Bermuda Department of Tourism

Island cuisine is a reflection of our blended heritage and coastal access to premier local seafood such as the angelfish, wahoo and ubiquitous rockfish.

Our traditional dishes include Peas and Plenty (black-eyed peas with onions, salt pork and sometimes rice), Hoppin' John (peas and rice) and Pawpaw Casserole, and, of course, Bermuda Fish Chowder (traditionally served with a splash of our Sherry Pepper sauce).

Now you can enjoy a piece (or two) of our culture whenever and wherever you like with these simple, delicious island recipes. Bon appétit!

This is the perfect chowder for a cold Bermuda night.not that we ever have one of those.

1.82KG / 4LBS fresh fish (boneless), or 1.82KG / 4LBS of fish bits
2 whole green peppers
2 whole red peppers
3 leeks
1 medium onion
1/2 bunch of fresh parsley
.22KG / .5LBS of fresh carrots
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 celery heart
1/2 teaspoon saffron
2 soupspoons of curry powder
3 soupspoons of Worcestershire sauce
6oz. of ketchup
3oz. of tomato paste
10oz. of sherry peppers
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
Bermuda black rum

First, remove the seeds from the peppers and quarter them. Clean the leeks, carrots, celery and parsley. Except for the peppers, chop all the vegetables very fine, including the garlic; you may use a food processor to help speed up this operation.

Pour olive oil and all the chopped vegetables into a large pot over medium heat. Cook until limp, but not brown. Add the fish and keep cooking for an additional ten minutes.

Stir the chowder with a wooden spatula to make sure the bottom of the pot won't burn. Then add the Bermuda black rum, sherry peppers, saffron, curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, ketchup and peeled chopped tomato. Add salt and pepper to taste.

While cooking, break fish in small bits with a whisk. Simmer slowly for one and a half hours.

Hint: For spicier chowder, add more black rum and sherry peppers as desired.

Since our average temperature is a balmy 74°F / 23°C, we like to eat this soup cold.

2 oranges
4 grapefruits
1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup sweet white wine
1 oz. Grand Marnier liqueur
6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
8 loquats

Peel the oranges and grapefruits well, removing all the pith, as well as the outside skin. Divide into segments.

Take the zest of half an orange and half a lemon and cut into julienne strips. Blanch the strips for a few minutes in boiling water. Drain and caramelise them by cooking them for about 10 minutes in the sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup of water.

In a saucepan, combine the wine, Grand Marnier and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and reduce by one half. Add the caramelised strips and, with a whisk, beat in the butter one tablespoon at a time.

Arrange the fruit segments in alternate layers in serving bowls. Cover with the sauce. Chill in the refrigerator until cold. Just before serving, garnish with slices of peeled, seeded loquats.

Try this one at home - it tastes just like mom used to make!

4 wahoo fillets (about 6 ounces each)
Juice of 2 oranges
2 Bermuda oranges
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of fish stock
2 oz. Noilly Prat, a French dry vermouth
1 cup heavy cream
8 small mint leaves

Marinate the wahoo fillets for one to two hours in the orange juice, the zest of one orange, salt and pepper.

Peel the two Bermuda oranges and divide into segments. Set aside.

Melt two tablespoons of butter in a frying pan and add marinated wahoo fillets. Add the fish stock, Noilly Prat and white wine. Cover and poach gently for three minutes on each side until fully cooked.

Remove the fish fillets and keep warm. Reduce the cooking liquid until it reaches the consistency of marmalade. Add the green peppers and the cream. Reduce for a further five minutes, and then gradually add the remaining four tablespoons of butter. Correct seasoning. Reheat the fillets in the sauce. Add the orange segments and garnish with mint leaves.

These delicious onions will make you smile, not shed tears.

6 medium onions
6 tablespoons butter
1 chicken breast (6 oz.)
3 oz. fresh mushrooms
1 chopped tomato
1 sprig of parsley
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup veal stock
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Peel the onions and make a deep cut around the base of each one. Cook them in boiling salted water for five minutes. Drain.

Following the cut along the base of each onion, remove the inner section, leaving the outside shell whole. Place empty onion shell in well-buttered baking dish.

Chop the pulp of three of the onions and sauté gently in four tablespoons of butter for five minutes. Add enough veal stock to make mixture the proper consistency for stuffing, then fill each onion shell with stuffing. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and remaining melted butter.

Bake at 350°F / 177°C for 30 minutes, basting frequently with the melted butter. Before serving, pour baking juices over the onions.

Bermuda Rum Swizzle

1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 oz. lime or lemon juice
1/2 oz. Grenadine
Dash of Angostura bitters
1 oz. Barbados rum
1 oz. Demerara rum

Select a wide glass pitcher and put in the above ingredients. Add finely chopped ice and churn vigorously with a swizzle stick until the pitcher begins to frost. Strain into a cocktail or whiskey sour glass and serve.

Dark 'N Stormy^®

Mix, in an old fashioned glass over cracked ice:

2oz. Gosling's Black Seal Rum
4oz. Ginger beer