This second entry from Montserrat closes our chapter on the Caribbean and Central America. And it’s very fitting because I made more rice and beans.
The first dish is Chicken Pilau. The recipe didn't specify what kind of cut to use, so I used a mix of chicken breast and thighs. It was fairly simple to make. The meat is cooked first in butter, with some sugar. Then you add water, tomato, onion, garlic, curry seasoning, and a splash of vinegar. For this pilau, the rice is cooked separately and served with the meat on top.
The side dish is Beans with Rum. These are a version of baked beans with rum added to it. That seems to be a theme with Montserrat, because the goat water recipe also included the option for adding rum. Perhaps there is something to the stereotype about Caribbean islands and rum. That's where it comes from, after all.
Chicken Pilau served with a side of baked beans.
The chicken pilau was full of goodness. Every nation seems to have their own version of chicken and rice, and this one was very good. It had a sweetness that was balanced out by the acidity of the vinegar, and a hint of curry flavor to dress up the chicken and tomatoes. The chicken mixture didn't make it back into the fridge as leftovers, so that tells you all you need now.
Unfortunately, the beans with rum was another story. I had really high hopes for this dish, but I screwed it up. I didn’t soak the beans nearly long enough before cooking them, and they were still pretty hard when it was time to serve. That was disappointing, especially because the flavor was there. It could have been great, but no worries. I plan to try these again for my next BBQ. I’ll probably used canned beans instead, though. 😅 Shortcuts are acceptable, folks.
This is it for now, can't wait to see where we'll end up next!
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