Globe-cooking recipe : Callaloo Rolls (Jamaica)

In my Jamaican-themed Kitchen Trotter box was a recipe for a dish called Callaloo Rolls. Inside the box was a tin of Callaloo.

I'd never heard of Callaloo but it's a leafy vegetable that reminded me of spinach - in fact, I'm sure you could recreate the same dish using spinach if you can't get hold of callaloo.

The back of the tin confirmed that I was right ! It says : "Callaloo is a popular leafy vegetable enjoyed throughout the Caribbean which looks and tastes like spinach and can be used in similar ways. Callaloo is delicious added into quiches, pancakes, omelettes and stews. Callaloo soup is a classic dish across the Caribbean, blending Callaloo with coconut milk, crab and exotic spices to create a deliciously fragrant and hearty dish." I might have a go at trying that with spinach at a later date.

So, on to the recipe for Callaloo Rolls. I actually didn't bother with the sauce and used shop-bought sweet chilli & mango sauce which was perfect.

Callaloo Rolls

ingredients :

for the rolls :

1 tin of Callaloo  (or replace with cooked spinach)

1tbsp butter

1 onion

1 clove garlic

1 tomato

1/2 jalapeno (optional)

a pinch of dried thyme

100g grated cheese

4 sheets of filo or brick

salt/pepper

a little olive oil (or cooking spray or melted butter)

for the sauce :

1 bayleaf

5 black peppercorns

60ml white wine

25cl liquid crème fraîche

75g mango

30g butter

salt/pepper

Melt the butter in a frying pan. Finely chop the onion and garlic and gently fry for a few minutes, adding the  thyme and the jalapeno if desired.

Drain the callaloo and finely dice the tomato and add both to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes and turn off the heat.

Add the cheese. I used some grated cheese and also some of my homemade cheese which was lovely. Push the mixture into four equal parts in the pan.

Take a sheet of filo and wipe with olive oil on a piece of kitchen roll. Scrape one portion of the filling on to the filo, form into a sausage shape that doesn't go right to the ends then roll the filo sheet, keeping it all fairly tight.

Juliette arrived at this point and had great fun rolling them up !

Place them on a greased baking tray and pop in the oven at 180° for about 10 minutes until the filo is crispy and golden at the ends.

If you want to make the sauce, put the bayleaf and peppercorns in a saucepan with the white wine. Gently reduce until there's hardly any left, add the crème fraîche and bring to the boil. Add the diced mango and keep cooking, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes until the mango becomes soft. Take off the heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Or take the easy option and drizzle with sweet chilli & mango relish which works really well !

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If you want some more Jamaican delights, how about Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa or Infused Rum?