guide to Caribbean cuisine

a taste of the
CARIBBEAN
c a r i b b e a n
D R I N K S
1 oz melon liqueur
4 oz orange juice
1.5 oz rum
1 oz strawberry nectar
Serves 1
Different variations of this
cocktail can be found throughout
eastern Mexico. Make it with the
listed ingredients, or try replacing
the strawberry nectar with
grenadine syrup. You can also add
orange flavored vodka instead
of orange juice if you want a
stronger drink.
RIVIERA MAYA COCKTAIL
Mix the rum and strawberry nectar together in a separate glass or jug.
Fill a glass with ice cubes and pour the melon liqueur over the ice cubes. Once
the melon liqueur has reached the bottom of the glass, gently pour in the orange
juice so that it stays on top of the melon liqueur. Once this has settled on top,
carefully pour in the strawberry and rum mix so that it floats on top.
Garnish with a slice of orange.
riviera maya
east mexico
hard rock riviera maya
2 limes
2 tbsp coarse sugar
Two 20 oz jars mango chunks
Ice, for blending
1.5 cups tequila
1.5 cups triple sec
0.5 cups granulated sugar
Serves 8
Tequila is immensely popular in
Puerto Vallarta. Locals drink it
straight, but tequila is also used
in cocktails such as Margaritas. Try
your next margarita with another
Mexican favorite, the mango. Be
careful: this fruity drink may look
like a slushy, but it packs a heavy
punch.
MANGO MARGARITAS
Begin by zesting the limes. Pour the coarse sugar over the lime zest and toss
with your fingers to combine. Set aside.
Drain the mango chunks and throw them into the blender. Top off the blender
with ice. Pour the tequila and triple sec. Add the granulated sugar and squeeze
in the juice of the limes. Blend until completely smooth, adding more ice if
necessary to get the consistency you want.
Use a piece of one of the limes to moisten the rim of the glasses. Dip the rims
of the glasses in the lime sugar. Pour the drinks and serve them immediately.
puerto vallarta
west mexico
dreams puerto vallarta
2 oz light rum
Juice of 0.5 limes
Cola
Cuba Libre means “Free Cuba”.
This drink was made popular
throughout Latin America at the
end of the Spanish American War.
It’s similar to Rum & Coke, but the
addition of lime juice gives this
mix its own identity. A Mexican
“Cuba” replaces the lime juice
with lime flavored soda.
Serves 1
CUBA LIBRE
Squeeze the juice of half a lime into a glass.
Add ice cubes to the glass.
Pour the rum into the glass. Top it off with cola.
Stir well before drinking.
honduras
central america
media luna
1 cup milk
1 cup evaporated milk
0.75 cup rum or more, to taste
3 large egg yolks
0.5 cup sugar
0.25 teaspoon cinnamon
2 whole cloves
Serves 4
Rompope (a fancy Spanish word
for eggnog) has its roots in Spain,
but it’s common of Latin American
Christmas celebrations. In Costa
Rica, the dairy-based drink is also
made to celebrate other major
events throughout different times
of the year.
ROMPOPE
Mix milk and evaporated milk in a bowl. Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl to
blend. Gradually whisk in milk mixture.
Place mixture in a saucepan. Using a wooden spatula, stir over low heat until
bubbles subside and mixture thickens slightly (about 12 minutes). Do not boil.
Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Blend rum (if desired) into eggnog. Ladle into
glasses. Serve cold.
Optionally, sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg and coconut.
costa rica
central america
los suenos marriott
1 oz coconut rum
2 oz coconut water
2 tsp lime juice
Crushed ice
Lime wedge
Serves 1
In Panama, you can calm your
thirst by sipping on the chilled
water of a young coconut, which
you can buy at corner stores. If
you want to add some kick to your
refreshment, try adding a bit of
vodka or rum into your coconut
water. There’s no better way to
beat the Caribbean heat.
