Amerindians – The First Settlers – SXMCooks. A column that looks at St. Maarten’s food culture.
Our first Passionate Foodie looked at recipes that have their “roots” in the aboriginal inhabitants of our region including cassava and conkies. In this second instalment, we continue to discover the early influences on our modern culinary choices.
The first settlers were the Amerindians. A tribe of Arawak Indians left their homeland in the Orinoco basin of South America and migrated upwards along the chain of Caribbean islands. The Arawaks settled in this region about 550 BC where there were a few fresh water springs around Pic Paradis, Mt. William, Billy Folly, and in Terres Basses (Lowlands.) These springs could only support a small population.
The Amerindians were a relatively cultured and peaceful tribe; they introduced agriculture and pottery, and a well-structured social organization to the island. They were subjugated by the more aggressive (and apparently cannibalistic) tribe of Carib Indians. The Caribs came down from North America in the early 14th century. The entire Caribbean gets its name from the Carib Indians. The Spanish started settling in the Caribbean around 1493. Oualichi is the name that was given to the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin by its original Caribbean Indian settlers.
Sugar cane
It is thought that cane sugar was first used by man in Polynesia from where it spread to India. Emperor Darius invaded India in 510 BC. Darius found sugar cane and recorded it as “the reed which gives honey without bees.” Sugar cane found its way to the Caribbean with Columbus who planted the Caribbean’s first sugarcane in Haiti.
Lemons
1493 Columbus took citrus fruit to the West Indies.
Lemons are considered the most useful of all fruits and thought to have originated in northern India. Lemons were introduced into Assyria, where they were discovered by soldiers serving Alexander the Great, who took them back to Greece.
Spanish
Legend has it that in 1493, Christopher Columbus embarked on his second voyage to the New World. There is discrepancy in records as to just where Columbus sighted and perhaps anchored at the island of Saint Maarten, but popular belief is that it was on November 11, 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours. Columbus named the island San Martin. Today the island is divided into two countries and called Sint Maarten (Dutch) and Saint Martin (French).
St. Maarten celebrates its national day on November 11.
Spanish style chicken recipe – BBQ has always been a popular method of cooking. This Spanish style chicken makes a good main dish for most meals. The marriage of the irresistible flavours of chicken with other ingredients is the secret to this Spanish style chicken.
Ingredients
2TBL extra virgin olive oil
2TBL butter
1 large onion, chopped
½ LB mushrooms, sliced
2TBL flour
¾ cup dry white wine
¾ cup chicken stock
1½TBL freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp each dried thyme, salt, and pepper
½ cup raisins
2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned
½ tsp dried thyme
Extra virgin oil, for brushing chicken
Prepare wine sauce
Heat oil and butter in a saucepan
Sauté onion and mushrooms over medium heat, stirring occasionally
Stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes
Stir in white wine and chicken stock
Bring mixture to a boil
Simmer sauce, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens
Mix in lemon juice, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper and raisins
Simmer 5 minutes
Taste to adjust seasoning
Remove from heat, discard bay leaves, set aside and keep warm
Preheat grill
Cut chicken breasts in 1/2-inch strips
Stir thyme into olive oil
Brush chicken strips with flavoured oil
Grill chicken over medium-high heat about 3 minutes on each side, or until done to taste
Chicken is done when it is slightly firm to the touch and juices run clear if chicken is cut with a knife
Remove chicken to serving dish or individual plates
Drizzle sauce over chicken