Caribbean National Dishes Take Center Stage Welcoming in 2015 at Saint Lucia’s Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa

Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa shares Jerk Lobster and Braised Oxtail recipes showcased in their New Year’s Eve menu celebrating the Caribbean and the resort’s always diverse dining experiences.

 VIEUX FORT, Saint Lucia  – Executive Chef Veejooruth Purmesur and his staff  are creating a lavish Taste of the Caribbean menu as the centerpiece of the New Year’s Eve celebrations at Saint Lucia’s all-inclusive Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa.  National dishes and selections inspired by traditional ingredients from various Caribbean countries celebrate the flavors of the region with Saint Lucia’s taking center stage.  Lobster will be jerked, tenderloin rubbed, crab claws cracked and oxtail braised.

JERK LOBSTER (Serves 5 as main course, 10 as an appetizer)

Recipe courtesy of Chef Veejooruth Purmesur, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa

INGREDIENTS

5 lobster tails

Jerk sauce

Jerk Sauce Ingredients

1 bunch scallion

1 scotch bonnet pepper (or more to taste)

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons thyme leaves

2 teaspoons oregano leaves

2 teaspoons allspice

¼ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup soy sauce

⅓ cup ketchup

½ cup oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

CHEF P’s TIP:  Make the jerk sauce the day before and refrigerate to let the ingredients marinate together.

METHOD:

1. FOR THE JERK SAUCE: Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. FOR THE LOBSTER: Cut lobster tails in half, and remove meat from the shell. Season the meat with the jerk sauce generously and place it back into the shell. Let it marinate for about 2 hours.
3. Place on a charcoal grill and roast for about 10 minutes until the meat is cooked.
4. Optional:  brush with garlic butter
5. Serve with white rice and vegetable of choice

OXTAIL STEW (Serves 4)

Recipe courtesy of Chef Veejooruth Purmesur, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds oxtail

½ pound onions, sliced thin

2 tablespoon onion powder

4 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

½ tablespoon ground black pepper

¼ cup gravy browning

2 medium carrots, sliced

4 sweet peppers, sliced

Oil

METHOD:

1. Season oxtail with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Let marinate for about 30 minutes.
3. In a skillet, sauté the onion, carrot and peppers until tender.
4. Add the oxtail and sauté for another 5 to 8 minutes, turn until brown on both sides.
5. Add the gravy browning and let simmer for a further 3 minutes.
6. Add water to cover meat. Simmer on a low heat for about 3 hours until tender, gradually adding more water as necessary, but the sauce is still thick.
7. Serve with white rice and a vegetable of choice.

The party starts early and goes late with live entertainment, a DJ and dancing throughout an evening topped off with fireworks on the beach at the stroke of midnight. The New Year’s Eve party kicks off with Champagne and passed hors d’oeuvres that tease what’s to come: mini beef Wellington, smoked salmon mousse in pâte à choux, coconut shrimp and rumaki.

The Taste of the Caribbean festivities spotlight Saint Lucian cuisine and its Kwéyòl traditions rich with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg from the national dish of green fig and saltfish (figs are local bananas), to braised oxtail, Lucian-spice rubbed beef striploin carved to order and just-caught grilled mahi-mahi. Neighbor Martinique’s French and Creole flavors are presented with traditional grilled snapper served with a spicy and pungent sauce au chien, boudin sausage and stuffed crab with a butter-lime sauce.

Cuba’s national dish, ropa vieja, flavor-infused fork-tender beef will have guests lining up as will the classic shrimp paella, Cuban-style whole baked sea bass and roasted pork tenderloin topped with garlic and orange infused mojo sauce and mango-papaya salsa. Jamaica’s cuisine heats things up peppers and allspice with jerk lobster and chicken, rasta pasta, coffee rubbed tenderloin and the national dish, ackee and saltfish.

Aromatic and vibrant green, calaloo, the national dish of Trinidad and Tobago puts this country’s multi-ethnic cuisine on display coupled with the Trinidadian favorite doubles, a variety of curries, and for the iconic roti a station of their own to accommodate a choice of delicious fillings. Next is Aruba with Dutch and Spanish influenced dishes. Keshi yená, the national dish, is “stuffed cheese” with a sweet and savory filling. Arroz con pollo, beregein hasa (fried eggplant) and a stunning Christmas roasted ham make the table. The Bahamas traditional cracked conch, a golden gem, is the star of a fish fry along with tuna steaks with island salsa and roasted lamb.

For those guests that want more traditional fare,  Coconut Bay’s extravagant New Year’s Eve dining experience also includes a lavish seafood station featuring scallops, lobster, crab claws and crawfish, a Garden Market with soups, salads, fresh-baked bread and made-to-order Caesar salad, and much more. Desserts include a decadent Chocolate Buffet and delicious pastries from across the islands along with a flaming coffee station.  And it doesn’t end there, as the celebration continues into the night, a Midnight Buffet satiates guests’ late night cravings at the resort’s Peter John’s Lounge.

The New Year’s Eve celebrations are just part of the Coconut Bay all-inclusive dining experience. The resort features four restaurants and the Beach Grill serving Caribbean, Asian, Creole, Italian and American dishes while the Sugar Cane Rum Bar and Rum Tastings are the newest addition to the resorts all- inclusive premium liquors.