SPIKED COCONUT WATER
Pour the rum in the glass.
Add the lime juice and coconut water to the rum.
Top the drink off by adding crushed ice.
Garnish with a lime wedge. Stir and enjoy.
panama
central america
westin playa bonita
1.5 oz dark rum
2 oz seasonal juices (passionfruit,
orange, pineapple, etc.)
0.5 oz lime juice
0.25 oz simple syrup
Ice cubes
Serves 1
Sometimes credited to South
Carolina, the Planter’s Punch
actually originated in Jamaica, the
famous producer of rum. It first
appeared in The New York Times
in 1908, but appears to have been
around at least 30 years before
that. This drink has inspired
numerous poems, too!
PLANTER’S PUNCH
Shake the dark rum, juices, and syrup in a shaker with ice.
Strain the mixture into an ice-filled glass.
Garnish with seasonal fruits.
jamaica
greater antilles
sandals montego bay
2 oz mamajuana
1 oz white rum
0.5 oz vodka
0.5 lime cut into wedges
10 mint leaves
3 oz club soda
0.5 tsp sugar
Serves 1
Mamajuana is moonshine of
the Dominican Republic. There’s
no right way to make it as long
as a combination of the key
ingredients (twigs, bark, herbs,
rum, red wine, and honey) are
used. You can make it yourself or
buy it made. Enjoy it straight or in
a mixed drink.
MAMAJUANA MOJITO
Add limes, mint, then sugar in a highball glass.
Crush with a wooden spoon.
Pour in the mamajuana, rum, and vodka. Stir well.
Add ice, then complete with club soda.
dominican republic
greater antilles
dreams la romana
1.5 oz light or gold rum
2 oz coconut milk
2 oz pineapple juice
1 cup crushed ice
Serves 1
There are multiple claims of
inventing the piña colada, which
means “strained pineapple”.
Regardless of who or where it
was invented, the drink is said to
be “Puerto Rico in a glass” and
was named the island’s national
drink in 1978. Try it with cream of
coconut or coconut milk.
PIÑA COLADA
For a cocktail, add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and
strain into a Hurricane glass filled with fresh ice.
Or you can blend all the ingredients until smooth, and pour into a collins glass.
Garnish with a cherry and a pineapple wedge.
puerto rico
greater antilles
st. regis bahia
1 oz malibu
0.75 oz creme de cacao white
0.5 oz coconut cream
0.25 - 0.5 oz vanilla ice cream
1 cup crushed ice
Serves 1
Sand In Your Shorts is a drink
made exclusively at the Bucuti &
Tara Beach Resorts. Legend has it
a guest, with a bit of sand on him
or her, asked the bartender to use
her creativity to come up with
a new drink recipe. The result:
Aruba’s signature drink.
SAND IN YOUR SHORTS
Add all ingredients in a blender and blend.
For best results, use a high-grade blender.
Garnish with a cherry.
aruba
lesser antilles
occidental grand aruba
1 oz white rum
1 oz curacao liqueur
1.75 oz lime juice
1 oz sugar syrup
Ice
The Spanish brought their
oranges to Curacao in the 1500s,
but the weather was too much
for the sweet fruit. The forgotten
oranges evolved into something
unique -but inedible- to the
island. Eventually, their peels were
used to make the famous liqueur.
Blue color optional!
Serves 1
BLUE PASSION
Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice.
Shake well and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice.
Garnish with a pineapple and serve.
curacao
lesser antilles
avila hotel
0.5 fl oz rum
0.5 fl oz coconut-flavored rum
0.5 fl oz grenadine syrup
1 fl oz orange juice
1 fl oz pineapple juice
1 cup crushed ice
Serves 1
The exact origin of the Bahama
Mama is a mystery, but its sweet,
fruity taste is no secret to beach
goers around the world. Some
people say it came from Jamaica,
while most believe that the drink
started in the Bahamas. Many
variations exist, but all call for a
lot rum and a lot of fruit juice.
