Trinidad Butter Bread

Keeping theme with yesterday here is a next Trinidad recipe. Trini butter bread is one of those recipes right up there with Trinidad Hops Bread, its a favorite with the Caribbean massive. Trini butter bread is a dense, filling bread with the taste of butter baked right in. At my local Trinidadian bakery by me this bread always sells out! Butter bread is a favorite of mine and I use to regularly buy a loaf from said bakery but I decided it was time that I try to make my own. While searching online I realized there was no real recipe for Trinidad butter bread. I decided that once the experiment was successful I would be able to put it on a platform to share with Trini's and non-Trini's across the globe. My sister gave me some tips she found out on how to make the bread and I also enlisted the help of my mom...yes there was a three man team to bake two loaves of bread...don't judge me.
My mom and I tried the recipe completely from scratch, we just started scooping flour an prayed for success. I have to note that Trinidad butter bread isn't baked in loaf pans but on a flat baking sheet, so once you use parchment paper there really isn't any clean up. This bread came out better than what I am used to buying and I am so excited to share the recipe with you all...hopefully this bread will become a staple in your home adding a lil' Trini flavor to your baking repertoire.

Trinidad Butter Bread

makes 2 loaves

8cups flour

2 1/2 tbsp instant yeast

1tbsp salt

4tbsp granulated sugar

1/2cup + 2tbsp vegetable shortening

1 cup warm whole milk

1 cup warm water

4 tbsp melted butter

- Combine all ingredient except butter in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook and knead until a soft, smooth ball is formed.

- If you don't have a stand mixer melt shortening in small bowl in the microwave. Add sugar, milk, and water to shortening along with yeast. *Take care that the liquid mixture isn't too hot or it will kill the yeast, it should just be warm to the touch. Place flour and salt in a large bowl and combine. Form a well in the center and add in liquid mixture. Knead by hand until you form a smooth ball.

- After kneading shape into a ball and place in a large bowl, cover with plastic, and let rise 1 hour.

- After one hour punch down the dough,divide into two equal pieces, and roll into two flat circles.

- Brush each circle with 1tbsp melted butter.

My mom is working hard!

- Roll each circle into a flat cylinder shaped loaf and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.

Ignore my oven thermometer...its seen better days lol!

- Let Loaves rise for 30 minutes. During the last 15 minutes light the oven to 350 degrees.

- Before placing loaves in the oven brush each loaf with 1tbsp melted butter.

- Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. If loaves are browning to quick lower oven to 300 degrees and bake for the remainder of time.

- Remove loaves from oven and brush each loaf with 1tbsp butter each.

- Cool and eat.

The Best Trinidad Bake and Saltfish

I was tempted to bite in before the picture!

Bake and saltfish along with doubles has got to be the quintessential Trinidadian breakfast, it is something that contains just a few ingredients but its just delightful and filling. Bake isn't actually baked its a type of fried dough usually made into a disc shape. Saltfish is salted cod that is boiled until most of the salt is removed, then is sauteed with different aromatics. Now that we have the descriptions out the way let me tell you that there are two types of fried bake that I have come across. There is the light bake that has the little pocket inside perfect for savory fillings and then the heavier thicker version which can fill your belly through a long days work. I'm partial to the first version but my mom likes the latter and that's the kind she likes to make. Since she likes the heavier version I had to experiment on my own and learn to make the light version with the coveted pocket in the center. Something this simple was no easy task for me, try after try I just wasn't getting what I wanted. All the recipes online were either to heavy and greasy or just did not resemble anything close to a fry bake...this was frustrating!! Just when I was getting ready to quit success came in the form of a golden, crispy, light fry bake! Now that I have the fry bake down I can go ahead getting my saltfish together, now saltfish I can make with my eyes closed! When I got my saltfish and this new bake together it was heaven. I just know I had to post this recipe and share it with the world.

Saltfish

1lb salted cod

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 pimento peppers, chopped

3 tbsp oil

1 small tomato chopped (optional)

black pepper or Trinidad Pepper Sauce to taste

- Boil codfish until salt level is tolerable to your taste, drain and set to the side.

