Recipes | gourmet

RECIPES

CARRIACOU RUM PUNCH

Geof and Jennifer created this recipe to inspire reminiscing about the lazy days they spent on the small island of Carriacou and nearby cays off the Grenadan coast. See our travel page for photos of Carriacou and other Caribbean destinations.

5 parts pineapple juice

4 parts strawberry nectar or similar

2 parts strained fresh orange juice

1 part strained fresh lime juice

1/3 part Grenadine syrup

splash of Angostura bitters

rum to taste

a splash of peach/apricot brandy

Use a tall glass filled with ice. Top with freshly grated nutmeg and a fruit wedge. For a small glass, 1 part is about half a shot. But hey, this is a party, so make 1 part equal to 1/2 cup and you'll get about 2 quarts!

ROYAL TONGAN TOMATO SOUP

Geof and Jennifer created this recipe to recollect a dish served by the kind, welcoming, eccentric hermit, Fileti, one of the favorite chefs of the King of Tonga. Fileti lives with his family alone on the island of Foe'ata, where we were lucky enough to be his guests for five wonderful days in paradise.

22 cups tomatoes, chopped

3 cups fish or chicken stock

2 or 3 bananas

3 cups wine

2 1/2 stalks celery, chopped

2 1/2 onions, chopped

2 1/2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 bay leaves

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tsp salt

1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne

9 to 12 tbsp coconut milk

Sautee the onions, celery, garlic, and bay leaves until soft. Add half the wine to deglaze. Add the tomatoes and half the stock, cover, and stew until everything is very soft. Add the remaining stock and wine. Remove from heat. Puree in batches and pass through a sieve to obtain a silken consistency. You should have about 15 3/4 cups. Return to stove and reduce to 12 cups or desired consistency. Add sugar, vinegar, salt, cayenne, and coconut milk, all to taste. There should be a bit of spiciness, sweet, and sour. Slice bananas and stir into soup for a few minutes to warm. Serve and garnish with chopped parsley or hot pepper slivers. Serves 10.