BAHAMA MAMA
Combine regular rum, rum with coconut flavoring, grenadine syrup, orange juice,
pineapple juice and crushed ice in an electric blender.
Blend until the drink’s consistency is slushy.
Serve and enjoy.
bahamas
lucayan archipelago
melia nassau
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
2 oz simple syrup
3 oz rum
4 oz water
3 dashes of bitters
Serves 1
Punch comes from the Indian
word for five (“panch”). It refers to
the number of ingredients used
to make this drink. The poem for
rum punch goes: one of sour, two
of sweet, three of strong and four
of weak, a dash of bitters and
a sprinkle of spice, serves well
chilled with plenty of ice.
BAJAN PUNCH
Squeeze some limes to get one ounce of juice; fresh lime juice is imperative.
Make two ounces of simple syrup by dissolving cane sugar in heated water (1
to 1 ratio).
Combine the lime juice, simple syrup and rum. Add water and mix well.
Refrigerate overnight. When serving, pour punch into tall glass with plenty of ice.
Add three dashes of bitters and enjoy.
barbados
lesser antilles
coconut court beach hotel
c a r i b b e a n
C O O K I NG
2 tablespoons corn oil
4 corn tortillas
2 ripe plantains
1 cup refried black beans
4 eggs
1 cup salsa ranchera
0.5 cup ham (cut into small pieces and
warmed)
0.5 cup peas (warmed)
0.5 cup queso fresco
Serves 2
A close cousin to huevos rancheros, huevos
motuleños is another popular Mexican egg
and tortilla-based breakfast dish. You can
get most of the ingredients pre-made from
the grocery store if you don’t want to spend
too much time cooking, or you can make
everything from scratch for a more authentic
flavor.
You can also try a Dzotobichay on your next
trip to the Riviera Maya. This appetizer is the
Mayan version of the tamal.
HUEVOS MOTULEÑOS
Heat the oil in a pan.
Fry the tortillas in the oil until lightly golden brown on both sides and set aside to drain on paper towels.
Fry the plantains in the oil until lightly golden brown on both sides and set aside to drain on paper towels.
Place 2 tortillas on each plate and top each with 0.25 cups of beans.
Fry the eggs sunny side up and place on top of the beans.
Top the eggs with 0.25 cups of salsa ranchera each.
Sprinkle the ham, peas and cheese evenly over each plate.
Serve with the fried plantains on the side.
riviera maya
east mexico
secrets silversands
4 cups water
5 whole ripe tomatoes
2 medium red onions, divided
6 cloves garlic
14 oz canned chipotle
24 oz ketchup
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp canola oil
2 lbs shrimp, shelled and deveined
0.5 tsp garlic salt
Serves 4 to 8
Camarones a la Diabla is a popular dish on
both coasts of Mexico. This dish takes shrimp
and adds a very Mexican twist to it, spicy
salsa. Don’t worry though; the level of spice
is up to you! If you want your shrimp as hot
as the sun, add in some chile de arbol. If not,
canned chipotle or dried guajillos will do the
trick. Either way, you’ll enjoy one of the best
shrimp dishes that Mexico has to offer.
The fun part about this dish is having to suck
the sauce from each individual shrimp!
CAMARONES A LA DIABLA
For the sauce:
Put the water, tomatoes, half of an onion, and garlic cloves in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat and let sit to cool for 2 minutes.
Pour into a blender and add the chipotle, ketchup and salt. Blend for approximately 30 seconds.
For the shrimp:
Slice the remaining 1.5 red onions. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions
and saute until golden brown. Stir in the shrimp and garlic salt and cook for 2 minutes. Pour sauce over
shrimp and let simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve over rice, if desired.
puerto vallarta
west mexico
zoetry casa del mar
1 lb shrimp, cleaned and peeled
Juice of 4 lemons
Salt and pepper
0.25 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beat
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup vegetable oil
Serves 4
Central America is known for its tropical fruit
and seafood. Why not combine both?
