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Brainfood’s Favorite Recipes

Check out Brainfood’s selection of favorite recipes and original participant recipes

Jamaican Jerk Paste & Chicken Skewers

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Recipe Courtesy Of: 
Amy
Ingredients: 

Jerk paste:

2 cups finely chopped scallions
1 Scotch bonnet, seeded and minced (please wear gloves)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 teaspoons ground Jamaican allspice
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pineapple Juice to taste

Chicken Skewers:

3 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 red peppers, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 red onion cut into medium sized wedges
1 batch Jamaican Jerk Paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Wooden Skewers that have been soaked at least 20 minutes in water.

Preparation: 

To make the jerk paste:

1. Combine all jerk paste ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Adjust seasonings.
3. Toss chicken breast pieces with Jamaican Jerk Paste in a large bowl. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

To assemble the chicken skewers:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Toss onion and pepper pieces with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Remove skewers from water and pat dry.
4. Thread chicken, peppers, and onions onto the skewers.
5. Roast skewers in the oven until cooked, 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

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Recipe Courtesy Of: 
Aunt Louise Bounds
Ingredients: 

Makes 12-15 biscuits

4 cups hand mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
5 cups flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation: 

1. Roast 4-5 sweet potatoes at 400 F until potatoes are soft throughout (time may vary with size of sweet potatoes.)
2. Peel off sweet potato skins and any brown bits that cling to the potato.
3. Raise oven heat to 425 F.
4. Mash potatoes and measure out 4 cups.
5. Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
6. Add mashed sweet potatoes to dry ingredients and mix by hand, or mix potatoes and dry ingredients together on a clean work surface. Be careful not to over mix dough; it should still have some visible streaks of potato in it.
7. Pat dough into a large rectangle on a lightly floured work surface and cut into smaller square sized biscuits.
8. Transfer squares to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 12-15 minutes.

Pizza

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Recipe Courtesy Of: 
Chris Sadler
Ingredients: 

(makes about 3 medium personal pizzas or 1 large pizza)

4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ cup warm water
1 ¼ cups room temperature water

Preparation: 

1. Sprinkle the yeast into the warm ½ cup of water and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the 1 ¼ cups room temp water and oil. Stir to combine
3. Mix together 2 cups of the flour and the salt.
4. Add the liquid ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon. Add almost all of the remaining 2 cups flour so that a workable ball of dough forms.
5. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead, using the remaining flour (or more) as necessary if the dough is still sticky. Knead until smooth and elastic
6. Oil dough and put in a large bowl, covered loosely with plastic wrap.
Let rise until doubled in size, 1.5 to 2 hours.
7. Preheat oven 400 degrees.
8. Before assembling Pizza, get all toppings ready, and generously dust the pizza pan or baking tray with corn meal.
9. Punch down the risen dough, return to the floured surface, and knead for a few minutes.
10. Stretch the dough into a thin circle, and place it on the corn meal.
11. Brush the top surface with olive oil, and apply desired toppings.
12. Bake pizza for 10-12 minutes, or until crust is golden and toppings are bubbling.