In Jamaica, Christmas carols are sung to a reggae beat and, in the small villages, Santa arrives riding in a cart pulled by a donkey, not a reindeer. A typical holiday feast would consist of curried goat, oxtails, and rice’n’ peas. Rice and peas (or beans) is a popular dish on many of the Caribbean islands. Maybe its popularity is due from the fact that rice helps tame the burn of chiles, although this version of the dish is not tame. The peas used are called pigeon peas and are about the size of garden peas and are available dried or in cans. Kidney, or red beans are also used in this dish, but during the Christmas season, only the gungo or pigeon are served in Jamaica.
Corn Olé
This colorful and easy-to-prepare dish is an unusual way to serve corn that your guests will love. Use hotter chiles if you want a kick.
Green Beans with Piñon Nuts
If you can’t find piñon nuts, substitute walnuts in this savory dish. Use hotter chiles if desired.
Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
If you’ve never tasted homemade tortillas, you’re in for a real treat. These are perfect to serve warm with butter or as an accompaniment to soup.
Zucchini and Hominy Soup
This recipe doubles easily if you want to use it as a main dish. It is a vegetarian version of posole, a dish made by the Pueblo Indians and Hispanics for feast days and special celebrations. Most canned hominy is pretty high in sodium so I usually wait until after cooking to add sea salt to taste.