Week 33 - Jerk jackfruit, rice & peas, plantain and a mango salsa

Pulled jackfruit in a rich, tangy jerk sauce served with rice and peas alongside fried plantain and a mango salsa. Wonderful Jamaican weather not included.

Basic ingredients (4 people)

2 red onions

1 ripe mango (or a tin if you can't find ripe)

2-3 nice tomatoes

Bunch spring onions

1 lime

1 plantain (yellowy, not green)

400g tin of jackfruit in brine (not in syrup)

1 tin coconut milk

1 tin of black-eyed peas/kidney beans/black beans (your choice)

2 handfuls frozen peas

Jerk seasoning

300g rice

Herbs and spices: Fresh/jar garlic (3 cloves), chilli, small bunch fresh parsley and fresh coriander

Luxury ingredients (optional)

1 red/yellow pepper

Cucumber

Jalapeños (fresh/jarred)

Selection of our Jamaican-inspired feast prepared by the foodies in this week's class

Note: Traditionally, 'rice and peas' is made with kidney beans but here we used green peas for a different texture and colour, and added the 'peas' (aka beans) in with the jackfruit.

PREP

Drain and rinse your beans and jackfruit (in the same sieve is fine as they go in together) · defrost your peas · heat a pan on medium heat with 2 glugs of olive oil

Jerk jackfruit

While your pan is heating, chop 1.5 red onions and 3/4 of the red pepper (if using). Cook on medium heat for 5 mins while you get your garlic (3 cloves) minced, your fresh chillis chopped (optional) and roughly chop your fresh tomatoes.

When your onion and pepper is soft, add your garlic and chill, stir for 30 seconds, then 2tsp of your jerk seasoning. Stir for 1 minute to let flavours infuse. Add in the fresh tomatoes, stir, then your beans and jackfruit. Finally, add in the coconut milk (whole tin).

Cover and simmer with the lid off a little bit for around 20 mins.

Put your rice on now to cook and when it is nearly done, add your peas to warm through.

You might wish to prep your garnish for the rice, too - a big handful of chopped fresh parsley and 1-2 chopped spring onions, stir through just before serving.

Mango salsa

A nice simple, colourful, vitamin-rich sunshine salsa!

Start by finely chopping the remaining half a red onion and cover with the juice of half a lime.

On top add:

• Chopped mango

• 1/4 red pepper, chopped (optional)

• Fresh coriander, chopped (small handful)

• Jalapeños (if using), chopped

Just before serving, mix everything together

Fried plantain

Skin your plantain which should be yellow not green! Slice on an angle about 2mm thick and cook in a little olive oil in a hot frying pan, flipping regularly for a golden brown.

Not like these that I burnt because I got distracted (and tried to cover up with a parsley and lime garnish).

GARNISH

While your plantain is frying, check your jerk sauce for balance. Add salt, sugar, more jerk seasoning, lime juice or tomato puree to make all the flavour harmonious (depends on what you like and what you need more of).

Join us for a future Tuesday cooking class or view all past recipes Tag us on Instagram if you use any of these recipes and we'll add you to our story! @cookwithkelly