December in Barbados is guava time. Our tree is raining guavas, a bright yellow fruit with a taste of pear and strawberry parts and resembling a large lemon in appearance. Second only to blueberries in antioxidant power, guavas are a nutritional powerhouse with more than 5 times the vitamin C found in oranges. It’s also loaded with the cancer-fighting nutrient lycopene.
There are dozens of cultivars of the guava family. Our native Barbados guava is the apple guava, known scientifically as Psidium guava. Locals usually wash and eat the fruit whole, with the skins and seeds. Others may choose to cut the fruit in half and the pulp can be scooped out with a spoon; The seeds are edible. We harvest the juicy fruits every morning, scoop them out and freeze them for future use in cheesecakes, jams, chutneys and sauces. The remaining rind is washed and then boiled, adding a mixture of 1 to 1 (1 cup of rind to 1 cup of sugar) of rind to the sugar, along with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. The resulting food can be used as a topping for ice cream or as a base for guava bread.
In a recent restaurant, guava reducer was used as the basis for a very tasty combination of boneless duck breast and guava coulis. Here are some of our favorite guava recipes:
Roasted duck breast with guava coulis:
For the duck breast, cut the skin in 1/4-inch intervals (do not cut into the breast meat).
Rotate the breast and score again to make a criss-cross pattern. Season with salt/pepper.
Add duck skin side down to an ungreased 325-degree skillet.
Leave to cook for 10 minutes, until the skin is crisp and brown. Turn the breasts over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add 4 ounces of chicken stock (preferably homemade), cover the skillet tightly and cook for another 2-5 minutes depending on taste – we like to cook the duck until medium rare.
Remove the breast from the skillet and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
To prepare guava choli, boil 10 whole guavas, cut in half, in 1 cup of water for 8 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool, then puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. Drain the seeds from the pulp and return them to a saucepan. Over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a dash of chili sauce. Heat for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Served with grilled zucchini and mashed potatoes.
Ham panini with guava cream cheese
ingredients:
Any bread can be used for this recipe, but we prefer a fresh baguette.
Important (We use Boars Head brand)
Gruyere cheese
Sauteed onions
Guava Cream Cheese (blend 2 tablespoons of the above guava base with 4 ounces of cream cheese)
road:
Assemble the above components. If using a panini grill, simply grill for 3 minutes or until golden brown. In a frying pan, brush the top and bottom with extra virgin olive oil and place in a skillet over medium heat. Press down either with a spoon or you can use a smaller diameter pan. Flip and repeat until both sides are browned.
Guava smoothie
Mix 2 tablespoons of the guava base with 3 tablespoons of coconut ice cream (or ice cream of your choice), 1/2 cup of whole milk, and a pinch of fresh nutmeg. Even smooth blend. A favorite variation is adding 2 ounces of Mt Gay Extra Old Rum for a truly refreshing after-dinner drink!
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