Everything Haitian - Sauce Pois (White Beans and Haitian Cake (part 2)

One of my all time favorite Haitian dishes is Sauce Pois with White Rice.  It's not as popular as the Red Beans and Rice, but what I love about it is the creaminess of the Pois.  The most popular version is with red kidney beans, or pinto beans, but I prefer the white northern beans. The authentic version of the Sauce Pois is vegetarian style.  The Sauce Pois is like a thick stew with well seasoned spices.  It is usually served with Haitian Chicken and for an additional flavor the sauce from the chicken is added on top of the Sauce Pois.  In November I catered for a friend and she wanted to taste the Sauce Pois.  That version was with the red kidney beans and my favorite is with the white northern beans:

So delicious.  I personally do not like really spicy Sauce Pois.  Cooking it with a whole habanero adds flavor without the heat.

Now for the Haitian Cake (part 2).  Same recipe different flavoring.  As you can see the cake is very flavoring sensitive, hence the marble color.  The next one will be the color that I'm looking for.  The taste is still heavenly:

Until next week

S&S

Everything Haitian - Chicken and Doughboy

You can't be Haitian without eating chicken everyday (well almost). Trying to recapture the taste of the chicken while I was in Haiti and my new found taste buds of so many different cultures has been a challenge. That's why I have created a fresh seasoning using organic vegetables and spices for the chicken and other meat.  I will have three choices. Flavorful, Mild, and Hot.  I'm still deciding on the names for the labels when they are marketed online and in various stores.  Here's the picture, of course, it's the hot one:

And the final results, tastes better than it looks:

Now what is doughboy?  It is a piece of bread dough fried in deep fat.  What more do you want.  The Haitian doughboy or what my husband called banana fritters.  It's like a hot doughnut.  I'm going to work on this and make them very gourmet.  By the way I had to do another batch for my husband.  I guess I found something that he likes.  Here we go:

Until next week

S&S

Everything Haitian-Mom's Favorite Dish

I asked my mom if she could cook anything what would it be.  She told me 
( Maiz mouline avec pois) translated (Ground yellow grits with red kidney beans).  This dish is labor intensive and it's the only meal that I use coconut milk.  This dish is as authentic Haitian as you can get.  Only real Haitians will eat this.  And yes, I do love it.  We usually serve it with avocado and (legumes) another authentic Haitian dish that is made with eggplant, oxtails, and beef shank. I will do that dish at a later post.  So here we go:

This is where only true Haitians and people who eats grits like that won't turn their noses.  It does not look appetizing, but it tastes really good:

The final result is this, like I said before only true Haitians and people who are looking for true authentic dishes will enjoy this dish:

Now doesn't that look good.  Tastes better.

This blog will be a two-part.  As a baker, my search for the perfect cake has finally arrived.  The cake that I made is buttery, moist, and melts in your mouth.   It's better than a mix.  I've added a little too much vanilla, but the next one will be the desired color.  This is the first picture of my perfected cake:

And this is the final result:

YUMMMMMYYYYY!!!!!!

Until next week 

S&S

Everything Haitian - Shredded Coconut Rounds

I have been wanting to eat fresh coconut since last year.  To my wonderful surprise Whole Foods in River Forest had them nicely cut and ready to eat.  That's when the idea to do Tablette Cocoyer came to me.  Translated Coconut Tablet or Candy.  I found the recipe and my journey began.

Even though the coconut was nicely cut, I still had lots of work to do.  After I cut the leftover shell I had to shred four cups of coconut.  Reminded me of doing the Pate, this time I had cramps in my hands. Here's part one and two:

Phew!!!!! This process of making Shredded Coconut Rounds takes about four hours.  After I relaxed my fingers and hands I mixed the other ingredients and started boiling the mixture for about two hours.  No kidding!!!  Here's part three:

Four:

I guess good things come to those who waits.. It was better then what I remembered and tasted.  It's better when you make it yourself.  This is the final stage.  Four cups of shredded coconuts yielded 12 candy rounds.  So worth it!!! Next time I will try it with sugar substitute for my mom and for everyone's else health.  Pure sugar coconut, so delicious and so not good for you.  With the process that's not so easy who would want to do that every week.  So it was a nice treat. Enjoy.  See all that gooey sugar YUM!!!

Until next week!!! Another inspiration

S&S

Free Tasting Event Menu

Now that my Valentine's Day Special is over, it's time to plan for M Catering, LLC first "Free Tasting Event".  The place is TBD, but the tentative date is Saturday, March 15th.  This is the menu, for now, subject to change:
       
              Appetizers  
         
                 PATE
                GRIOT
          
            Gourmet Salad
          Vegetable Souillon
             Haitian Bread

        Boneless Chicken Breast
            Red Beans and Rice
           Seasoned Vegetables

                   Turtle Bites
                 Mini Cupcakes


      Non-Alcoholic Caribbean Punch
                      Coffee
                        Tea
                      Water


So, I've decided to try Haitian Bread. Here's my journey:

Not bad for my first try

Looks and taste like cake bread.  So you know what that means back to the drawing board.  Next time, I will make small round individual rolls.  That will be next week.

Until then 

S&S

More Cupcakes

Who doesn't like varieties and we are constantly changing our minds.  My intentions were to make Oreo and Golden Oreos, but I changed my mind.  I will still have the Oreo cookies with the surprise inside or something else, but I've decided to have white cupcakes with chocolate frosting and white cupcakes with white frosting and sprinkles.  So here's goes:

The other cupcakes is all white with white pearls sprinkles:

Voila!!!!!!

Cupcakes done.  I have to say I loved the Oreo cupcakes the best.  All of the icings were delish.  Until I get orders I will keep trying new recipes.  I will give an update of my "first special" in three weeks.  

Now, what do I entertain myself with.  I've decided that Saturday, March 15th, I will host my first free tasting event.  I'm truly excited and can't wait.  In the meantime, I will practice and make near perfection what I will be offering.  All of the future blogs will be dedicated to the free tasting event.  Next week I will have the menu and can't wait.

Until next week!!!!!

S&S

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Oreo Cupcakes

Who doesn't love chocolate?  I came upon this and decided to add it to my Valentine's Day Special and make it with my own creativity.

This is my own creation. 

This is for my husband. It's our anniversary Sunday and he does not like pecans.  I like it I hope he does.

Now, on to the Oreo Cupcakes.  

Before

After

That's my surprise, a jelly heart inside.  This has got to be the best chocolate cupcake I have ever had.  

Until next week

S&S!!!!,