Around the World with Royal Caribbean

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to cruise and only on Royal Caribbean. I recognize that every cruise I take is different and that not everyone has the same experience. Over the last ten years though, I have had some pretty amazing food from around the caribbean; these are just a few.

1. Pepper’s Jerk Center - Falmouth, Jamaica

I had the pleasure of taking my best friend on her very first cruise. Due to medical issues we could not take an excursion, so we did all the touristy shopping at the port and had a great time. For lunch we went to Pepper’s Jerk Center.”Pepper’s Jerk Center menu is a lineup of Jamaican favourite dishes, designed to give locals and visitors to our country, a true taste of Jamaican country style cuisine. Our dishes are made from the finest Jamaican homegrown ingredients and our meat is sourced from local farmers who grow their produce in the traditional way.” We both had the jerk chicken with fried plantain and rice and beans. According to their menu, ”Pepper’s Jerked Chicken is seasoned with our local dry herbs (onions, scallion, garlic, pimento, thyme), based with vinegar and other seasoning and marinated to give that traditional Jamaican taste. Covered with our unique Pepper’s Jerk Sauce and served with your choice of rice & peas, festival, plantains, ground provisions and local fresh vegetables.” (“Menu”)

If you are craving jerk chicken while you are stateside try this recipe from foodandwine.com.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

3 medium scallions, chopped

2 Scotch bonnet chiles, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon five-spice powder

1 tablespoon allspice berries, coarsely ground

1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Two 3 1/2- to 4-pound chickens, quartered

Directions

Step 1

In a food processor, combine the onion, scallions, chiles, garlic, five-spice powder, allspice, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and salt; process to a coarse paste. With the machine on, add the soy sauce and oil in a steady stream. Pour the marinade into a large, shallow dish, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring the chicken to room temperature before proceeding.

Step 2

Light a grill. Grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes. (Cover the grill for a smokier flavor.) Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve. (Chung)

2. Chesterfield’s - Philipsburg, St. Martin

My very first cruise was a Western Caribbean itinerary from Port Canaveral on Freedom of the Seas. I spent a relaxing day in Philipsburg, St. Martin. I started my meal with an appetiser of Conch Fritters which is “diced conch, onions and spices in a homemade batter, deep fried until golden brown.” I had never tried conch before, but since I was out on a new adventure, I was willing to try almost anything. My main course was an old favorite, fish and chips. “Fresh Fish Fillets Dipped in our Beer Batter, Deep Fried and Served with French Fries, Cocktail and Tartar Sauce.” When I devour this meal, I have a bottle of malt vinegar on hand. This day was no exception. I was in a happy place. (“Menu”)

I know that I cannot get on a cruise to St. Martin or fly to the Bahamas every week, so try this recipe from food.com.

Ingredients

Fritters

1 quart oil (for frying)

3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg

1⁄2 cup milk

ground cayenne pepper, to taste

red pepper flakes, to taste

seasoning salt, to taste

salt, to taste (optional)

ground coarse black pepper, to taste

1 cup chopped conch

1⁄2 onion, chopped

1⁄4 green bell pepper, chopped fine

1⁄4 yellow bell pepper, chopped fine

1⁄4 red bell pepper, chopped fine

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, chopped fine

Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, no subs

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or

1 teaspoon Pickapeppa Sauce

salt, to taste

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 365F (185 degrees C).

In a bowl, mix the flour, egg and milk.

Season with cayenne pepper, seasoning salt, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Mix in the conch meat, onion, red & yellow & green pepper, celery and garlic.

Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.

BE CAREFUL!

Remove the basket or with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Now is the time to slightly season again.

In a bowl, mix the ketchup, "lime" juice, mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt & pepper.

Serve dipping sauce on the side with the fritters. (Manami)

3. Beach Break Buffet - Near Tulum Ruins, Mexico

With as much as I love to cruise, it should surprise no one that I took one for my honeymoon. My husband and I boarded Liberty of the Seas out of Galveston for seven fun-filled days away from family. We went on a tour of the Tulum ruins and a beach break. While we were at the beach, we were fed a local buffet. The “restaurant” really had no name that I saw. My husband raved about the ceviche. He said that it was the best and had three servings. So if you take this cruise sign up for Tulum Mayan Ruins & Beach Break - MX51.

When I want that relaxing feel again I use this recipe from feastingathome.com.

Ingredients

½ a red onion, very thinly sliced

1 pound fresh fish- sea bass, red snapper, corvina, dorado, escolar, mahi-mahi, tilapia, or hamachi – diced into 1/2 inch cubes.

2–3 garlic cloves very finely minced ( use a garlic press)

1– 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, start with 1, add more to taste

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼–½ cup fresh cilantro chopped

1 fresh serrano or jalapeño chili pepper seeded and very finely chopped. Start conservatively, more to taste.

¾ cup fresh lime juice ( 4–6 limes) freshly squeezed ( try to use ripe limes)

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half ( or 1 cup diced tomatoes)

1 cup diced cucumber

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

1 semi-firm Avocado, diced, as garnish, optional

Directions

Slice the red onion very thinly and salt generously and let stand 15 minutes until it begins to release its liquid (this will remove the bitterness). Rinse well, squeeze dry.

Place fish, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, fresh chilies, and lime juice in a shallow serving bowl, gently mix, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. The longer you marinate the firmer and more “cooked” the fish will become.

Before serving, gently toss in the fresh cilantro, cucumber and tomato and a drizzle of olive oil, gently mix.

Taste for salt and add more if necessary. If adding avocado, gently fold it in at the end, after everything is mixed, making sure to use one that is not too soft.

Make the optional Avocado Sauce ( see notes)

Notes

To Serve: Serve ceviche in a big bowl with chips on the side, or as mini tostadas (on a round chip or homemade) or make ceviche tacos or ceviche lettuce cups.

Serve ceviche in small appetizer cups or shot glasses with a mini fork.

To make crispy mini tostadas: lightly spray mini corn tortillas ( 3 inch tortillas) with olive oil and season generously with salt. Bake in a 300 F oven on a sheet pan until crisp (not chewy, but crisp like a cracker) about 25 -30 minutes, turning halfway through. Let cool completely.

Or plate it up with a little Avocado Sauce as a salad course.

Optional Avocado sauce:

⅔ cup Avocado

⅓ cup cilantro

2/3 cup water- plus more as needed

1 T olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tsp coriander

⅛ C lime juice

2 garlic cloves

cracked pepper

To make Avocado Sauce, blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, adding a bit more water if needed to get the blades going. (Fountaine)

So the next time you are in Jamaica, St. Martin, or Cozumel try one of these three great local restaurants, and maybe I will see you there.

Bibliography

Chung, Paul. “Jamaican Jerk Chicken.” foodandwine.com, September 2003, https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/jamaican-jerk-chicken. Accessed 01 07 2021.

Fountaine, Sylvia. “Ceviche Recipe.” feastingathome.com, 29 April 2015, https://www.feastingathome.com/easy-ceviche-recipe/. Accessed 01 07 2021.

Manami. “Conch Fritters: Bahamian Style.” food.com, 2005, https://www.food.com/recipe/conch-fritters-bahamian-style-146916. Accessed 01 07 2021.

“Menu.” Peppers Jerk Center, 2018, http://peppersjerkcenter.com/menu/. Accessed 01 07 2021.

“Menu.” chesterfields, 2020, http://chesterfields.sx/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Chesterfields-LunchMenu.pdf. Accessed 01 07 2021.