We skillfully hand mix this traditional Caribbean spice blend from toasted onion, garlic, salt, cumin, Mexican oregano, black pepper and chiles. This Caribbean Style blend has very little heat, about a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10, but lots of zip.

Black Bean Soup

The foundation ingredients are the black beans, the smoked ham hock, the onions, and the spices. But even the ham hock you could substitute with some good bacon. Starting out with dry beans means that you can cook them (after a good soaking) for a long time with the smokey ham, allowing the flavor to really infuse the beans.

Coo-Coo

This surprisingly tasty no-bake side dish is a popular Carribean classic that accompanies boiled, steamed or panfried fish. Can also be made without okra. From Essence Great Cooking.

Conch Chowder

Conchs are quite popular in South Florida, as most there come from the Bahamas, were they are plentiful. If you cannot get frozen conchs, chopped clams may be substituted. If using chopped clams, add them at the last moment to keep them tender