Situated in the Caribbean Sea, located south of Cuba and west of Hispaniola you will find the lovely island of Jamaica. Jamaica not only boasts to be a fabulous place to vacation but it also happens to have wonderful food. Not only is the food delicious but it is also a healthy cuisine. Mostly made from unprocessed foods, Jamaican cuisine also uses much smaller portions of meats, and utilizes an abundance of fish, beans, vegetables and a wide variety of spices and seasonings. It actually is an eclectic mix of the best that African, European, Indian and Chinese cuisines have to offer.

Probably the most common Jamaican seasoning is jerk seasoning. Jerk is a seasoning that imparts a spicy, complex flavor to meats and vegetables. Jerk is usually a combination of hot peppers, spices and fruit. The combination creates an exciting layering of hot, aromatic and sweet flavors that are spectacular on chicken and pork. Jerk seasoning is also naturally gluten-free. This month we have several delicious jerk recipes that your whole family can enjoy. Keep in mind that Caribbean food is generally pretty hot, but you can tone it down by controlling the amount of peppers you add to the recipe. Serve your Caribbean meal with a cool glass of Chenin Blanc. The fruitiness will offset the heat of the peppers.

Jamaican Jerk Burgers

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
• 1 Tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles (in adobo sauce)*
• 1 bunch green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet chile (or if you want to tone down the heat 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed)
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup gf soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 red onion, sliced thin
• 3 large tomatoes, sliced
• Mixed greens
• Cilantro for garnish

*Make sure to read the label and verify with the manufacturer that the adobo sauce is gluten-free.

Make an orange-chipotle mayonnaise:

Mix the mayonnaise, orange juice concentrate and chipotle chiles together in a small bowl. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Make the Jerk sauce:

Place the green onions, thyme, cilantro, scotch bonnet chile and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the sugar, vegetable oil, gf soy sauce and all spice. Process until almost smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Remove 3/4 cup of the jerk sauce and set aside. Shape the beef into 6 patties. Place the patties into a glass baking dish and pour 1/2 cup of the jerk sauce over the patties. Turn to coat. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the grill. Remove the hamburger patties from the jerk sauce and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the burgers about 3-4 minutes per side or until the reach the desired doneness.

To serve, arrange the mixed greens on 8 plates. Top with the burger. Spread the orange-chipotle mayonnaise generously over the top of the burger. Top with a slice of tomato and a slice of red onion. Garnish with cilantro. Serve.

Grilled Jerk Pork with Tomato-Peach Relish

Ingredients:

• 4 peaches
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• Zest from 1/2 lime
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 Tablespoon lime juice, or more to taste
• 3 green onions (white and pale green parts only), trimmed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds and stem removed, minced
• 2 pork tenderloins

Cut an "x" in the bottom of the peaches and the Roma tomatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the peaches and tomatoes and let them blanch in the boiling water for about 10 seconds. Transfer the peaches and tomatoes to a bowl of ice water. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel the peaches and tomatoes, then half the peaches and pit. Cut the peaches into a 1 inch dice. Coarsely chop tomatoes.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 3 quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the peaches and tomatoes along with any accumulated juices, sugar, lime zest, orange zest and lime juice. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens but the peaches still hold their shape, about 8 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and lime juice. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Meanwhile place the green onions, thyme, salt, freshly ground black pepper, allspice, lime juice, molasses, ginger and jalapeno in a food processor. Process until smooth. Place the pork tenderloins in a large zip-lock bag and pour the jerk sauce over the top. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Place the pork in the refrigerator and chill for 8 hours. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Prepare the grill. Remove pork from the marinade. Brush the pork tenderloins lightly with oil and place on the grill. Grill over medium flame for 15-25 minutes, turning occasionally, or until a meat thermometer registers 145°F.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve pork with tomato-peach relish.

Caribbean Rice with Kidney Beans

Makes 4-6 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large shallots, minced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, stemmed and minced
• 1-1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 14-ounce can of unsweetened, light coconut milk
• 2/3 cup water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and jalapeno pepper and cook, stirring frequently until barely softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice. Add the coconut milk, water and salt and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in the beans, cover and simmer over low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the heat and fluff rice with a fork. Adjust seasonings, if necessary, with salt. Cover the saucepan and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

More great Jamaican inspired recipes on Glutenfreeda.com:

Grilled Fruit Kebabs

Jamaican Ginger Bread

Johnnycakes

Island Banana Bread

Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Chutney

Caribbean Fish Fillets

Jamaican Rice & Beans

Caribbean Risotto

Grilled Fruit Kebabs

Summer Coleslaw

Enjoy!

-Glutenfreeda