HAITIAN LEGUME RECIPES

Steps:

• Wash beef with lime juice, & salt; allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
• Rinse with cold water.
• Make a paste from green pepper, green onions, parsley, garlic and vinegar; rub it on meat and let marinate for about 30 minutes.
• Brown beef in small amount of oil.
• Add tomato paste, seasonings and water to cover the beef.
• Add chopped green bell pepper and place on top of the beef while it is cooking.
• Let the beef cook until tender, continually adding tomato paste mixture as needed, so beef does not burn or dry out.
• After meat is tender, bring a large pot with a medium amount of water to a boil and start placing in the vegetables.
• First, add the cabbage and eggplant, next add the lima beans and green beans. Add the carrots, and chayottes - allow to steam until somewhat tender, then add spinach and watercress.
• Pour some oil over the vegetables, add the butter and 1 Maggi cube - continue to let steam till tender.
• Once tender, add the vegetables to beef mixture and stir everything together.
• Let cook for another 10-20 minutes.
• Taste, adjust seasonings.
• If necessary, add another Maggi cube.
• Taste again, and adjust all the seasonings.
• This also goes very well with white rice and black beans or kidney beans, that have been cooked down and blended in a blender to make sauce pois(bean sauce).
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Clean the crabs. You may follow these instructions http://www.bluecrab.info/cbyc.html or use your own technics to clean the crabs. Also remove the tips of the legs. Rinse the crabs in water and vinegar or lemon juice with water. Add to a large bowl and marinate with lime juice, sour orange juice, black pepper, salt, garlic, and hot pepper.
• In a large pot over medium heat, bring water to a boil and add eggplant cubes. Cook until soft. Remove from water and mash with a masher or a fork. Reserve 1 - 2 cups of eggplant water.
• In a large pan, heat oil, add tomato paste and mix with oil. Add onions and fry for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and mix well with onions mixture. Add peppers, carrot and bouquet garni and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes. Add mashed eggplant and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Add crabs, stir to mix and cook uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes stirring occasionally. Additional salt and pepper to taste.