Good Food

What a Jerk!

Kane Reveals Radical Methods to Great Cuisine Exploration

In the August 2010 issue of Hills & Hamlets, our intrepid chef recalls his trip to the Pork Pit in Montego Bay, Jamaica to uncover the secrets of the island's unique flavors. Here is revealed, along with his Mango Chutney recipe, how and why he developed one method for great detective work.

I felt stale in the Italian kitchen. After ten years immersed in the same cuisine, I was ready for a change. The year was 1993, and brewpubs were the new trend. Brewpub cuisine, matching strongly flavored food to strongly flavored ales was the new trend, and I was ready. I had already immersed myself in Cajun cuisine, but the new fad was Jamaican jerk. Food magazines had touched on the food, but they had barely scratched the surface. Back then there were no cookbooks covering it, so the only alternative available to me was simply to book a flight to Jamaica, and explore the cuisine directly.

Many people have asked me how I learned to cook. Herewith is one example: go to a great restaurant, sit at the bar, send beers into the kitchen, wait for a cook to appear, inquiring “Who is sending beers into the kitchen?” At that point, identify yourself as a chef from a community outside their area, not in competition with them, and you wish to learn from them how they make such good food. Within minutes you find yourself in the kitchen viewing their best secrets. These chefs cannot wait to tell you how they make magic. This has worked every time I tried it.

Mango Chutney
(1 QT)
The mango chutney is easy to assemble and keeps for weeks in the fridge, and is the perfect complement to the pork.

Ingredients

½ (one half) cup golden raisins
½ (one half) cup dark rum
½ (one half) cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sweet onion, minced
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp dry jerk seasoning
Juice and zest of one lime
1 ea. mango, peeled and diced
1-2 habanero peppers, seeded and minced
1 tsp Lea & Perrins (Worcestershire)
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Dispense to clean jar. Keeps refrigerated for one month.