What Does Christmas in Haiti Look Like?

Pain Haïtien (Haitian Bread)

Ingredients

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1½ cups warm water
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 cups flour
• ¼ teaspoon instant coffee
• 2 Tablespoons milk

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Dissolve the yeast in a large bowl in warm water.
3. Stir in honey, oil, salt, nutmeg, and 2 cups of the flour.
4. Beat until very smooth, about 1 minute.
5. Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough.
6. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
7. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until about double in size, about 50 minutes. Punch down on dough.
8. Press in greased jelly roll plan (about 15x10x1-inch).
9. Cut dough into about 2½-inch squares with a sharp knife, cutting two-thirds of the way through the dough.
10. Cover and let rise until double in size, about 30 minutes.
11. Dissolve the instant coffee in the milk and brush over the dough.
12. Bake until the bread is golden brown, about 35 minutes.
13. Break the bread into squares to serve.

Makes 2 dozen squares.

Pineapple Nog

Ingredients

• 1 can pineapple, crushed
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, plus additional for topping
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 cup milk

Procedure

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender and mix well.
2. Top the drink with additional nutmeg.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ti-Malice (Spicy Haitian Sauce)

Ingredients

• 10 large tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3 white onions, quartered
• 4 red hot peppers (jalapeños work well), seeded
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 2 cups malt vinegar

Procedure

1. Purée the tomatoes, onions, and peppers in a food processor.
2. Transfer to a large saucepan and add the brown sugar, salt, and malt vinegar.
3. Stir well to combine.
4. Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally.
6. Serve with any Haitian rice or meat dish.

Cornmeal Porridge

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 2 cups cornmeal
• 2 Tablespoons butter, margarine, canola oil, or olive oil

Procedure

1. Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add the salt, if desired.
2. Gradually stir in cornmeal with a whisk. Turn heat down to medium.
3. Stir briskly to get the lumps out, then cook for another 10 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently (add water if it becomes too thick).
4. Remove from heat and stir in butter or oil.
5. Serve immediately or pour into a square pan.
6. Let cool and cut into squares.

Serves 4 to 6.

Bannann Peze (Fried Plantains)

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 medium-sized green plantains, peeled and sliced

Procedure

1. In a heavy 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat.
2. Add as many plantain slices as you can without crowding the pan and brown for about 2 minutes on each side.
3. As they brown, transfer them to paper towels to drain.
4. On a board, using a spatula, press each slice flat and round, about ¼-inch thick and 2 inches in diameter.
5. Heat the oil and fry the rounds again for about 1 minute on each side.
6. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
7. Serves 4.

Riz et Pois Rouges (Rice and Red Beans)

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup rice, uncooked
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) kidney beans, drained
• ¼ pound ham, chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2½ cups boiling water

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet.
3. Cook and stir the onion, garlic, and green pepper until tender, about 3 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, combine and mix all the remaining ingredients.
5. Add the onion mixture to the bowl and stir well.
6. Pour entire mixture into an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish.
7. Cover and bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 55 minutes.
8. Stir before serving.

Makes 5 to 6 servings.

Riz Djon-Djon (Rice and Haitian Mushrooms)

Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain rice
• 1 cup Haitian black mushrooms (or dried, black European mushrooms)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• Salt, pepper, and thyme, to taste

Procedure

1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and soak them in a cup of hot water for 30 minutes.
2. Soak the heads in a separate cup of hot water.
3. Sauté the rice and garlic in butter, then add all the other ingredients, including the water used to soak the mushrooms (discard the mushroom stems, which are inedible).
4. Cook for 20 minutes and serve.

Serves 6.

Haitian Fruit Salad

Ingredients

• 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 3 bananas, sliced
• ½ cup melon balls
• ½ cup strawberries, sliced
• 4 slices pineapple, diced
• ½ cup raspberries
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts
• ¼ cup pineapple juice
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• Shredded coconut (optional)

Procedure

1. In a large bowl, combine oranges, bananas, melon balls, strawberries, pineapple, raspberries, and nuts.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the pineapple juice, lime juice, condensed milk, and beaten eggs.
3. Pour the juice mixture on top of the fruit.
4. Top with shredded coconut.

Serves 4