- In saute pan heat oil over medium/high heat.

- When oil is hot add in onions, garlic, peppers, and saltfish. Saute together for 5 minutes.

- Add in tomato if using, black pepper/pepper sauce, and saute for 1 more minute.

- Turn off stove and place saltfish to the side.

Fried Bake

makes 6 

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tbsp baking powder

 1/8 tsp or a pinch instant yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp shortening

1 cup ice water

frying oil

- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.

- Rub in shortening to flour with your fingers or a pastry blender if you have one on hand.

- Add in water and knead until a soft ball is formed. 

- Cover with a cloth and let dough rest for 15 minutes

- After 15 minutes re-knead quickly and let the dough rest for an additional 15 minutes.

- While dough is resting fill a frying pan with oil and let it heat to 300 degrees.  

- Cut dough into 6 pieces and form into little balls.

- Dust each piece of dough in flour and use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a flat circle about 1/4 inch thick.

- Fry each piece of dough until golden on each side. Take care not to constantly flip the dough. Let it cook on one side and then flip only once to cook the other side.

- Drain fried bakes on paper towel and cool for 2 minutes. 

- Cut and fill with the saltfish or any other filling of your choosing.

Trinidad Smoked Herring

Growing up in a half Trinidadian household I guess it would be considered weird that I actually never ate smoked herring until I was about 19 while on an extended vacation in Trinidad. My mom says she never cooked to many her traditional dishes because she wasn't sure if we would like it, she pretty much stuck to the traditional Sunday lunch and roti. When I was staying in Trinidad for 6 months with my aunt she introduced me to this wonderful dish. Many Trinidadians consider smoked herring, saltfish, dhal, and the like to be "poor people" food...but many of the most satisfying dishes in the world come out of impoverished situations. In the US collard greens, chitterlings, and ham hocks were weeds and entrails given to the slaves to eat and now its considered a southern delicacy. Anyway back to the smoked herring...so my aunt use to always offer me smoked herring while I stayed with them but it was unfamiliar to me and I wasn't brave enough to try it. One Sunday after she cooked it she insisted that I try it so I finally took a spoonful and guess what...I LOVED IT! It was like a spicy, fishy stew, And I took a plate to eat immediately. Before I left Trinidad to come back home to NY, my aunt made sure to teach me how to make it and even gave me some of her special ingredients to bring back home. I can definitely say this is now one of my favorite dishes, and I try to enjoy it at regular intervals throughout the year. I really need to thank my aunt and cousins for encouraging me to taste so many good things and teaching me to cook numerous Trinidadian dishes during my stay. Here is the recipe for Trinidad style smoked herring. Smoked herring should be available at Asian or other ethnic markets in your area that may stock Caribbean foods. One ingredient I use is called "rookoo", it is the red coloring that comes from boiling fresh annatto seed. Some Trinidadians are not familiar with rookoo and to my knowledge it is not something that is mass produced to export so you may have to go without it unless you can make your own, but don't worry it wont change the taste of the dish if you don't have it.

Trinidad Smoked Herring

makes 4 servings

2lbs smoked herring

1 medium to large onion, cut medium dice

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 hot pepper, seeds removed, and minced

2 tomato's, cut to large  dice

3 tbsp rookoo, if using

- remove smoke herring from package and soak for 45 minutes in boiling water

- while fish is soaking begin to prepare your other ingredients.

- drain smoked herring and search through smoked herring for excess bones and remove ( you will not get all the bones out, but they are small an thin enough to swallow)

- in frying pan put two tbsp of oil or any fat you prefer

- when oil becomes very hot throw in onion, garlic, and pepper. Saute for one minute

- Add in smoked herrings pieces and saute for 3-5 minutes till onions become translucent

- add in tomatoes and rookoo if using, continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes.

- All finished, enjoy with dhal and rice or just rice alone.

** if the smoked herring is too hot a little brown sugar added in will help cool the fire.