CHRISTMAS RECIPES
Christmas Pocket: Savory Beef Pastelles
This festive recipe uses a soft, seasoned cornmeal dough (masa) wrapped around a richly spiced, savory ground beef filling, a true staple of the Trinidadian Christmas table.
I. Ingredients
A. Beef Filling (The "Guiso")
1 lb Ground Beef (lean)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 small Sweet Pepper (Pimento), finely chopped
1 Tb2sp Chopped Fine Thyme
1/4 cup Raisins (optional, but traditional)
1/4 cup Olives, chopped
2 Tbsp Ketchup or Tomato Paste
1 tsp Cumin (Geera) powder
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Salt to taste
B. The Cornmeal Masa (Dough)
1 cup Fine Yellow Cornmeal (pre-cooked)
1 cup Hot Water or Beef Stock
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Butter or Annatto Oil (Achiote Oil) for color
C. Assembly & Cooking
30-40 Banana leaves (about $8 \times 12$ inches each), softened OR large squares of parchment/wax paper
Extra Annatto Oil or butter for greasing
II. Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Guiso (Filling)
Heat oil in a pot and sauté the chopped onion, garlic, sweet pepper, and thyme until soft (about 3 minutes).
Add the ground beef and brown completely. Drain any excess fat.
Stir in the ketchup/tomato paste, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the raisins and olives. Add a splash of water/broth if too dry. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the flavor marries and the mixture is thick. Cool completely.
Step 2: Prepare the Masa (Dough)
In a bowl, combine the cornmeal and salt.
Pour the hot water/stock over the cornmeal mixture, stirring quickly to form a soft, moist dough. Add the butter or annatto oil.
Let the dough sit, covered, for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. If it is too dry, add a splash more water; if too wet, add a sprinkle more cornmeal.
Step 3: Assemble the Pastelles
Lay a square of banana leaf (or paper) flat. Grease the center lightly with annatto oil or butter.
Place a spoonful of the cornmeal masa on the greased surface. Cover it with plastic wrap or wax paper and roll or flatten the dough into a thin circle (about 4 inches in diameter).
Place 1-2 Tbsp of the cooled beef filling on one half of the dough circle.
Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Pinch the edges to seal.
Fold the banana leaf (or paper) tightly around the pastelle to create a sealed packet.
Step 4: Steam & Serve
Bring a pot of water to a boil, then place a steamer basket or rack inside the pot, ensuring the water level is below the basket.
Carefully place the wrapped pastelle packets (still in their banana leaves or paper) inside the steamer basket.
Cover the pot tightly and steam the pastelles for 25–30 minutes.
Remove from the steamer, unwrap the leaf/paper, and serve the hot pastelle.
Baked Christmas Ham Recipe
Ingredients
1 fully cooked smoked ham (5–8 lbs)
Whole cloves
Water (enough to cover ham)
1–2 cups pineapple juice (or orange juice)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup honey or maple syrup
2 tbsp mustard (yellow or Dijon)
¼ cup cherry juice (optional)
Pineapple slices + cherries (optional)
🍖 Instructions
1. Boil the Ham (Traditional Trini Method)
Place the whole ham (still in its netting) into a large pot.
Cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil and cook for 20–30 minutes to remove the salt and soften the ham.
If the ham is very salty, change the water once and boil another 15 minutes.
Remove ham and let it cool slightly.
2. Prep the Ham
Using a sharp knife, remove the skin (optional) but leave a thin layer of fat.
Score the fat in a diamond pattern.
Insert whole cloves into each diamond.
3. Make the Glaze
In a small saucepan:
1–2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup honey
2 tbsp mustard
(Optional) ¼ cup cherry juice
Simmer until thick and syrupy.
4. Bake the Ham
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place ham in a baking dish.
Brush with glaze.
Cover loosely with foil.
Bake 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.
5. Final Browning
Increase oven to 425°F (220°C).
Add the final layer of glaze.
Decorate with pineapple slices + cherries if desired.
Bake 10–15 minutes until golden and sticky.
6. Rest & Serve
Let ham rest 10 minutes, then slice.
🥧 Easy Classic Pecan Pie Recipe
Ingredients
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
1 cup corn syrup (light or dark)
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
3 large eggs
½ cup melted butter (salted or unsalted)
1½ cups pecans (whole or chopped)
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp cinnamon (optional but delicious)
¼ tsp salt
Instructions
1. Preheat
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prep the Filling
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
corn syrup
brown sugar
melted butter
eggs
vanilla
salt
cinnamon (optional)
Mix until smooth.
3. Add Pecans
Stir in the pecans.
Pour mixture into the unbaked pie crust.
Tip: You can arrange extra pecans on top for a pretty design.
4. Bake
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the center is set but still slightly jiggly.
If the edges of the crust brown too fast, cover them with foil.
5. Cool
Let pie cool completely (at least 2 hours).
This helps it firm up and slice perfectly.
6. Serve
Serve with:
whipped cream
vanilla ice cream
or just warm by itself
Punch-a-Creme Recipe
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 can condensed milk (395g)
1 can evaporated milk (410g)
½–1 cup white rum (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2–3 dashes Angostura bitters (optional)
Instructions
Beat the eggs until light and smooth.
Add condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, lime zest, and nutmeg.
Mix or blend until fully combined and creamy.
Slowly add the rum while mixing.
Start with ½ cup and increase based on how strong you want it.
Taste and adjust nutmeg or lime zest if needed.
Add a few drops of Angostura bitters for extra flavor (optional).
Pour into bottles and chill in the fridge.
Tips for the Best Punch-a-Creme
✔ Use fresh lime zest — it gives the signature Trini taste.
✔ Use white rum (Forres Park, Puncheon, White Oak, etc.).
✔ Always refrigerate — gets thicker and smoother after a few hours.
✔ Shake well before serving.
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