Gotta Make Dinner

The first time I had Jamaican Jerk I was in Pensacola, Florida, and it was the best thing I had ever tasted. I searched for the secret and I have finally found it. It helps to have friends from Jamaica. Thanks Cheryl Goodman. Anyway, summer time is when I stay at the grill and am looking for many different ways to prepare food. This is one of them. It is accompanied with grilled vegetables and sometimes a family favorite, Black Bean Salad, (or Crack Bean Salad as my friend Tonya refers to it because it is addictive). That recipe is coming soon.

I also serve fried plantain, but pictured here are sweet potato fries which you can find in the grocers freezer. The preferred cocktail is, of course, a Mojito. Oh so cool on a hot summer evening.

Preparation: 15 minutes (that’s all) plus an hour of marinating

1 Tbs. ground allspice
4 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 large pickled jalapeño pepper (more or less depending on the level of heat you like)
¼ C white wine vinegar (I make it more Caribbean by cutting the vinegar in half and adding 1/8 C lime juice and some lime zest)
1 ½ Tbs. brown sugar
1 ½ Tbs. olive oil
1 ¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. kosher salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast or Mahi Mahi fillets
8 scallions
2 large red bell pepper
fresh pineapple chunks (or canned)

Combine allspice, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar, oil, pepper, and salt in large bowl. Measure out 2 Tbsp. mixture and set aside. Add chicken to mixture remaining in bowl and turn to coat on all sides. Refrigerate for only one hour. Trim scallions and cut into three pieces each.

Soak bamboo skewers in water and skewer the scallions, bell pepper, and pineapple alternately. Heat grill to medium heat. Take chicken out of marinade and place on well oiled grill. Brush reserved marinade onto the skewered vegetables. Grill turning chicken and skewers once for 10 to 15 minutes.