Traditional Jamaica Easter Fare

You know its Easter in Jamaica when the price of Fish doubles and the supermarket shelves are laden with every conceivable brand of bun you can think of.

How To Fry Sprats Jamaican 'Style'

The tradition of eating fish, mainly fried, at Easter are part of our religious traditions which include abstaining from red meat for lent (40 days after Ash Wednesday) and not cooking on Good Friday. Especially popular at Easter are Fried Sprats which are enjoyed with warm hard dough bread lathered in butter!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. Sprats -  scaled, gutted & cleaned
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Cooking Oil
•  Vinegar
•  Onion
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper

DIRECTIONS

• Rinse sprats in water & vinegar.
• Pat dry & season with salt & black pepper
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or work to around 200°C (Gas Mark 6).  
• Place sprats in frying pan and  cook until lightly brown & crisp
• Garnish with pickle (onion + scotch bonnet) and serve hot with hard dough bread.

Jamaica Easter Bun & Cheese

The most popular tradition at Easter in Jamaica is that of eating Bun & Cheese! It is said that this Jamaican Easter Tradition was inherited from the English who at one time occupied Jamaica & that our buns are a tropical ‘twist’ on their hot cross buns. In addition to our traditional Easter Bun with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, and bursting with raisins, currants & other dried fruit, Jamaican also enjoy stout buns, spiced buns and more.

Jamaican Stout Bun Recipe ( by Nyam Jamaica & Trevor Ferguson)

INGREDIENTS

• ½ bottle stout
• 3 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• ½ tablespoon browning
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• ½ pint milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• ½ cup raisins – soaked in wine
• ½ cup mixed peel
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon allspice or mixed spice
• 1 tablespoon cherries
• ½ tablespoon allspice

GLAZE:

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Warm the stout on low flame.
• Add browning, sugar, molasses and butter. Stir until dissolved.
•  Sift together flour, baking powder and spices.
• Add chopped fruits - ensure raisins are drained - to the mixture.
• Add wet ingredients to flour mixture.
• Bake in a greased loaf pan for 1 to 1 ¼ hours.
• Remove from oven when ready, and allow to cool.
• Glaze with sugar & water
  
  
  
  
  

ENJOY! HAPPY EASTER!

The Pop-Up Gourmet Jamaican Team