From Sea Level – A Culinary Holiday – Lolalita’s Top 5 Favourite Gourmet Delights
As unique as each of us are in this world, it’s no wonder everyone has their own idea of vacation; especially in the Virgin Islands where entertainment and beauty flourish. For many, it’s all about relaxation – sunsets, long walks on the beach, or reading. Others seek adventure – scuba diving, kayaking, or sailing.
As contrasting as vacation ideals might be, it seems no one ever complains about good food in between whatever activities have been planned, or not planned, if that’s what you’re into.
Guests on Lolalita are rarely anything, but major ‘foodies,’ with a deep love and admiration for mouth-watering, gourmet foods. I have, over the years, grown to greatly appreciate those with adventurous palates that will let me take them on a culinary journey throughout their time on-board with us on Lolalita.
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Here are 5 of Lolalita’s most popular dishes (with a cocktail bonus): tried and true favourites, served throughout guests’ time onboard.
Crab Cakes with Habañero Remoulade Sauce
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2 lb fresh lump crab meat 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tbsp spicy brown mustard 1 tbsp favorite hot sauce 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 6 slices French bread, buttered, toasted to crispy texture, finely chopped in food processor 1 tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup shredded carrots 1/4 cup finely diced celery 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion 4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced 1/4 cup white wine Salt and pepper to taste Handful parsley, finely diced
4 green scallions, finely diced 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup ketchup 1 tsp habañero chilli powder Juice from 1/4 lemon
In a large mixing bowl, combine crab meat, mayonnaise, spicy brown mustard, hot sauce, lemon juice, and toasted French bread.
In a pan, sautée carrots, celery, onion, and garlic until celery is tender. Deglaze pan with white wine, cook down until wine is reduced. Add to crab mixture, as well as parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form individual crab cakes, about 1/3 cup each. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown.
In a small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, scallions, chilli powder, and lemon juice. Serve crab cakes with your favourite fresh pasta salad blend, topping with Habañero Remoulade sauce.
Madras Chicken Salad Pitas with Bleu Cheese Potato Salad
1 lb chicken, seasoned to taste, cooked, chopped, chilled 3 stalks celery, finely diced 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced 1 green apple, finely diced Handful fresh tarragon, finely diced 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup spicy brown mustard 1 healthy TBSP Madras curry powder Salt and pepper Hot sauce for more spice Fresh pita bread, cut in half, pocket opened Dried cranberries
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2 lb red potatoes, washed, diced into 1-inch pieces, boiled to fork-tender doneness, chilled 1 small yellow onion, finely diced 3 stalks celery, finely diced 4 scallion stalks, finely diced 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced Handful fresh dill, finely diced 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely diced 1/2 cup fried bacon, finely diced 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese (more if you love bleu cheese!) 1 cup puréed cottage cheese 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard 1 tbsp raw honey Salt and pepper Hot sauce for more spice
In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, celery, red onion, green apple, tarragon, mayonnaise, and spicy brown mustard. Add hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Add more mustard for a creamier texture if desired. Chill in refrigerator.
In another bowl, combine cooked potatoes, yellow onion, celery, scallions, red bell pepper, fresh dill, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, bleu cheese, puréed cottage cheese, spicy brown mustard, and honey. Season with salt and pepper and hot sauce to taste. For a creamier texture, add more puréed cottage cheese or spicy brown mustard.
Serve chicken salad in a fresh pita with dried cranberries, fresh lettuce and tomatoes, alongside the potato salad.
Caribbean Tom Kha Gai
1 tbsp coconut oil 30 oz Fresh coconut milk 20 oz Chicken stock 1 oz fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 4 cloves fresh garlic, smashed and roughly chopped 1 lime, cut in half, juiced 1 oz birds eye chilli peppers Heaping spoonful Red Thai curry paste 4 fresh stalks lemongrass 1 tbsp Turbinado sugar Sea salt 8 oz chicken breast, sliced 8 oz fresh white mushrooms, sliced 1 medium red onion, sliced into large pieces 4 green scallions, roughly chopped Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 4 oz fresh bean sprouts Chilli oil
In a large pot, combine coconut oil, coconut milk, chicken stock, ginger, garlic, lime juice and limes, birds eye chilli peppers, curry paste, and lemongrass. Bring to a boil and remove limes. Set on low heat and let ‘steep’ for 30 minutes. Strain liquids into a fresh pot. Add small amounts of Turbinado sugar and salt to taste. Add in chicken breast and mushrooms and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. 10 minutes before serving add in red onion and scallions. Garnish with cilantro, fresh bean sprouts, and chilli oil (for added spice and colour).
