Jamaica: Seafood

the appetizer:

The Tainos, the ancient people of Jamaica, preserved meat by mixing peppers, allspice and sea salt, a condiment now known as Jamaican jerk spice. Along with influences from British colonists, African immigrants and others, jerk is one of the focal points of modern Jamaican cuisine.

Jamaica

Seafood

Seafood is a natural Jamaican favorite. Lobster, the clawless variety which resembles a crayfish, is often curried or grilled with butter and garlic. In restaurants it can be expensive, up to US$20, but at beach kiosks it can be had for as little as US$5. Pepper shrimp, a tiny and spicy snack which is really a freshwater crayfish, is sold at roadside stands around the Middle Quarters area north of Black River in St. Elizabeth (J$100 a small bag). Another favorite is escoveitch fish, from the Spanish escabeche, meaning pickled. At kiosks, fish is often served with "festival," a deep-fried, sweet cornbread. Fish is also served "run down," or "run dun," a method of preparing it with coconut milk and spices.

Popular fish used for cooking include grouper, one of the more common catches; kingfish, a large, meaty fish; marlin, which produces thick steaks; mullet, a freshwater fish; parrot fish; and snapper, perhaps the most common found in restaurants.

Freshwater and ocean crabs are also used in dishes, as are conch and janga (small crayfish).