Welcome to another week in which I struggled to find enough dishes to make! Food from Saint Lucia is often similar to that in other nearby countries so it was hard to find anything unique. I didn’t receive help from Reddit as I had to request to post and was not approved. So, left to my own devices, I came up with the below dishes!
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean. It is said to be named after St. Lucy, by French sailors who were shipwrecked on the island on her feast day.
The first known inhabitants of Saint Lucia were the Arawaks, who were believed to come from South America. They settled on the island around 200-400 AD. In 800, the Kalinago (also known as Island Caribs) took control of the island.
The first European colonists to settle on the island were the French, who signed a treaty with the native Caribs in 1660. The English took over three years later, and the following years saw England and France constantly fighting over the island.
Finally, in 1814, shortly after their victory over Napoleon I, the British took complete control. In 1979, Saint Lucia became an independent state, though it remained part of the Commonwealth.
What Do People Eat in Saint Lucia?
Saint Lucian dishes make use of local fruits and vegetables, but they also show French, British, and East Indian influences.
As with all island countries, seafood is widely consumed. Some other popular ingredients include green figs (green bananas), avocados, root vegetables, cocoa, and breadfruit. Tropical fruits are often made into a variety of juices.
Common seasonings include garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, parsley, cloves, and allspice.
What I Made
- Green Figs and Saltfish (Green Plantains with Salted Cod)
- Bouyon (Meat, Bean, and Vegetable Soup with Dumplings)
- Chicken Roti (Roti Filled with Chicken Curry)
Scroll down to read about other popular Saint Lucian dishes I didn’t make!
Green Figs and Saltfish (Green Plantains with Salted Cod)
Green figs and saltfish is Saint Lucia’s national dish. The ‘green figs’ are actually small green bananas. I substituted with green plantain instead since I don’t like bananas; I’m not sure I can get the right type here either.
I salted some cod and left it in the fridge for a couple of days as my make-do saltfish. Then I simmered it until it was cooked through. I also started some salted water boiling for the plantain, which I boiled whole. I now wish I did not do this and you will see why!
I sautéed some onion in coconut oil, then added garlic, bell peppers, thyme, and parsley. After a few minutes, I stirred in the cod. I kept stirring, breaking up the fish, and then I added green onions just before serving. I added some pepper but it didn’t need more salt.
I served the saltfish with the plantain. I thought I’d given the plantain long enough to cook but I guess I didn’t, because when I sliced it, I thought it looked underdone, and when I tried eating it, I knew it was. So I pan-fried the slices after taking the photo. This probably got a result I prefer when eating plantains anyway!
This was alright; I’m sure it’s better made with real saltfish and with green figs if you’re a person who likes bananas.
The recipe I used is from Another Rum Punch.
Bouyon (Meat, Bean, and Vegetable Soup with Dumplings)
Bouyon is a popular dish in a few Caribbean countries; it’s a flavorful stew featuring meat (any kind), beans, and vegetables (root vegetables are most common).
I intended to use pork shoulder for this, but the pork I defrosted was actually ground pork (I should probably label my freezer bags more clearly). So I just went with it! I started by browning the pork and set it aside.
Next, I cooked some butternut squash in oil with curry powder. I added carrots, then onion, garlic, and chili (I used a serrano).
At this point, I poured in chicken stock and returned the pork to the pot, along with red beans, which I had cooked separately.
Meanwhile, I prepared my dumpling mixture out of flour, herbs (I used parsley and cilantro), salt, pepper, and water. I also included baking powder so they wouldn’t be too dense, though this wasn’t in the recipe. I added the dumplings to the pot and cooked until they were done.
Finally, I poured in some coconut milk and added spinach, cilantro, and parsley. After another couple of minutes, the bouyon was ready.
I really liked this; the flavor was amazing! The dumplings were still a bit on the dense side but that can be fixed with more baking powder if I were to make this again.
This recipe is from Lucian Accent on YouTube.
Chicken Roti (Roti Filled with Chicken Curry)
Roti are popular all across the Caribbean, as a side dish to a stew or curry or as a wrap like this chicken roti. I actually cheated here and did not make roti, though I have made them a few times now. I used tortillas instead, which are functionally the same.
For my chicken curry, I began by sautéing onion in oil. I added garlic, curry powder, and chopped chicken thighs (instead of the chicken breast the recipe called for), and after a few minutes, I added bell peppers and carrot. I added chicken stock, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and cooked until the potatoes were tender.
I had too much liquid here; I had to add more than the recipe called for to cover the potatoes so I guess that was it. I didn’t have time to reduce further so my curry was a little more liquidy than it should have been. However, it still tasted good! I stirred in some fresh parsley, and used the curry as a filling for my tortillas.
This was good, though it’s hard to go wrong with a simple dish like this!
The recipe I used for this is from 196 Flavors.
Other Popular Saint Lucian Dishes
- Saint Lucian black cake – a fruit cake soaked in rum.
Final Thoughts
I feel like there have been a lot of difficult weeks recently and this was one of them. I wish I’d been able to make more dishes. The bouyon was definitely my favorite.
Next time, I will be cooking food from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Saint Lucian food blends Caribbean flavors with history, culture, and tradition