It's February, and many of us wish we could be whisked on a tropical getaway to a faraway beach where mermaids bring us silver platters of frozen rum drinks and fan us with giant palm fronds.Unfortunately, that dream won't come true for all of us. But Fuck, That's Delicious host Action Bronson recently visited beautiful Jamaica to attend the inaugural NyamJam festival and feast on the best local offerings. The mangos were succulent. The weed was potent. And the food was damn good.
Advertisement
Thankfully, although you might not have the freedom or the dough to jet-set to the Golden Eye resort this weekend, you can replicate the island's greatest eats at home.
Action's favorite dish from his visit was probably this succulent sandwich from pitmaster Gariel Ferguson. Succulent chicken is smoked with tons of spices and crushed pimento leaves over a super-hot grill, imbuing it with jerk flavor, and is served with a pickled onion and carrot slaw in doughy coco bread. Action claims he could "eat 55,000 of them," but feel free to adjust that serving size to suit your own needs.
Looking for something spicy but refreshing to serve alongside your hunk of jerk meat? Try this Caribbean pumpkin slaw, a.k.a. "calabaza slaw," devised byThe James Beard Award-nominated Puerto Rican chef Jose Enrique of El Blok. Calabaza pumpkin's tender texture pairs perfectly with a Scotch bonnet pepper and saffron vinaigrette, roasted red peppers, garlic confit, and a topping of freshly grated Parmesan and prosciutto.
RECIPE: Caribbean Pumpkin Slaw
Sometimes known as the "Michael Chiarello of Jamaica," Pierluigi Ricci is the chef at Toscanini, a restaurant known for blending the flavors of Parma, Italy, and Jamaica onto one happy plate. Chiarello created this signature seafood dish for NyamJam: a sugarcane-skewered grilled shrimp with a spicy orange marinade.
Jamaican food means condiments, condiments, and more condiments. Belcour Preserves' spicy sauces are both sweet and savory, and jazz up anything and everything on your plate. This crispy salt cod fritters are just begging to be dipped in their honey jerk sauce.
And there you go: a Jamaican vacation that might not give you a tan, but will definitely fill your belly.