Recipes Packed With Caribbean Flavor

Caught in the chilly clutches of winter, The Saturday Early Show thought this would be the right time to turn to Cuisine of the Sun.

It's chef Cindy Hutson's own version of Island cooking, which she has introduced in five successful restaurants across the country. Huston is best known for her Miami restaurant "Ortanique," which also has branches in Las Vegas and Washington.

FOOD FACTS

Ortanique: A citrus fruit that is a combination of an orange and a tangerine; first developed in Jamaica.

Lavender: Yes, you can eat dried lavender. It's used to flavor both savory and sweet dishes. When buying, make sure to look for culinary lavender; don't buy it from a crafts store.

Bouillon: Any broth made by cooking vegetables, poultry, meat or fish in water. The liquid that is strained off after cooking is the bouillon, which can form the base for soups and sauces.

(Jamaican) Jerk Seasoning/Paste: Primarily used in preparing grilled meat, Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is generally a combination of chili, thyme, spices, garlic, and onions. Jerk seasoning can be rubbed directly onto meat or blended with a liquid to create a marinade.

RECIPES

Florida Sun Salad
Ingredients:
1 dead of romaine, torn
2 cups of spinach
1 endive head
1 large ruby red grapefruit
1 navel orange
1 firm ripe mango
Lavender Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Method:
1. Peel the citrus with a sharp paring knife, removing the pith. Segment the fruit and set aside.
2. Tear the romaine and place in a large bowl. Add the spinach, salt, pepper and citrus. Toss with lavender vinaigrette.
3. Peel the mango and slice into thin wedges.
4. Peel apart the endive and divide the leaves evenly among four plates. Place some of the mango in each of the endive leaves. Artistically, place a handful of the salad at the base of the endive leaves. Serve chilled.

Lavender vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (or, if your budget allows, champagne vinegar)
2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
3/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 grinds of a pepper mill

Method:
1. Whisk together the honey and the vinegar in a stainless bowl.
2. Place the lavender in a spice grinder and pulverize to a powder.
3. Add the lavender to the bowl, along with the salt and pepper. Whisk rapidly, dissolving the salt.
4. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking rapidly. Taste for salt content. Refrigerate until needed.

Rasta Pasta
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienne
1 chicken bouillon cube (such as Knorr Swiss)
1/2 cup basil, chiffonade
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, julienne
1 lb boneless breast of chicken, cut in strips
8 oz. penne pasta, cooked al dente
1 tablespoon salted butter
1/4 cup jerk paste (such as Busha Browne)
1/4 cup teriyaki

Method:
1.Mix the teriyaki and jerk paste together and marinate the chicken strips for one hour.
2. Cook the pasta as directed for al dente. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Heat a large skillet and add the butter. Then add the marinated chicken. Saut? for about 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and shiitake mushrooms. Crumble the bouillon cube into the cream and add this mixture to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, reducing until sauce is thickened.
5. Combine the chicken mixture and the cooked pasta. Add in the scallion and basil to finish. Divide into four bowls.

Banana fritters with vanilla cream
For the batter. Yield: 1 quart
Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup beer (light beer, such as Corona)
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:
1. Combine all of the dry ingredients. Add the egg yolks.
2. Whip the egg whites until stiff.
3. Add the beer to the flour mixture, then fold in the egg whites and melted butter. Let batter sit for 30 minutes before using.

For the bananas:
Ingredients:
4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise and then in half horizontally
1/2 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup sugar, granulated
2 tablespoons cinnamon, ground
8 oz. heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:
1. Heat oil. Place a cube of bread in the oil; when it turns a golden brown, you'll know the oil is hot enough to fry your fritters.
2. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and reserve to coat fritters.
3. Combine bananas, 1/2 cup sugar and rum. Dip macerated bananas in batter and place in hot oil, cooking until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
4. Remove fritters and place on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
5. While still hot, coat bananas with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Serve with vanilla cream.

To prepare cream:
1.Whip heavy cream in a cold stainless steel bowl, adding sugar and vanilla.