Ingredients .
1lb Minced Beef 2 Medium Onions 1 Chive 1 Hot Pepper 2-3 Pimentos 2-3 Garlic Cloves 18-20 Chadon Beni Leaves ( app 3 bundles ) 1 Bunch Fine-Leaf Thyme 1 / 4 cup Ketchup 1Tbsp Brown Sugar Salt to Taste 1 / 2 tsp Paprika
Dash Worcestershire Sauce 2 Tbsp Capers ( Optional ) 2 Tbsp Raisins ( Optional ) 6-8 Olives ( Optional ) 1 / 4lb Butter 2 cups Extremely Fine Cornmeal 3 cups Luke Warm Water 1 / 4 cup ( Flavourless ) Oil 1 1 / 4 tsp Salt
Authentic Trini
Pastelles
Preparations .
Brown the meat in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat . Remove and put aside . Sautee onions , pimentos , garlic , hot pepper and half the amount of chadon beni in the same pot . Add the meat , brown sugar , worcestershire , ketchup and paprika and cook for a few minutes for the flavours to come together . Add the remaining fresh seasonings to the pot and season with salt to taste . Add any optional ingredients like raisins , capers and olives at this stage and remove from heat .
Recipe Courtesy
Set aside to cool . In a large bowl add the butter , oil , cornmeal and salt , mix together by hand . Slowly add the lukewarm water to the mixture until it comes together . Form 2 ” balls and cover with a damp cloth . Use a prepared pastelle press or the bottom of a heavy pan to flatten the dough . Fill with approximately 2Tbsps of meat filling , fold over and wrap with banana leaf and tie with string . Steam for approximately 20 minutes . Serve or freeze for another day .
4 | Holiday EXTRAs 2020