Black Cake

Ingredients

3 oz dried fruit, mango, papaya (pawpaw), pineapple, red cherries 

2 oz raisins, currants, chopped dates 

3 eggs 

2 teaspoons (tsp) vanilla (optional) 

2 tsp browning sauce 

1-1½ cups dark rum 

1¼ cups flour 

1 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 

½ cup (1 stick) softened butter 

½ cup chopped pecans 

½ tsp almond extract (optional) 

½ tsp ground nutmeg 

¼ tsp ground cloves 

¼ tsp salt 

Confectioners sugar icing 

Finely chop dried mango, papaya (pawpaw), pineapple and red cherries. 

Place in a large bowl with the remaining fruits. 

Pour enough rum over to cover; Then cover and allow to stand overnight or in a refrigerator for about one week or longer. 

Line bottom of 9x5x3 loaf pan with wax paper. 

Grease paper and sides of pan; Then dust with flour. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. 

Add eggs one at a time, beating in vanilla, almond extract, and browning sauce if desired. 

Drain fruits, reserving the rum. Measure ¼ cup rum and reserve remainder (if necessary, add additional rum to make a ¼ cup. 

Sift together the dry ingredients. 

Add ingredients to mixer bowl alternatively with the ¼ cup rum, beating just until there is a combined fold in fruits and nuts. 

Turn into prepared pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes; Then let it cool on a wire rack. 

If desired, soak cheesecloth in rum and wrap the cloth around the cake.

Stewed Pigeons Peas

Ingredients: 

1/2 lbs salted pigtail, cut into 1 inch pieces 

Fresh or frozen pigeon peas, not canned- 1 lbs or more 

Oil- a little 

A small piece of pumpkin 

Black pepper (salt, if needed) 

A little mixed fresh seasonings, such as parsley, celery, sprig of thyme- cut up small- 

onion 

garlic cloves 

1) Wash and scald salted pigtail- drain off the water to get rid of excess salt 

2) In a pressure cooker, put a little oil, add garlic and sauté until golden, but take care not to burn it 

3) Add pigeon peas ( if you use frozen peas, just wash them under hot water until defrosted, then immediately put into the pot) 

4) Stir-fry peas for a few minutes 

5) Add pigtail, pumpkin pieces (peeled and washed) , seasonings, black pepper, onion and stir through 

6) Add boiling water to cover and pressurize until soft (check after 10 mins)

Chicken Pelau

Ingredients:

2 1/2 - 3 lb. chicken pieces seasoned with salt, pepper, chives, thyme, garlic, parsley, 

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce. 

1 tsp. soy sauce, 

1 tbsp. Ketchup 

2 c. rice, washed 

2 c. coconut milk and 2 c. water 

1 large onion sliced 

1 sweet pepper, chopped 

1 - 1/2 c. pigeon peas or 

1 can pigeon peas, drained 

2 - 3 tbsp. vegetable oil 

1/4 - 1/2, c. sugar 

Salt & pepper to taste 

Hot pepper if desired 

1. Heat oil in a large heavy iron pot or skillet. 

2. Add sugar and allow to bum until dark brown. 

3. Add seasoned -meat and stir until pieces are well coated with burnt sugar; brown for 5 min. 

4. Stir rice into chicken and turn often till well blended; cook for 3 min. or more. 

5. Add onion, sweet peppers and peas and stir fry for a few seconds. 

6.Add- salt, pepper, coconut milk and water; bring to the boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until rice is cooked and all liquid has evaporated (about 25 - 30 min). 

Add more liquid if rice is still hard and continue to cook longer. Pelau can also be baked in oven. Cover pot with tin foil, place in oven and bake at 350'F for 25 - 30 min. In this way, rice is less likely to burn and is fluffy.

Stuffed Avocado Salad

Ingredients:
2 avocados
1 tomato
1 head lettuce
Pepper and salt to taste
4 oz. peas or cooked beans
2 oz. grated cheese
Salad cream
2 hard boiled eggs
1 medium cucumber
2 tablespoons sour or sweet pickle
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped nuts

Wash lettuce and put in covered bowl in refrigerator to chill, strain peas from stock. Wash and slice cucumber and add salt to taste.  Cut avocados lengthwise and peel off skin.  Place avocados in bowl and sprinkle with lime juice.

Cover.  Mix together pickle, cheese, peas and season for stuffing.  Fill hollows of avocados.  Place 2 wedges of tomatoes in each half.  Arrange on a bed of lettuce. Lay cucumber slices of hard boiled eggs on dish around avocados.  Dot with salad cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts.