A Cayman delight

Gem here. As so much is imported onto our tiny islands, when there is something locally grown and/or made it is a real treasure. When Nat lived in Cayman she actually spotted this winner and since then it is a staple in my pantry- Hot Cayman Gourmet Pepper Jelly. I guess in Australia we would compare it to a chili jam.

It is a sumptuous blend of spicy, sweet and tangy made using locally grown scotch bonnet peppers and what Caymanians called 'seasoning peppers' plus four other locally grown species of West Indian peppers and sweet peppers (among other secret ingredients). Scotch bonnet peppers are synonymous with Caribbean cooking and look a lot like a mini capsicum but pack a lot of heat. Pepper Jelly is made by a one woman weekend operation which started out as a hobby for an avid gardener and is now a highly demanded product with residents and tourists alike. Despite its popularity, to maintain quality and that good old homemade taste only roughly 36 jars per week are made without a preservative or dye in sight.


Scotch Bonnet peppers

Now to the most important part....Pepper Jelly is best eaten with cheese and crackers in fact goats cheese and a generous dollop is a match made in heaven. But Pepper Jelly's uses span only your imagination; ham glaze, basting for ribs and other roasting meats or add to sandwiches, stirfrys, pizzas and burgers. To make your salads dance- whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, grainy mustard and Pepper Jelly until emulsified for a spiced-up vinaigrette.

This week I chose to use it for a glaze for fresh Salmon = SUNSHINE!!

LIME & PEPPER JELLY SALMON

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 lime zested and juiced

2.5 tablespoons 'Hot Cayman Gourmet Pepper Jelly'

2 tablespoons butter melted

Fresh cilantro/coriander chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Salmon fillets

Method

1. Mix ingredients until well combined. Add S&P to taste.
2. Save 1/4 of glaze and set aside for a dipping sauce.
3. Season both sides of salmon fillets with S&P.
4. Brush salmon with generous amount of glaze. Can then marinate in fridge for 30mins if wish.
5. Pan fry or BBQ salmon until cooked to your liking. Brush with glaze as cooking.
6. Serve salmon with remaining glaze (that had been set aside) poured over the fish or on side as dipping sauce.

I made roast vegetable and fresh mint wholewheat couscous to accompany my Lime and Pepper Jelly Salmon.

On the label for Pepper Jelly it says "Shelf Life: Don't know- never lasts long enough to expire!". What's not to love about this Cayman delight.