It’s no secret that we love our rum on Barbados – well it is one of our biggest exports! And because our island is a celebrated culinary destination as well as a place to soak up the sun, we’re sharing some brilliant ways to use our beloved tipple in the kitchen (aside from drinking it of course). Read on for Five Ways to Cook with Rum and our favourite rum-based recipes.
Rum ‘n’ Ribs
Ensure your next barbeque has some extra sizzle with these tasty ribs smothered in sticky rum-laced sauce. Scotch bonnet chillies give an extra kick for those who like it hot! Find the full recipe from BBC Good Food here: Sizzling Spare Ribs . And if ribs aren’t your thing, simply substitute with steak or chicken.
Caribbean Christmas Cake
Did you know that you can make your Christmas cake well in advance and ‘feed it’ with delicious rum until the big day? The alcohol acts as a preservative, intensifies the flavour and keeps it moist. Where brandy is traditionally used for a Christmas Cake recipe, rum – with its spicy undertones – is an ideal liquor to complement the fruity flavours.
Cold and Sweet
A collection of Five Ways to Cook with Rum wouldn’t be complete without this. Rum and raisin ice cream is a classic flavour combination and also super easy to rustle up at home using this recipe from Good Housekeeping. It’s a tasty accompaniment for pancakes and all kinds of sweet treats. Our top tip is to allow the raisins to soak in the rum for as long as possible to make sure they’re extra juicy.
Feeling Fruity
Love dessert with a little drama? Well, go bananas and flambé your fruit in rum and brown sugar using this recipe from Martha Stewart. Be sure to stand back when you add the alcohol as it really does go up in flames! Serve with ice cream and crepes for a sweet and sticky dessert that’s extremely moreish.
Alternatively, pimp up a pineapple by dousing it in rum, muscovado sugar, chilli and black pepper then roasting in the oven. Hot and sticky on the outside and sweet and juicy when you bite into it – delicious! Our own menu features a popular Piña Colada Gateau – a Sweet Rum and Pineapple Sugar Cane Kebab.
Liven up your Coffee
Finally, the sweet and spicy notes of rum perfectly offset bitter flavours of coffee. Try this recipe for Smuggler’s Coffee from Delish.com, which sprinkles in a little cinnamon and some orange zest for further depth of flavour. Add some butterscotch whipped cream for an indulgent finishing touch. Or, serve with Banana Doughnuts. A Lone Star classic served with Coconut Ice Cream, Crushed Pistachios and a Barbados Rum Caramel. Divine indulgence!
I hope our Five Ways to Cook with Rum has inspired your next encounter with the kitchen, or a trip to enjoy one of those Banana Doughnuts on the ocean-side boardwalk at Lone Star!
