Authentic Jerk Pasta Recipe, from a Pro Jamaican Chef
A spicy Caribbean fusion.
If you feel like pasta but you still want a spicy kick and taste of home, we have you covered with this indulgent pasta recipe. This recipe is made with mussels, clams, pasta, and a rich jerk coconut cream sauce but can also be made with chicken or veg. Also known as ‘rasta pasta”, this popular recipe is comfort food at its best.
“This is one of my favourite recipes only because of how versatile, quick and easy it is to prepare. You can substitute the mussels and clams for shrimp, lobster or chicken”, he adds.
Jamaican native and chef Brian Lumley loves his craft, and he’s loved it ever since he was a little boy learning from his mother.
“I became a chef because it came naturally to me at a very early age. My mom was my first teacher, and she taught me amazing dishes. But more importantly, she taught me how to taste and recognize great flavour”, he says.
Under his mother's warm tutelage, Lumley grew his love for the culinary arts and his dreams for Jamaican cuisine.
“My plans for the industry is to spread Jamaican cuisine outside our shores. It has seen an uptick in being a trendy cuisine, and I think there is a lot more opportunity especially on the African continent,” he explains.
So, if you’re looking to make some authentic Jamaican jerk this weekend, Chef Lumley’s recipe is exactly what you need. And to help, he has one extra tip for your cooking foray.
Meet the Chef
Chef Brian Lumley is an award-winning executive chef who has etched his name among the finest culinarians in the Caribbean.
He founded 689 By Brian Lumley, which quickly rose to become one of Jamaica’s most beloved restaurants. He is also the youngest chef to be awarded the prestigious Chef of the Year title at the Taste of Jamaica competition, winning multiple medals at the Taste of the Caribbean competition and the Hans Schenk prize for the Most Innovative Use of Caribbean Ingredients.
Ingredients
Makes about 2 Liters
Pasta
1 pound linguine pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Jerk Coconut Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, sliced
12 littleneck clams, cleaned
12 mussels, cleaned
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp Jerk Marinade
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning to taste
1/2 cup white wine (recommended: Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay)
1 cup Fish broth
1 Cup Coconut Milk powder
1 tbsp Basil & Parsley, chopped
Instructions
Al Dente Linguine
Al Dente is Italian for “To The Tooth” and it basically refers to pasta that is tender but still firm enough to be bitten or when chewed.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the linguine pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1⁄2 cup of the liquid, and transfer it to a large serving bowl.
In the serving bowl, add the butter and 2 tsp parsley to the pasta and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Jerk Marinade
This jerk marinade can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month and in the freezer for three months. To make it, combine all the listed ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Your jerk marinade can then be used in the accompanying seafood coconut cream sauce.
Mussels and Clams in Jerk Coconut Cream Sauce
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add the shallots, garlic and seafood. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and the wine, and simmer for about 2 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the broth with the coconut milk powder and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.
Using tongs, remove the shellfish from the pan and reserve. Add all the remaining herbs to the pan and a pinch of pepper. Pour this flavourful liquid over the pasta and toss well. Arrange the reserved shellfish on top of the pasta and serve hot!
Keep reading: A Top Jamaican Chef Shares His Jerk Marinade Recipe