does anyone have a good caribbean/tropical appetizer recipe? I need to make something for a tropical themed shower.

Thanks!

bul jol ? plantain and shrimp pinwheels ? Pumpkin fritters ? Conch fritters ? Spinach cakes ? Jerk chicken wings ? Smoked fish ? Fish cakes....to name but a few. A google search will bring up recipes for most of these...if not, I can post.

Is there an international food section at your local grocery store? You can find some appetizers there like plantain chips as well as some drinks.

Kristen; ditto the above recipes, especially the conch suggestions. When in Nassau, I ate a Mac & Cheese dish from the Conch Fritters rest. across the street from the British Colonial. It was so good I asked the cook what the procedure was:

12 Ounces of macaroni
1/8 tspl paprika
1/4 Cup margarine
1/8 Tsp of pepper
2 whole eggs
1 lb. grated SHARP cheddar cheese
3 Cups of milk
1 can of evaporated milk

Boil the mac then drain; leave in pot while hot. Mix in all other ingredients and bake in oven at 325 degrees for one hour in baking pan or pyrex pot. Remove cover for last 10-15 minutes to allow to brown lightly.

And, what about Pidgeon peas and rice!! I got this recipe from a taxi cab driver on Abaco, while he drove us to the Conch Inn Marina in Marsh Harbor. This is how his Bahamian wife makes Pidgeon Peas and Rice. My favorite throughout the Bahamas!! Mix pidgeon peas with 2 whole cloves garlic, 5 sprigs of thyme, 2 cups rice, 1 red pepper, diced; 2 scallions chopped, 1/2 cup cut bacon, 1 tsp. tomato paste, salt and pepper to your liking. Boil the peas in a saucepan with 5-6 cups water and cook peas for 45 minutes, then set aside. Fry bacon with scallions, peppers, etc. and saute for 3-5 minutes and add salt, pepper, thyme, and then tomato paste. Add peas along with 4 cups of water WHICH WAS USED TO BOIL THE PEAS INITIALLY. Bring to a boil, then add rice, reduce heat and cover firmly when most of water has evaporated. Robert

This is the jerk sauce recipe I swear by! Great for chicken or pork.

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium onion - chopped
1 bunch of green onions (escallions) - chopped
10 large cloves of garlic - minced
5 tablespoons fresh ginger - minced
5 tablespoons of whole pimento seed (allspice)
4 tablespoons fresh thyme - minced
1/2 cup of soy sauce
12 ounces beer (preferably Red Stripe, of course)
1 - 5.5 ounce bottle of Scotch Bonnet Sauce (or fresh Scotch Bonnet peppers if available)*

Place onions, garlic, ginger, thyme, pimento seed, and soy sauce in a blender. Blend thoroughly until all ingredients are very fine. Transfer to a medium sauce pan and add beer and scotch bonnet sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly so beer will not foam over. Reduce heat and simmer for approx. 15 minutes. A small amount of corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of cold water can be used to thicken the sauce, if desired, at the end of cooking. For a smoother, gravy-like consistency, sauce may be strained through a sieve.

This recipe produces about two cups of a rich, brown sauce with plenty of kick. It can be used as a marinade before barbequing. If used during barbequing, it is best to use indirect cooking (do not place meat directly over coals) and cook slowly. The sauce is also excellent when used after cooking. For example, place warm sauce on the plate then place the barbequed chicken, pork, etc. on the sauce. This allows you to control how much sauce you get with each bite.

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions and recipes! I really appreciate it ;-)

Go to www.jamaicans.com and click on the extensive Jamaican Recipes index for A-Z real Jamaican food/recipes/background.