These are just as tasty as they sound, if not more so! I was inspired to make these by the request to make something with a nod to the Caribbean. I have still not had the privilege of visiting myself, but I’ve probably eaten my body weight in Caribbean food over the years, and it was exciting to try my hand at recreating some of those flavours. The must-have ingredients here are the pimento all spice and the fresh spring onions (scallions) which bring that comforting and familiar authenticity. I absolutely loved how these turned out, and so did my guests.

 

Ingredients

1 kg chicken breast, finely diced

5 spring onions, chopped

5 sprigs fresh thyme, 

2 tsp ground pimento all spice

1 tsp minced garlic

A good splash soy sauce (about 1 tbsp)

3 tbsp olive oil

 1 scotch bonnet pepper

A squeeze of lime

2 baguettes

400g grated cheese (I mixed 200g cheddar with 200g mozzarella) 

1 cup or 250 ml of tomato sauce such as passata or pizza sauce

Parsley

Salt and black pepper to taste

 

Method

1. Heat up the oil in a pan, and add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and pimento.
2. Add the scotch bonnet, fresh thyme, garlic, and soy sauce.
3. Add the spring onions, and allow to cook on a moderate heat, stirring constantly, almost like a stir fry. 
4. When the chicken is done, finish it off with a squeeze of lime and then turn off the heat. Set aside.
5. Cut the baguette into about 4 equal sections. Cut each section down the middle length ways, and then cut each of those halves across into 3 – 4 pieces to make the toastie slices. If you don’t have baguette, you can use any other thick or crusty bread.
6. Using a spoon, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce onto the face of each toastie. Top with some of the jerk chicken mix, and the finish off with the cheese. 
7. Sprinkle some parsley on, and then bake in the oven at 180*C for 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Serve hot!

 

 

This recipe is from Season 1 Episode 8 of Minjiba Entertains, commissioned by The Africa Channel and showing on RealTime DSTV Channel 155, Emirates in-Flight Entertainment, Amazon Prime, and Demand Africa.