Last week’s article focused on cultural stereotypes about people from the Caribbean. This week I’ve decided to go in depth on another popular and beloved topic--Caribbean food. I’m specifically referring to Bahamian food. Bahamian food includes fish and everything in between. Some of these dishes were originally prepared out of scarcity (because a majority of the food is imported from the US and other countries and thus are hard to find). Knowing this, they may not sound appetizing, but many of these dishes are some of the best beloved dishes in this country and always will be. Let’s dig in…
1. Conch Salad (pronounced “conk”)
For those of you not familiar with conch, it's a shellfish found in the Atlantic that looks similar to a scallop or clam. Fisherman take the shell and hit it with a hammer to coax the animal out. Once it’s out it is skinned and diced and then added to a bowlful of chopped tomatoes, celery, onions and green peppers. Lime juice and other spices are added and everything is mixed together and served in a bowl or cup. Simple and easy. (Be careful if you are allergic to shellfish).
2. Conch Fritters
It’s the same story but with a little bit of a twist. Here the conch is skinned, cooked and tenderized (they tend to be a bit tough) and breaded. Once breaded they are rolled into balls or a flat pattie and fried. Some people add onions, green, peppers, and celery to the mix to make it extra savory. It is usually served with a remoulade sauce for dipping.
3. Crab with Johnny Cake
Bahamians usually take fresh (meaning live crabs) and boil the body in a pot. Once done the crab body can be cracked open where there is a layer of fat inside (sounds gross but it is actually VERY tasty). This fat is spread across the Johnny Cake (which is a sweet bread that has a consistency similar to cake but thicker). Once the bodies are consumed then we can go on to the biters.(Hammers and biter crackers in hand).
4. Boiled Fish Head with Grits, Johnny Cake and Potatoes
This dish is my personal favorite. A grouper head is cut open and seasoned with lemon (lots of lemon) and spices and left to marinate for 24 hours. Once that’s done onions, garlic, green peppers and tomato paste are added to the pot to boil along with the fish. Grits, potatoes and johnny cake are all prepared separately. When done parts of the head are ready to consume. The head actually has very soft. fleshy pieces that soak up the lemon and spices easily. Everything is served on one plate and yes everything is eaten including the eyes. (I’ve eaten the eyes and they are just as savory as the other pieces).
5. Benny Cake
No this is not a cake but a candy. Benny are small seeds that resemble sesame seeds. They are mixed with a molasses like syrup and baked into chunks that turn slightly hard when cooled. They are sweet and crunchy and make a great snack.
6. Souse (pronounced “sowse”)
This dish is available in two varieties, pig feet and chicken. Both meats are marinated profusely in lime, lemon and other spices, especially black pepper. They are then cut into small pieces and boiled into a soup full of onions and potatoes that have soaked up the lemon flavor. It is then served piping hot in a bowl or cup. (Get ready to pucker those lips, it’s a little sour but extremely tasty).Check out more dishes at www.bahamas.co.uk/bahamasculture.
