JFDK comforts post-carnival blues with Tabanca in the Kitchen

Jamaica Food and Drink Kitchen kicked off its Tabanca in the Kitchen series on Monday night with Passport to New Orleans.

The vibe and energy of the quaint culinary space set the tone for the evening. So too were the drinks and dishes the group was preparing. Thanks to Visa, attendees were ready to embark on this culinary journey.

Before anyone ignited the flames, they whetted their palates with the Tennessee sling. Laid out before the adult students were an ounce of lime juice, half an ounce of orange liqueur, one ounce of mixed berries syrup and two ounces of Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey.

Mixologist Denroy Fisher invited the class present to combine all the ingredients before them, add ice, assemble the mixer and get to shaking. The class, sectioned into groups of three to four individuals, happily followed the instructions and poured themselves a glass of the featured drink, many of which had a delicate foam on top.

From there, we moved on to Chef Celeste Gordon with the main attraction of the evening: crispy shrimp accompanied by a maque choux. The first step was to soak the peeled and deveined shrimp in the buttermilk for 20 minutes to marinate.

The Louisiana-style Cajun meal is made of bacon, corn, and a host of dried and natural seasonings such as garlic, onion, bell peppers and jalapeño. Chef Gordon made the group feel right at home. The invaluable knowledge shared, combined with the state-of-the-art equipment, inspired the professional cook in every attendee. As the bold flavour of rendered fat from the bacon filled the air of the vibrantly lit room, the teams added each ingredient in quick succession.

In between flames, people helped themselves to the grazing board, a delightful spread of snacks boasting salty and sweet notes from Sunshine Snacks. As the heavy cream simmered in the mix on a low flame, the time had arrived for the shrimp to make a comeback.

“Now that the oil is hot at the right temperature, what we're going to do now is remove the shrimp from the bowl, one at a time, shaking off the excess juice. Dip and coat it in your Cajun seasoning, shake off the excess once more and add to the frying pan before you,” Chef Celeste instructed.

And the attentive class made magical moments out of the occasion, while surrounded by light chatter and bouts of laughter. Talk of a competition was brewing in the wings. But this student would like to make it known that, in the end, it was creative collaboration that took the main prize.

Then came the highlight of the evening: the plating process and subsequent feasting to the sensational sounds of soca. You could tell by the display that the room was now filled with top chefs.

According to one of the students, Daneilla McKenzie, the experience exceeded her expectations. “I loved the drink so much, I made two for myself; don’t tell anybody,” she said with a laugh, adding, “Getting to prepare my own drink for the first time and tap into my inner bartender was such a vibe.”

As for the main meal, the content creator had a hard time choosing the best moment of the evening, “There were so many favourite moments, but if I had to choose, it’s definitely the people and the atmosphere. I can’t wait to recreate the meal and drink again.”

And since we could not be the only ones having fun in the kitchen, here is the tantalising crispy shrimp and maque choux recipe. Bon appétit!

JFDK CRISPY SHRIMP WITH MAQUE CHOUX

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ lbs shrimp, 21/25 peeled and deveined

1 cup buttermilk

1tbsp hot sauce

½ cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1tbsp creole seasoning salt and/or pepper

1 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Place buttermilk and hot sauce in a mixing bowl and add all the shrimp. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.

2. In the meantime, combine the cornmeal, flour and creole seasoning in a separate bowl and mix thoroughly.

3. Take an individual shrimp and allow the buttermilk mixture to drip off. Place the shrimp into the cornmeal mixture and coat it well. Place it on a plate or platter, then continue with the remaining shrimp.

4. Heat the vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oil is at the right temperature, lay the shrimp in the oil with about an inch of space in between each shrimp and fry the shrimp in batches.

5. Set aside on a sheet pan with a rack, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with your favourite sauce.

CAJUN SEASONING

INGREDIENTS

2tbsp garlic powder

2tbsp Italian seasoning

2tbsp smoked paprika

1tbsp cayenne pepper

1tbsp dried thyme

1tbsp onion powder

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients thoroughly.

MAQUE CHOUX

INGREDIENTS

1 cup bacon, diced

4 ears of corn

½ cup red bell pepper, diced

½ cup yellow onion, diced

1 each jalapeño, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the corn: Remove the kernels from the corn cobs using a sharp knife. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, add the bacon and fry until it starts to get crispy. Add the chopped onion and bell pepper, cooking until softened, for about five minutes.

3. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the corn kernels to the skillet, stirring to combine with the other vegetables.

4. Sprinkle in the creole seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well to ensure even distribution of spices. Slowly add the heavy cream, stirring until all ingredients are well coated. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Once the corn is tender and the flavors melded, remove from the heat and enjoy.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com