Throughout cultures and continents, meals has at all times been a approach to collect, rejoice, and join – a common language that may flip strangers into household and hyperlink generations with only a shared meal.
Tucked deep within the jap Caribbean, the island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines carries this fact in each chew. Right here, riverside gatherings and open-fire cooking have lengthy introduced communities collectively. These spirited meals, identified regionally as River Cooks, mix native components, island spices, and neighborly love into a practice that feeds extra than simply the physique.
What started as easy outings to catch fish at river mouths throughout excessive season has advanced into vibrant, full-day household affairs. Grandparents train wide-eyed kids, aunties fire up secret sauces, and somebody is at all times fanning the flames of a well-tended fireplace. Rooster sizzles on the grill, contemporary fish bubbles in fryers, and sides are handed hand handy as tales move as freely because the river itself. It’s a celebration of custom, teamwork, and style—a real expression of Vincentian tradition.
This soulful type of cooking has impressed Buccan, the latest eating idea from Sandals Resorts, launched with the opening of Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. At Buccan, company are invited to expertise large-format, communal eating that honors the island’s genuine culinary roots. Framed by palm fronds and the smoky crackle of open flames, it’s harking back to these riverside cookouts the place company arrive as vacationers and go away as mates, related by the heat of shared tales and unforgettable meals.
Buccan’s overwhelming recognition has sparked its enlargement to close by Saint Lucia, an island so near Saint Vincent that, on a transparent day, its iconic Pitons are seen from the Vincentian hills. Now, company at Sandals Regency La Toc can savor the identical communal eating expertise, this time infused with Saint Lucian components and flavors. It’s a celebration of native delicacies, tradition, and connection—the place the essence of Buccan lives on, and new friendships are made round each desk.
Burn Vivid, Waste Nothing: The Artwork of Strong Gasoline Cooking
Buccan’s use of stable gasoline cooking is a conventional technique that replaces gasoline with sustainably sourced wooden and charcoal. The restaurant’s staff makes use of compressed binchotan charcoal alongside native woods like mango, glory cedar, palm, and dried coconut husks. The dried coconut husks, sometimes discarded as waste, are repurposed right into a clean-burning gasoline supply, bringing Buccan’s kitchen nearer to its zero-waste strategy whereas decreasing environmental influence with out compromising authenticity.
It is a technique that may simply be replicated at dwelling, too. Dried coconut husks are sometimes obtainable at Caribbean and worldwide markets, or you’ll be able to dry your individual. When paired with fruit woods like apple, cherry, or pecan, or extra impartial choices like oak, you’ll be able to recreate the layered, smoky essence of a Buccan meal whereas reducing the influence of your cookout.
Buccan’s Grilled Rooster Skewers
Night time after night time, a particular sort of spark ignites on Buccan’s open-air terrace, the place 32 company dine in teams of eight, gathered round tables set with regionally crafted clay dishes. Every plate is full of conventional recipes, cooked with coronary heart over an open-flame fireplace. It’s a sensory expertise that stirs extra than simply the urge for food.
Over the course of two hours, company are taken on a journey by the flavors of the Jap Caribbean. However we’re not right here to gate-keep. We’re right here to share – not simply the meals, however the spirit of group, tradition, and connection that lingers lengthy after the final chew.
From our cookbooks to your yard grill, right here’s how one can convey a style of Buccan dwelling this summer time with our Grilled Rooster Skewers recipe.
Whole Yield: 6 skewers (Serves ~3–4)
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus marinating time)
Prepare dinner Time: ~10–12 minutes
Instruments Wanted:
- Mixing bowl…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- Microplane or high-quality grater
- Measuring spoons
- Zester and citrus juicer
- Chef’s knife & slicing board
- Skewers (steel or picket*)
- Grill or grill pan
Observe: If utilizing picket skewers, soak them in water for at the very least half-hour earlier than grilling to stop burning.
