To Trinidadian Chicken and Rice, add this spiced slaw from Caribbean Potluck (Kyle Books, May 2014) by Two Sisters and a Meal Suzanne Rousseau and Michelle Rousseau and you have the foundation of an island themed dinner.

Creole-Spiced Slaw

We made this dish for a fabulous island-themed rehearsal dinner that we catered in the Hamptons for our great friend, television personality Robyn Moreno. None of the guests was from the
Caribbean, although we did have a few Tejanos and they simply loved the island flava! This cool
summer slaw is spicy-sweet perfection with any kind of barbeque—from burgers to ribs to chicken.

Enjoy!

Serves 6

For the Sweet and Spicy Jerked Cashews

1 and 1⁄4 cups raw cashews
2 teaspoons jerk sauce
sea salt
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar

For the Coconut Sesame Dressing

juice of 6 limes (about 6 tablespoons)
1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner part only, smashed and finely chopped
1 stalk scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons honey, preferably Jamaican
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1⁄4 teaspoon minced Scotch bonnet
1⁄4 cup canned coconut milk
6 ounces white cabbage, thinly shredded (2 to 3 cups)
6 ounces red cabbage, thinly shredded (2 to 3 cups)
1⁄2 medium red pepper, cut into matchsticks
1⁄2 medium yellow pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 red chile pepper, seeded and finely sliced into strips
1⁄2 red onion, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup thinly sliced strips fresh pineapple
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into thin strips
1 medium ripe papaya, peeled and cut into thin strips
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
toasted grated coconut (optional)

Method

1. To make the sweet and spicy jerked cashews, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, toss the cashews with the jerk sauce and a little salt. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast until golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and let melt; when it begins to caramelize, add the roasted cashews and toss to coat well. Spread the cashews out onto a
baking sheet lined with waxed paper to cool. Roughly chop.

3. To make the coconut sesame dressing, in a blender, combine all of the ingredients and whizz together. Season with salt and pepper.

4. In a large bowl, combine both cabbages, all the peppers, the red onion, pineapple, mango and papaya. Season with salt and pepper.

(* Recipe excerpted from Caribbean Potluck by Suzanne Rousseau and Michelle Rousseau -Kyle Books, May 2014- Photography by Ellen Silverman- all rights reserved)