Camarones con Coco, which means “shrimp
with coconut”, combines two Central
American staples to make one delicious dish.
The main ingredients are shrimp and coconut,
but some like to add their own twist to the
recipe. Try adding beer to the lime juice mix!
To heighten your Caribbean experience, cover
the shrimp in a mango sauce.
CAMARONES CON COCO
Place the shrimp in a bowl and season them with the lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover and let marinate
inside a refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Pass the shrimp through the flour, then dip them in the egg and cover them with shredded coconut.
Fry the coconut-covered shrimp in a pan with hot vegetable oil until they begin to gain a brown color
(about 3 minutes).
Place the shrimp on a plate. Spread them out and cover with your favorite sauce.
honduras
central america
media luna
2 tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked white rice
2 cups cooked black beans, drain and rinse
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
0.5 tsp ground ginger
2-3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
Serves 6
Gallo Pinto translates to “spotted rooster”.
This dish is eaten regularly by Costa Ricans,
but don’t be misled by the name. There’s no
meat used in Gallo Pinto, the name comes
from the spotted look of the white rice and
black beans mixture.
Nicaraguans and Costa Ricans argue about
the origins of Gallo Pinto, but no one knows
for sure where this dish was first cooked.
Some even say that Gallo Pinto was brought
to Latin America by African immigrants.
GALLO PINTO
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until it begins to soften and change color.
Add garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until onion is golden. Add spices and Worcestershire sauce,
and stir into onion and garlic.
Next, add the beans and then the rice. Combine the rice and beans evenly and cook until mixture is heated
through. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Garnish with some chopped cilantro or green onions if you prefer.
Vegetarians have the option of using vegetarian Worcestershire sauce.
costa rica
central america
cala luna boutique hotel
24 corn cobs
1 lb pork
Sugar cane leaves and thread (for wrapping)
1 tomato
4 large peppers
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can tomato sauce
3 gallons of water (approx.)
Salt and pepper
Serves 6 to 8
Although traditionally a breakfast food, bollos
are so good they’re eaten with just about any
meal of the day. Like many traditional foods,
each family has their own variation on the
recipe. Bollos Preñados (“pregnant buns”),
similar to tamales, are enhanced with meat,
vegetables, or cheese.
To skip making the corn mix from scratch,
buy a masa mix (for tamales) and follow the
instructions on the packaging. You can also
replace the pork with your favorite meat!
BOLLOS PREÑADOS
The corn cobs are totally covered with water and placed in a heavy steel pot. Cook them until the kernels
are soft but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and grind the maize with a meat grinder. Add salt
to the ground up maize and knead until the dough is smooth enough to form balls. If the corn is too fresh,
add some sugar to the mixture and let it sit for a bit.
Cook the pork using the tomato, peppers, garlic, vegetable oil, and tomato sauce. Make sure all the
condiments are ground. Cook until the pork softens and the sauce begins to dry.
Place some mixture on the center of a corn husk wrapper. Place some of the cooked pork on top of the
mixture and then cover the pork with more corn mixture. Wrap the mixture with the corn husk wrapper.
Make sure you to tie the wrapper so that nothing will spill.
Place the wrapped corn husks in boiling water with salt and cook for 40 minutes. Let cool before opening.
The size of each wrap should be small enough to fit in the wrappers without spilling.
panama
central america
intercontinental playa bonita
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 medium scallions, chopped
2 scotch bonnet chiles, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp five-spice powder
1 tbsp allspice berries, coarsely ground
1 tbsp coarsely ground pepper
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
0.5 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Two 3.5 to 4 lb chickens, quartered
Jerk Chicken’s history starts over 2000
years ago when Arawak Indians left South
America and settled Jamaica. Their cooking
techniques, including smoking meat for
preserving, were adopted by escaped slaves
called Maroons in the 1700s.
