Small Bowl of fresh Caribbean Grean Seasoning
(click to enlarge)

Caribbean Green Seasoning #1


Trinidad etc.
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 cups
**
1-1/5 hr
Yes		 An essential Caribbean seasoning - but there is simply no "right" recipe for this. It differs from island to island and from household to household. The recipe given here was compiled from a number of Trinidad sources.




5
5
6
6
1
1/4
1/3
1/3
1/2
1/2
2
opt
oz
oz
cl


c
c
c

t
T

Shallots
Onion
Garlic
Scallions
Celery stick (1)
Thyme
Parsley
Culantro (2)
Chili Habanero (3)
Salt
Vinegar
Other Herbs (4)

Note:   all herb measures are after chopping small and fairly firmly packed. Remove tough stems before chopping, but tender stem tips can be used. This recipe is very green - versions with a lot of onion will be less green. Commercially bottled versions will be much more liquid.

  1. Chop All Ingredients small (except salt and vinegar).
  2. Mix All Ingredients together and run in a food processor or blender until as smooth as you want it. Add a bit of water if you want it more liquid.
  3. Refrigerated this will keep for a week or so. For longer storage, freeze.
NOTES:
  1. Celery:   Use a medium size stick and include the leaves if at all possible.
  2. Culantro:   An herb related to Cilantro but not at all resembling it, having long, saw toothed leaves. The flavor is different, but in the same ballpark, so use Cilantro if you don't have it. Culantro is available in markets serving a Southeast Asian community, often labeled Ngo gai. It can also be found in some markets serving a Latino community. For details see our Culantro page.
  3. Chili Habanero:   Nobody here in California can tell the a Habanero from a Scotch Bonnet, and it doesn't matter anyway because only Orange Habaneros are much available. so use either. Recipes range from 1/4 of one chili to 4 or 5 whole ones. You probably want to be conservative on your first try - 1/2 chili makes this recipe quite noticeably hot, but you generally won't be using a lot of it in a recipe. Weaker chilis don't have the distinctive fruity flavor. For details see our Caribbean Chilis page.
  4. Other Herbs:   As mentioned above, there is no "right" recipe so use whatever herbs you want, including chives, sage, basil, tarragon (judiciously), etc.
  5. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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