Martinique Cuisine

Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It is an overseas département (département d'outre-mer, or DOM) of France. Like the other DOMs, Martinique is also one of the 26 régions of France (as a région d'outre-mer), and an integral part of the Republic. As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union (EU), and the currency used is the euro.

With the exception of two short periods of British occupation, Martinique has followed the same course of history as France since 1635. Its administrative and political structures have been identical to those of the French Departments (states) since 1946, when it officially became a Department itself. It was granted the further status of Region in 1974. Fort-de-France is the administrative and commercial capital of the island.

Martinique lies in the heart of the Caribbean Archipelago and is one of the many islands which make up the group of lesser Antilles, or "Breezy Islands."

The waters lapping at its shores are those of the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Caribbean Sea to the west. The land rises gradually from the coast toward the center and northern parts of the island. It is in the north that we find the two peaks of the Carbet and Mont Pelée, a dormant volcano that is the highest mountain on the island at 4,586 ft. This part of Martinique is also a legendary tropical rain forest. In the center of the island, the Lamentin Plain, made up of small, rounded hills and enclosed valleys, slopes down toward the south. The Salines Beach at the southernmost tip of the island comes straight out of a beautiful postcard.

Martinique cuisine is a fusion of African and French and is certainly more international and sophisticated than that of its immediate island neighbors. The influx of young chefs, who favor a contemporary, less-caloric approach, has brought exciting innovations to the table. This haute nouvelle Creole cuisine also emphasizes local products, predominantly starchy tubers like malanga, plantains, white yams, and island sweet potatoes, and vegetables like breadfruit, yuca, christophene, and taro leaves.

Many Creole dishes have been Franco-fied, transformed into mousselines, terrines, and gratins, with creamy sauces. And then there's the bountiful harvest of the sea-lambi (conch), langouste (clawless Caribbean lobster), and dozens of species of fish predominate, but you can also see ouassous (freshwater crayfish, which are like jumbo prawns). Many restaurants offer a prix-fixe menu, sometimes with wine. Generally, cellars are filled with fine, French wines.

Some local Creole specialties are accras (cod or vegetable fritters), crabes farcis (stuffed land crab), and feroce (avocado stuffed with saltfish and farina). You can fire up fish and any other dish with a hit of hot chien (dog) sauce. Not to worry, it's made from onions, shallots, hot peppers, oil, and vinegar.

Martinique Cuisine

Stuffed Crabs and Gratin of Chayotes

2 cooked crabs

1 onion

½ glass of soft bread crumbled in some milk

Thyme, bay leaf, parsley, salt, chili (optional)

A few drops of lime

A little olive oil

Breadcrumbs

For Gratin of Chayotes:

2 chayotes

15 grams butter

1 glass of milk

2 tablespoon flour

1 glass of soft bread

Salt, pepper

Grated Gruyère (cheese)

1 garlic clove, chopped

Method

For Stuffed Crabs: Open the crabs, remove the inside and collect the meat caught in the cartilage.

In the olive oil, brown the minced onion, crab, herbs and the soaked bread. Then, add the salt and the lime. Stir over a low heat so as to dry up the mixture, which needs to be quite compact.

Pour the mixture in the crabs’ shells and sprinkle the breadcrumbs. Brown for a while in the oven.

For Gratin of Chayotes: Boil the chayotes for 20-25 minutes. Cut them lengthwise and remove the pulp with a small spoon, then crush it thoroughly with a fork (or in a mixer) along with the bread.

On the heat, mix the flour, butter and milk, then, add the pulp and the garlic. Leave to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Fill in the skin of the chayotes with this mixture; sprinkle the Gruyère and brown in the oven just before serving.

Cod Fritters

8 ounce flour

1 glass of water

1 pinch of baking soda

1 onion

Clove of garlic

5 chives

Thyme

Parsley

Half of one hot pepper

Salt

Pepper

4 ounce cod

2 eggs

1 drop of vinegar

Method

Place the cod into cold water for a few hours then make it boil for thirty minutes. Whisk the flour and add the water little by little, do not make it lumpy.

Let the cod cool, take the skin and the bones off, mince the cod thinly with the onion, the garlic, the chives, thyme, parsley and hot pepper.

Season this batter to your taste and add 2 egg yolks, the drop of vinegar and, just before cooking, the pinch of baking soda and the egg whites stiffly-beaten. Dip the batter in very hot oil for about 5 minutes in small quantities.

Chef’s Note: The batter can be prepared in advance but the baking soda and the egg whites will have to be blended just before cooking. The fritters will be better if you don’t put too much cod.