PREPARATION TIME: 10mins.
COOKING TIME: 15mins.
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS: Vegan Chickpea Steaks

15 oz (425 g) cooked chickpeas
4 oz (120 g) carrot, finely chopped
2 oz (60 g) onion, finely chopped
2 oz (60 g) celery, finely chopped
1 oz (30 g) Antiguan thyme leaves
6 roasted garlic cloves, crushed
1 oz (30 g) seasoning pepper, chopped with seeds
2 oz (60 g) breadcrumbs (white or wheat)
Oil for frying
Salt and white pepper to taste

INGREDIENTS: Grilled Vegetables

4 oz (120 g) carrot, sliced
4 oz (120 g) eggplant (aubergine), sliced
4 oz (120 g) red bell pepper, sliced
4 oz (120 g) yellow bell pepper, sliced
4 oz (120 g) green bell pepper, sliced
Olive oil to grill
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

4 leek leaves, blanched and refreshed in cold water
1 plantain, thinly sliced length ways and deep fried

METHOD: Vegan Chickpea Steaks

Pre-cook chickpeas or drain from can. In a saucepan sauté the chopped carrots, onion and celery. Combine the carrot mixture and chickpeas and purée together in a food processor. In a mixing bowl combine the chickpea mixture with the thyme, roasted garlic, seasoning pepper, breadcrumbs (or couscous) and knead until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mold 4 chickpea steaks in a #60 size (4-4 1⁄2 inches) cutting ring and refrigerate to set for 2 hours. Remove from the fridge and fry in a lightly oiled skillet until evenly browned on both sides.

METHOD: Grilled Vegetables

Brush the sliced vegetables lightly with olive oil and grill on a medium grill until al dente. When cool enough to handle julienne all vegetables and season to taste. Set aside.

To Serve:

Spoon the grilled vegetables on to each serving plate. Top with a chickpea steak. Wrap a blanched leek leaf around it. Finally garnish each steak with 2 fried plantain strips.

Chef’s Note:

For this dish, steamed couscous maybe used as an alternative to the breadcrumbs

PREPARATION TIME: 20mins.

COOKING TIME: 30mins. SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS: Seafood Water

4 ripe Tommy Atkins mangoes
1 large onion, diced
1 large red onion, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 oz (110 g) red snapper fillet
1 cup shrimp shells from peeled shrimp
4 tbsp turmeric
Pat of butter
18 scallops
3 dozen local cockles or green shell mussels
2 tbsp cilantro (coriander), chopped
1 tsp thyme, chopped
18 large shrimp, peeled, tail-on
18 calamari (squid) rings

INGREDIENTS: Pepper Sticks

2 cups (240 g) flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) grated Parmesan
1⁄4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
4 tbsp ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup (60 ml) water
Salt to taste

METHOD: Mango Seafood Water

Wash and peel the mangoes and roughly cut the flesh off the seeds. Place in a large saucepan with skin and seeds. Cover with water and add diced onion, celery, snapper fillet, shrimp shells and turmeric. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. Cool slightly and remove mango seeds and skin, leaving the cooked mango and all other ingredients. Pour into a blender with a pat of butter. Blend until smooth and strain liquid through a fine sieve. In a large saucepan, add the mango liquid to the scallops, cockles/green shell muscles, shrimp and calamari. Add the cilantro and thyme. Simmer until shells are open and seafood is cooked. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

METHOD: Pepper Sticks

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, Parmesan, oil and black pepper and make a well in centre of the mixture. Add water and knead into a firm dough. Roll out the dough and cut into strips. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven until golden brown.

To Serve

Spoon the seafood water into large bowls and serve with pepper sticks.