Fruit Salad

A wide variety of tropical fruits, both native and non-native, are cultivated in Africa. It is more likely that any of the fruits listed in this recipe would be eaten as a snack than made into an elaborate fruit salad. In Western Africa, the closest thing to a dessert course is the "after-chop" and a popular "after-chop" is fruit salad. Fruit Salad is usually served after a meal of Groundnut Stew or Palm-Oil Chop. In Eastern Africa, Swahili people make a Saladi ya Matunda for dessert. One interesting thing about the African fruit salad is the use of the avocado. A perfectly fine fruit salad can be made from just three or four of the ingredients listed below. A fruit salad makes a fine dessert course for an African-style dinner.

What you need

* Any of the following (fresh or canned):
o avocado
o banana
o grapefruit
o guava
o mango
o melon
o orange
o papaya
o peach
o pear
o pineapple
o tangerine
* juice of one lemon -- or -- chopped, crushed mint leaves
* grated coconut or chopped roasted peanuts
* sugar (optional) (honey can also be used)

What you do

* If using canned fruits: drain and save the liquid. Peel and remove seeds from the fresh fruit as necessary, cut fruit into bite-sized pieces.
* Combine all fruit in a glass bowl. Add the lemon juice (or mint leaves), some sugar water (water which has been boiled, mixed with sugar, and allowed to cool--or use some of the liquid from the canned fruits). Stir gently. There should only be enough liquid to coat the fruit; it does not have to be covered in liquid.
* Cover the fruit salad and allow it to stand for a half hour before serving. The fruit salad may be refrigerated after it has stood for an hour. It should be eaten the same day it is made. It does not keep well overnight.
* Top with grated coconut or chopped peanuts immediately before serving.
* Eastern Africa's Saladi ya Matunda is made without the lemon juice, (or mint), coconut or peanuts; it substitutes sugar for sugar water.

A simple fruit snack or dessert: Any of the fruit above, with honey dripped over it.
Speaking of honey and Africa, do you know about the Honey Guide? Read about it on the Cardamom Tea page.

The watermelon and many other members of the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae, which includes gourds, melons, pumpkins, and squashes) are native to tropical Africa and widely cultivated there. Watermelon have been cultivated in the Eastern hemisphere for thousands of years; they appear in ancient Egyptian art and Sanskrit literature.

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Jamaican Stir-Fried Okra Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fresh Jamaican okra sliced
1 large Jamaican tomato, peeled and sliced
¼ cup Jamaican onions, sliced
1½ tsp. fresh Jamaican lemon juice
¼ tsp. Jamaican thyme, crushed
1 tsp. salt
A dash pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. butter

PREPARATION

1. Prepare all vegetables as indicated and have ready for cooking.
2. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat oil and butter in a wok or large skillet. Add vegetables and seasoning mixture all at once.
4. Toss and cook for 5 to 8 minutes.

Grilled Cajun Style Gator Tail

Ingredients

4 To 6 Lbs Gator Tail
Lemon wedges

Seasoning Mix:


12 T Paprika
6 T Garlic powder
3 T Salt
3 T White pepper
3 T Oregano, crushed
3 T Black pepper
2 1/2 T Thyme
1 T Cayenne pepper

To make seasoning mix, combine paprika, garlic powder, salt, white pepper, oregano, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper in jar with tight fitting lid. Shake well to combine. Mixture may be stored for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, cut gator tail meat into 1/2" cubes. Roll each cube in 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Cook over high heat on an outdoor barbecue grill or under the oven broiler for 4 to 6 minutes, or until gator tail meat is white and firm to the touch. Serve warm with lemon wedges. The seasoning mixture will coat up to 24 (4 oz.) servings of gator tail.

Grilled Salmon

You can use this method on pretty much any type of thick fish filet if salmon1 is not available. The herbs, wine2, and lime3 give salmon a fabulous flavor, while the foil tray makes clean-up easy and keeps your grill clean. If you cannot grill, bake the salmon in a very hot oven.

Prep Time: :10
Cook Time: :15
Ingredients:


* Vegetable oil spray
* 1-1/2 pounds boneless salmon4 filet about 1-inch thick (large end preferred)
* 1/2 lime5
* 2 Tablespoons white wine6
* 1 teaspoon mayonnaise (may substitute butter)
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1/4 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika

Preparation:
Preheat grill to high heat. Make a tray out of a doubled-length of heavy-duty foil large enough for the salmon7 filet, by folding a long piece in half and folding up all four sides, with the dull side up. (The shiny side reflects, so you want it down so as not to burn the food.) Spray the entire inside of the foil tray liberally with cooking spray. Place the foil tray on a platter or metal tray to transport to the grill.

Place the salmon filet in the foil tray skin-side down (or boned-side up if it is skinned). Squeeze lime8 juice over salmon and sprinkle with white wine9. Spread top of salmon with the mayonnaise10.

In a small bowl, mix together kosher salt11, onion powder, garlic12 powder, lemon pepper, oregano13, basil14, and dill weed15. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the salmon, then top with the sweet paprika16.

Place baking pan with foil tray on hot grill. Transfer the foil tray to the hot grill. Cook in a hot covered grill for 10 minutes per inch of thickness of the fish17 filet. Do not overcook or it will be dry and unpalatable. Turning is not necessary. Salmon is done when it turns a light pink color throughout and feels firm when pressed gently with the back of a fork. Whitefish is done when it turns opaque. This method works best with large, thick filets. Use a spatula to lift the salmon away from the skin to serve. Garnish with lime slices, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: If you are unable to grill the salmon18, preheat your oven to 475 F. Leave foil tray on the baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes, or until done.

Deviled Crab Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup mayonnaise
* 2 Tablespoons minced onion
* 2 Tablespoons minced green pepper
* 2 teaspoons minced parsley
* 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* Dash Tabasco
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
* 2 teaspoons lemon juice
* Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 1 pound fresh or pasteurized crabmeat, either select or lump grades, picked over to remove all bits of shell
* 3 to 4 Tablespoons butter
* 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
* Parsley sprigs
* Lemon wedges

Preparation:
Put the mayonnaise3 in a bowl and whisk in the onions, green peppers, parsley, mustard4, Worcestershire sauce5, Tabasco, cayenne, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Go very easy on the salt and pepper. Cover bowl and put aside for 15 minutes or so for the flavors to marry. Correct seasoning.

Gently fold in the crab6. Reserve, refrigerated, if you are doing this in advance.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small skillet and add the bread crumbs. Cook over low heat until just golden, adding a little more butter if it seems too dry. Scrape into a bowl and cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Arrange natural or ceramic crab or scallop shells or ramekins on a baking sheet. Divide crab mixture among containers, mounding it a bit in the center so that it looks generous. Sprinkle the crumbs over the crab mixture. Bake on the top rack of the oven until bubbly and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges.

Yield: 6 to 8 as a first course; 4 as a main course