Today, their combination of spices are
commonly referred to as Jamaican Jerk.
Serves 8
JERK CHICKEN
In a food processor, combine the onion, scallions, chiles, garlic, five-spice powder, allspice, pepper, thyme,
nutmeg and salt; process to a coarse paste. With the machine on, add the soy sauce and oil in a steady
stream.
Pour the marinade into a large, shallow dish, add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate
overnight. Bring the chicken to room temperature before proceeding.
Light a grill. Grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, until well browned and cooked
through, 35 to 40 minutes. (Cover the grill for a smokier flavor.)
Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve.
jamaica
greater antilles
sunset beach resort
2-3 cups of red kidney beans
1 red onion, finely chopped
0.5 red onion
5 cloves of garlic
0.5 tsp of coriander
2 tbsp of tomato paste
2 cups of chicken stock
Salt & pepper to taste
Dry oregano
Adobo seasoning
Worscestershire sauce
Handful of parsley
1 lb beef top round steak
Available at just about every restaurant, La
Bandera is a dish of beans, rice, meat, fried
plantains, and a simple salad.
Everyone has their own variation, so cooks
can put their own style on their version.
Meaning “the flag”, la bandera becomes the
favorite dish of many Dominicans from a very
early age.
Serves 2 to 4
LA BANDERA
Beef Marinade:
Wash the beef and place it in a large bowl. Add 2 cloves of chopped garlic, half an onion, and parsley. Add
a teaspoon of ground pepper. Season with a few sprinkles of adobo powder (about 1/2 tablespoon). Add
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Heat up a skillet on med-high heat and add the steaks. Turn them so they cook on both sides and cover
them. After 10 minutes the meat should be mostly cooked. Remove the steaks and place them on a plate.
Red beans:
Start by caramelizing the chopped onion over medium heat in a little oil. Add 3 cloves of garlic and
coriander and saute for a couple minutes before adding other ingredients. Stew the beans for 20-25
minutes; use a potato masher to turn parts of them into a paste while they’re simmering. Keep them
simmering until they reach a nice creamy consistency.
dominican republic
greater antilles
be live grand punta cana
3 green plantains
1 tsp salt
0.5 lb crisp fried pork rinds
4 cups water
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp olive oil
Optional: fried bacon, lard or vegetable oil
Serves 2
Mofongo began as a dish in Western and
Central Africa, then survived the move to the
new world.
The classic Puerto Rican dish is a variant
of “fufu,” a popular Cuban dish. Mofongo
represents the African and Caribbean fusion
of cultures, and is popular at all festivals and
feasts in Puerto Rico.
MOFONGO
Peel plantains. Cut into one inch slices. Soak for 15 minutes in salt and water. Drain well.
Heat fat or oil (350 degrees if you are using a deep fryer). Add plantain slices and fry for 15 minutes but do
not brown. Drain on paper towel.
In a mortar (for pounding), crush garlic cloves and sprinkle with salt, add olive oil and keep pounding.
Crush a portion of the fried plantains slices and the pork. Add some of the garlic and olive oil mixture and
keep pounding.
Spoon the mixture and shape into two inch balls. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you use all the ingredients.
Place in oven pan and keep warm until you are ready to serve.
Suggestions: Prepare chicken broth and pour over mofongo, so it will be juicy.
puerto rico
greater antilles
caribe hilton san juan
3 lbs squid, cleaned and cut into bits
0.33 cup olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
0.25 cup dry white wine
1 cup dry Sherry
Juice of half lemon
0.25 tsp chopped fresh lemon peel
1 tbsp fresh oregano
0.25 tsp crushed red pepper, or taste
Serves 2 to 4
Your Aruban Carnival celebration isn’t
complete without a heaping portion of
Carnival Calamari, a dish dedicated to the
greatest Aruban celebration.
