Belize inspired Valentine’s Day menu

• Appetizer: Garnaches
• Main Dish: Escabeche & Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce
• Side Dish: Coconut White Rice
• Sauce: Hot Pepper Onion Sauce
• Dessert: Banana Flambe

After all these years I am not expecting a night out for Valentine’s Day. However I may be inspired to create a fab menu at home. The above menu is beautiful and perfect for a romantic evening at home. You can set the mood and feel like you are on a vacation in a tropical destination. Just what we need with all this snow and cold.

Escabeche
INGREDIENTS
4 pounds chicken, cut into serving sizes
6 to 8 cups water
6 garlic cloves, crushed
8 dried oregano leaves
2 teaspoons salt
2 escabeche peppers or
3 canned jalapeño peppers
1 tablespoon red recado (see below)
2 pounds onion, sliced
½ cup vinegar
¼ cup olive oil, optional
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Place chicken and place in a stockpot with water, garlic, oregano, salt and escabeche or jalapeno peppers. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook until tender. Remove chicken and drain. Reserve broth and escabeche peppers. Dissolve red recado in a little vinegar, enough to make a paste and rub on chicken. Put chicken on a broiler tray and broil in oven until golden brown, set aside.
Bring reserved broth to a boil, add onions and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add vinegar, stir and drizzle olive oil. Sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with corn tortillas or over yellow rice

RED RECADO PASTE
5 tablespoons annatto seeds
6 to 7 allspice seeds
¼ teaspoon whole cloves
¼ cup sour orange
¼ cup vinegar
DIRECTIONS
Grind annatto seeds, allspice seeds and whole cloves to a powder. Combine annatto powder with sour orange and ¼ cup of vinegar and process to a paste. May add more sour orange and vinegar if necessary to achieve a thick paste. Store in refrigerator.

YELLOW RICE INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt, to taste
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cumin
DIRECTIONS
Sauté onions and garlic in oil until golden brown. Add rice, broth, salt, turmeric and cumin.
Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 2 minutes. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for approximately 8 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed. Reduce to low heat. Sprinkle with ¼ cup water, cover and cook another 10 minutes until rice is tender.

Recipe and pictures provided by Flavors of Belize