Jerk Sausage with Festival Dumplings
Recipes with Jerk Sausage
Festival is the roadside partner of jerk. These fried cornmeal dumplings carry a little sugar, which makes them sweet against the char and heat of the sausage. The contrast is the whole point. Every jerk vendor in Portland and Montego Bay has a pot of festival going alongside the pit. This recipe focuses on getting the festival right: a firm exterior, a soft middle, slightly sweet and golden.
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
25 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Ingredients
- 4 jerk sausage links
- For the festival: 2 cups plain flour, ½ cup fine yellow cornmeal, 3 tbsp sugar, 1½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp vanilla extract, about ¾ cup cold water
- Vegetable oil for deep frying (enough for a 3-4cm depth)
- Lime wedges to serve
- Scotch bonnet sauce, store-bought or fresh
Steps
Mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add vanilla. Add water gradually, mixing with a fork, until you have a firm dough that holds its shape but is not dry and crumbly. You may not need all the water.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each between your palms into a smooth log about 7-8cm long with tapered ends. Place on a floured board and rest for 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep pan to 170°C. Fry the festival in batches of 3-4 for 4-5 minutes, turning once midway, until golden brown all over. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven.
Grill or pan-fry the jerk sausages over medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked through with charred patches.
Serve the sausages with festival dumplings, lime wedges, and scotch bonnet sauce on the side.
Tips
The oil temperature matters for festival. Too hot and the outside darkens before the inside cooks; too cool and the dumplings absorb oil and sit heavy. 170°C is the target. A thermometer is worth using here. The sugar in the dough browns fast, so watch the colour.