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Panama Caribbean Cuisine

Cooking and "Making Do" in Panama

A Tribute to the "Make-Doers" of the Criollos Generation!

Seafood 

Growing up in Panama there was plenty supply of fish in the seas and fish was eaten everywhere. Fishermen brought in shrimp, snapper, tuna and king fish daily. Us old timers (first born Afro-Panamanians tend to reminisce about the days when land crabs were plentiful, we never much talk about sea crabs because in the rainy season land crabs were so thick it was easy pickings. During "Tambrand Weeks" the "Make-Doers" could be creative and "Run down" below is one of those meal they would provide thier families.Its a staple among us even tday. 

Crab Cakes with Chili Salsa

 Broiled Fish with Orange Sauce

Shrimp Kabobs and Mango Salsa

Codfish and Green Banana

(Run Down)

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh, crab meat

4 scallions, finely chopped

1in piece fresh root ginger, grated

2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1-2 cups fresh bread crumbs

Oil, for frying

4 tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped

2 fresh red chilies, deseeded

and finely chopped

1 small red onion

Juice of 1 lime

3 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and sugar

 

Procedure:

To make chili salsa, in a bowl, combine tomatoes, chilies, onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt and sugar, to taste. Set aside. In a bowl, mix together crabmeat, scallions, ginger, cilantro, mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, and seasoning. Stir in enough bread crumbs to make a mixture that is firm enough to form patties, but is not too stiff. Chill for 30 minutes. Form crab mixture into 12 cakes. In a skillet, heat a shallow layer of oil and fry crab cakes, in batches if necessary, for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve with chilled chili salsa. Serve 4.

Note: Fresh crabmeat will have the  best flavor, but if it is not available, used frozen or canned crabmeat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

½ cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, mashed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

½ cup orange juice

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper

6 lean, firm-fleshed fish steaks,

about 1 inch thick

12 pitted ripe olives

 

Orange Sauce:

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 cup orange juice

½ cup white wine

1 small garlic clove, mashed

½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Peel of 1 orange, cut into thin strips

1 red bell pepper, peeled, cut into

tiny squares

6 large pitted ripe olives, cut into

tiny squares

 

Procedure:

Prepare a marinade by mixing oil,

garlic, parsley, orange juice, lemon

juice and black pepper in a small

bowl. Place fish steaks in a single

layer in a long pan and rub some of

marinade into them, then pour on

remaining liquid. Cover and refri-

gerate 2 hours, turning steak once.

Prepare sauce. Preheat broiler.

Remove fish steaks from marinade

and broil them under preheated

broiler, about 5 minutes on each

side. To serve, place steaks on

warmed dinner plate, pour some of sauce over each steak and garnish with 2 ripe olives. Make 6 servings.

 

Orange Sauce:

Melt 3 tablespoon of the butter

in a medium saucepan. Add

orange juice, wine, garlic, mustard and grated orange peel. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid to about 1/3 its original volume. Pour sauce through a strainer and return to pan. Bring to a simmer; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. At last minute before serving, add orange peel strips, bell pepper and olive squares to sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1 fresh red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 clove garlic, crushed

Juice of ½ lime

2 tablespoon oil

20 large, raw shrimp in shells, heads removed and deveined.

 

Mango Salsa:

1 mango peeled and diced

½ small onion, finely diced

1 fresh red chili,

deseeded and finely chopped

3 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Grated rind and juice of

1 lime

Salt and freshly ground  black pepper

 

Procedure:

In a bowl, mix together chile,

paprika, coriander, garlic, lime

juice, oil, and seasoning. Place

shrimp in dish. Add spice mix-

ture and mix to coat thoroughly

Cover and leave in a cool place

for 30 minutes. Preheat broiler.

Thread shrimp on to skewers and

broil, basting and turning frequently

for 6-8 minutes until pink. Serve

with mango sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 lbs codfish/macarel or other fatty fish

3 cups coconut milk

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves

1 hot pepper, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme

1 tablespoon vinegar

6 green bananas

 

Procedure: 

In a shallow bowl, pour lime juice over fish filets and set aside. Cook

coconut milk in a heavy large skillet until it appears oily, then add onion and garlic, the hot pepper, tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme and vinegar. Add fish fillets/cod, cover and cook over medium heat for

10 minutes.

 

Slice skin off green bananas and cut flesh in half and boil until tender, about 1/2 hour. Serve with fish fillet/cod. Serves 6 to 8.