Cajun Mahi Mahi with Dirty Rice and Pineapple-Jalapeño Salsa
6-8 filets fresh Mahi Mahi Cajun seasoning Olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, finely diced 1 medium carrot, shredded 1 red bell pepper, diced 2 spicy andouille sausages, removed from casing 1 tsp cumin 1 tbsp hot sauce (or more!) 3.5 cups chicken stock 2 cups brown rice Salt and pepper 3 stalks scallions, chopped
1 fresh pineapple, cored, finely diced 2 shallots, finely diced 1 red jalapeño, finely diced 1 green jalapeños, finally diced Handful fresh cilantro, diced 1 tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp cream of coconut 1 tsp Red chili powder Salt and pepper
In a shallow pan, season the Mahi Mahi with Cajun seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil, let marinate.
In a large saucepan, sautée yellow onion, garlic, carrot, bell pepper, Andouille sausage, and cumin until sausage is fully cooked and broken up into little pieces. Add hot sauce, chicken stock, and brown rice. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and reduce heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for about 45 minutes or until fork-tender, stirring often. Toss in scallions. Set aside for serving.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pineapple, red onion, red bell pepper, fresh jalapeño, cilantro, olive oil, balsamic, cream of coconut, and red chilli powder. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir often to incorporate flavours.
Heat oven to 325°F. On a parchment-paper-lined cooking sheet, place Mahi Mahi. Bake for 20 minutes, or until meat is just cooked, and then broil for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.
On your desired plates, fill a plating ring with the Dirty Rice. Place Mahi Mahi next to rice and top fish with pineapple salsa. Garnish with a slice of lime and fresh cilantro.
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Flourless Cake with White Chocolate Ganache
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup butter 1 cup pumpkin purée 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp fresh-grated nutmeg 1/4 tsp clove 4 eggs, separated
8 oz white chocolate 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream 8 oz cream cheese 1/2 cup confectioners sugar 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Cocoa powder Fresh mint
In a double boiler, melt chocolate, brown sugar, and butter. In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and egg yolks. Slowly temper in melted chocolate mixture and whip until smooth. In a separate mixing bowl, whip egg whites to stiff peaks; fold lightly into chocolate-pumpkin mixture. Pour into spring form pan and bake at 325°F for 45 minutes in a water bath. Let cake cool to room temperature and then chill in a refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
In a double boiler, melt white chocolate and heavy whipping cream. In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla bean paste, then combine with melted white chocolate.
Slice cake into 8 equal pieces; dust plate with cocoa powder; place a heaping spoonful of white chocolate ganache on the plate’s edge and swipe to make an elongated garnish. Place cake in the middle of the plate and add a final garnish of fresh mint.
BONUS! 1-2-3-4 Lola Limón Pum Runch
1 oz fresh lime juice 2 oz mint-infused simple syrup (ingredients below) 3 oz dark rum 4 oz cucumber-infused water (ingredients below)
In a sauce pan, combine 1/4 cup turbinado sugar, 1 cup water, and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes until sugar is well-dissolved. Chill in refrigerator and strain out mint before using.
In a pitcher filled with fresh water, drop in sliced cucumbers, let steep and chill in refrigerator and strain out cucumbers before serving.
In a martini shaker, combine lime juice, mint-infused simple syrup, dark rum, and cucumber infused water. Shake with ice. Serve in rocks glasses filled with crushed ice, and garnish with a slice of lime and fresh mint.
Megan Schlobohm, Chef - SV Lolalita
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