The major holiday, a festival filled with
costumes and dancing, is the perfect
backdrop for the little fried delicacies born
out of a cuisine fusing African, Spanish, and
many other flavors.
CARNIVAL CALAMARI
In large skillet heat oil over high heat. Do not allow to smoke. Add garlic and saute, stirring. Add wine,
Sherry, lemon juice, lemon peel and stir.
Sprinkle basil and oregano over and stir again. Add calamari. Saute, stirring occasionally for about 4
minutes over high heat. Do not overcook.
Pour your favorite tomato-based sauce over the calamari and serve.
aruba
lesser antilles
radisson aruba resort
2 sliced onions
1 garlic clove
1 chopped green pepper
1 small Edam cheese (2 to 2.5 lbs)
2 lbs shredded cooked chicken
3 tomatoes, chopped and peeled
0.25 cup sliced olives
1 tbsp capers
1 tbsp parsley
0.25 minced hot pepper
0.5 cup raisins and chopped prunes
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp butter
5 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
The translation of the name, “stuffed cheese,”
is enough to make your mouth water.
Developed in humble beginnings by slaves
in the Dutch colony during the 17th century,
Keshi Yena (kay-shee yay-nuh) has found its
way to even the most high-scale restaurants.
It’s a perfect taste of history and can even be
considered Curacao’s national dish.
Serves 10
KESHI YENA
Slice the top off the cheese and reserve. Gently scoop out the inside, leaving a 0.25 to 0.5 inch shell. The
cheese should resemble a hollowed out pumpkin. Sauté the remaining ingredients, except the eggs, in the
butter; simmer for about 20 minutes. Beat 4 eggs and stir into the mixture. Spoon it into the cheese shell,
replace the top and spread remaining beaten egg on top to seal.
Grease a shallow baking dish and fill it with about 1 inch of water; set the cheese in the dish and bake at
350° F for 1 to 1.5 hours. The cheese will expand and flatten slightly but will keep its basic shape. Serve
piping hot, cut into wedges.
curacao
lesser antilles
curacao marriott
1 quart oil for frying
0.75 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
0.5 cup milk
1 cup chopped conch meat
0.5 onion, chopped
0.5 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt, cayenne pepper, pepper, seasoned salt
Serves 8
These little appetizers pack a lot of flavor
in a fairly simple recipe. The exact recipe
changes from island to island, but the
Bahamian way, where conch is the country’s
main dish, is widely considered the original.
These fritters are great as appetizers, finger
food, or hors d’oeuvres.
If you don’t have access to conch, replace it
with your favorite seafood. The results will be
equally as delicious.
CONCH FRITTERS
Heat the oil in a large pot or deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
In a bowl, mix the flour, egg, and milk. Season with cayenne pepper, seasoned salt, salt, and pepper. Mix in
the conch meat, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic.
Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
bahamas
lucayan archipelago
grand lucayan
1 lb macaroni
1 green sweet pepper, chopped
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp french’s mustard
Fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp bajan seasoning (see below)
16 oz grated cheddar cheese
Macaroni pie may not sound like a Barbadian
dish, but there are a few special ingredients
that make it one of the island’s best foods.
The side dish often appears with beef stew,
fish, and many other meat entrees. Pick it up
at any buffet or street vendor for your next
Sunday lunch!
Serves 2 to 4
BAJAN MACARONI PIE
For the Bajan seasoning:
Chop and finely mash black pepper, garlic, onion, clove, thyme, green onions, parsley, hot pepper and paprika
letting all the juices mix together. Use a fork to mash the seasoning.
For the macaroni:
Cook and drain macaroni (do not overcook). Transfer to a large bowl, and add in remaining ingredients
(including 12 oz cheese). Mix everything together with a spoon. Place macaroni into a pyrex dish using the
4 oz grated cheese on top as a crust.
Place in oven at 350°F degrees. Pie is finished when the top cheese starts to look slightly brown.
barbados
lesser antilles
colony club hotel