Classic summer Cup Match dishes with a twist

Cup Match is about celebrating Emancipation Day, cricket, family, friends and fun. 

Food is also an integral part of the holiday festivities. 

Peas and rice, mac n cheese, potatoe salad and fried chicken — it is all an essential part of the mix.

This year we decided to ask Bermudian chef Keith DeShields for a different take on some Cup Match classics. The executive chef at Cambridge Beaches returned to the island in 2010 after 12 years working in Germany with some of the world’s most celebrated chefs.

When he returned he told the Bermuda Sun that he intended to bring Bermudian food up on a par with the rest of the world.  

He is one of the few Bermudian executive chefs on the island and so who better to ask about a great Bermuda tradition?

Here were his Cup Match suggestions... 

Jerk chicken with spicy pineapple coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cabbage chopped finely or grated

• 1/2 sweet pineapple grated

• 3 tbs finely chopped Bermuda onion

• 2 breasts grilled Jerk Rubbed Chicken Breast

• 1/2 cup mayo

• some granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup special cooking cream

• juice from 2 & 1/2 fresh lemons

• 1 & 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

• 2 tbls chili powder

Directions:

• Mix sugar, vinegar, cream mayo and lemon juice in a bowl and mix until the sugar has dissolved.

• Put cabbage, onion and pineapple to the coleslaw dressing and mix well, season with salt and pepper.

• Add the chili powder put as much or as little as you wish (less if you like it lightly spicy or more if really hot).

Studded potato salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups potatos (peeled, cubed and cooked)

• 1 small finely chopped onion

• 1 small finely diced bell pepper

• 2 hard-boiled eggs, diced

• 1 cup mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp. yellow mustard

• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

• After cooking allow potatoes to cool.

• Combine potatoes and all ingredients, do not over-mix.

Refrigerate for several hours ahead of serving time.

• It is recommended to serve this dish at room temperatures so that it is not too cold. This means you will enjoy all the flavours within  the dish.

Mango BBQ Pork Ribs 

• 3lb pork ribs

• 2tbs salt

• 4tbls sugar

• 1tsp ground black pepper

• 1tbs white seasoning salt

• 1tsp thyme leaves

• 1tsp dried lemon zest

• 1 & 1/2 tbs ground cardamom

• 2tbs paprika powder

Directions:

• Mix all the spices together as evenly as you possible (you can put them in a jar with a tight lid and give it a good shake. 

• Rub with spice ribs and let cure over night.

• Put the cured ribs in a baking tray and bake for about two hours or until the meat is very tender and bones can be easily be pulled out.

• Brush with Mango BBQ sauce and put to the side for at lease 1 hour to allow the sauce to seep into the meat.

• In this time you can get you BBQ grill going ( I like to use a charcoal grill my self I find the flour more to my liking from a charcoal grill). Okay you have waited long enough get them things on the grill!

Mango BBQ sauce recipe for 3 cups

• 1 large mango peeled and diced or 1 cup mango puree

• 1 cup tomato ketchup

• 1/2 cup champagne vinegar

• 1/4 light soy sauce

• 2 tbs molasses

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp crushed chili flakes or 2 fresh jalapeño puree

• 1 tsp ABC sauce (Japanese ketchup) 

• 1/2 to 1 tsp liquid smoke

Directions:

• In a saucepan and add all the ingredients. 

• Cook on low stirring occasionally for about an hour or until the ingredients are cooked down and the sauce has thickened  

• Remove from heat, blend with a hand or stick blender until smooth. Brush on grilled chicken or pork ribs.