-7 minutes.
  • Add bay leaf, parsnips and broth and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
  • Once asparagus and parsnips are fork tender remove bay leaf. You can either blend in batches using a blender or blend in the pan. Use the extra cup of water as needed to help blend the soup. You can leave some chunks if you want to.
  • Serve garnished with a lime and enjoy!

Notes

Add 1/2 cup coconut cream if desired.
If using blender let contents cool a bit before blending. work in batches.
Keyword asparagus, asparagus soup, gluten free, grain free, soup, spring recipe, whole30