Components:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless hen thighs…………………………………………………………………
- ½ cup Ginger–Garlic–Chile Paste (see recipe beneath)
- 1 tsp floor cumin
- ½ tsp floor cardamom
- ¼ tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
- 1 tsp floor coriander seed
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 Tbsp yogurt (ideally labneh or Greek-style)
- 1 lime, zest and juice
Step-by-Step Directions:
Trim the Rooster:
- Use a pointy knife to take away any giant sinew or robust bits, however hold among the pure fats, because it melts throughout grilling and provides taste.
- Minimize the hen thighs into evenly sized, skewer-friendly chunks—about 1½ to 2 inches every to make sure even cooking.
Put together the Marinade:
In a big mixing bowl, mix:
- Ginger–Garlic–Chile Paste (recipe beneath) …………………………………………………………………
- Floor cumin, cardamom, amchur, coriander, turmeric, and kosher salt
- Vegetable oil
- Yogurt
- Contemporary lime zest (finely grated) and lime juice
- Combine totally till you will have a easy, golden marinade.
Marinate the Rooster:
- Add the hen items to the bowl and toss to coat fully, ensuring each piece is effectively saturated.
- Cowl the bowl or switch to a zip-top bag and refrigerate.
- Marinate for at the very least 10 hours, ideally in a single day. For deeper taste, you’ll be able to marinate as much as 4 days, the yogurt and spices tenderize the meat over time.
Skewer the Rooster:
- When able to cook dinner, thread the hen chunks onto skewers, leaving only a little bit of area between each bit to permit warmth circulation.
Grill the Rooster:
- Preheat a grill over medium-high warmth.
- Flippantly oil the grates to stop sticking.
- Grill the skewers for about 4–6 minutes per facet, turning as soon as, till properly charred and the hen is absolutely cooked by (inside temp: 165°F / 74°C).
Serve & Take pleasure in:
- Let the skewers relaxation for a couple of minutes off the grill …………………………………………………..
- Serve sizzling with a desk spoon of ginger-garlic-chile-paste
Ginger–Garlic–Chile Paste (Base)
Whole Yield: 2 cups
Prep Time: 10–quarter-hour
Instruments Wanted:
- Excessive-speed blender …………………………………………………………………………………………….
- Peeler
- Chef’s knife
- Slicing board
- Measuring cup
- Rubber spatula
- Hermetic storage container (for leftovers)
Components:
- 3½ oz contemporary ginger, peeled and chopped ………………………………………………………………..
- 3½ oz contemporary garlic, peeled
- 1-4 your favourite spicy Caribbean pepper, stems and seeds eliminated (Vincey Taste Peppers, Gentle) (no stem)
- ½ cup filtered water (added steadily as wanted)
Step-by-Step Directions:
Prep the Components:
- Peel the ginger utilizing the sting of a spoon or a vegetable peeler to take away the pores and skin. Roughly chop into small chunks to ease mixing.
- Peel the garlic cloves and trim off any robust root ends.
- Take away the stems and seeds from the Scotch Bonnets and chopp.
Add Components to Blender:
- In a high-speed blender, add the chopped ginger, garlic, and peppers (to your most popular warmth profile).
- Don’t add all of the water simply but; begin with 2–3 tablespoons.
Start Mixing:
- Mix on low pace to interrupt all the pieces down, then slowly enhance to medium-high.
- Pause as wanted to scrape down the perimeters with a spatula.
Modify Consistency:
- Slowly drizzle in additional water, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, till the paste is absolutely integrated and easy.
- The objective is a thick, spoonable puree, not a watery sauce. You might not want the complete ½ cup of water.
Examine Texture:
- Mix till the combination is totally easy with no seen chunks. It ought to resemble a thick purée that holds its form on a spoon.
Style and Retailer:
- Style the paste and regulate provided that wanted (e.g., add salt or extra pepper).
- Switch to an hermetic container and refrigerate. Use inside 7–10 days, or freeze in tablespoon parts for longer storage.
