One of the best parts about traveling to another country is all the fantastic new kinds of food you can try.
Cabarete is no exception. The tropical fruit is so fresh and delicious you will wonder how you ever lived without it. There are tons of great places to go out for a bite to eat in the town of Cabarete, but if you prefer spending an evening in your condo and cooking up a storm (all of our condos have large kitchens with full appliances), we have compiled a few delicious and easy Dominican recipes for you to try!
They all use fresh, local ingredients that are harder to find or expensive back home and you can use our Grocery Shopping in Cabarete guide to find the local supermarkets. So put on your apron, and get cooking!
Batida de Lechosa
A ‘batida’ is pretty much a simple Dominican fruit smoothie and ‘lechosa’ is the Spanish word for papaya.
Smoothies have become quite popular, and for good reason! They are fresh, healthy and super easy to make. This is the ideal breakfast to whip up before going surfing at Encuentro or kitesurfing at Kite Beach, and will fill you up with lots of good electrolytes, vitamins and minerals.
There are numerous fruit stands in Cabarete where you can buy all the ingredients you need for a great price. Ask for a lechosa that is "maduro," which means ripe.
1 whole ripe papaya
Liquid from 4 whole coconuts OR 2 cups of yogurt
2 cups of ice
Scoop of honey to taste
Cinnamon to taste
Scoop all the meat from the papaya into a blender. Some people prefer to make their batidas with milk rather than coconut water- it’s up to you which you prefer! Milk will make it richer, and more of dessert like treat. Add the ice and honey, and blend! Pour into glasses and enjoy!
WARNING: lechosa batidas are so delicious, you may end up moving to Cabarete just so you can drink them everyday.
Avocado Guacamole
Guacamole is a favorite Mexican and Caribbean dip, and Cabarete is one of the best places in the world to make this scrumptious dish. Avocados are a fraction of the price in the Caribbean compared to back home, and they are HUGE and super fresh. During avocado season (winter), the big avocados are about the size of a cantaloupe, so you can reasonably make guacamole for an entire family from just one big avocado. Amazing.
1-3 avocados, depending on size
Handful of cilantro, chopped fine
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Juice from 2 limes
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped
1/4 raw onion, chopped.
Tomatoes to garnish if desired
Slice open the avocados, remove the pit, and cut into small chunks. Scoop out into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, and mash with a fork. It’s ok to leave some chunks of avocado, totally smooth guacamole is overrated! This is a great snack to make to have with corn chips, on slices of toast, or with your eggs in the morning. Heck, you can even eat it with a spoon straight out of the bowl! With all the adventuring you’ll be doing in Cabarete, we promise you’ll burn it all off.
Pollo Guisado
Pollo guisado, or braised chicken, is an undisputed Dominican favorite. It is rich, hearty and exceptionally delicious. This is a great meal to make after a day of adventuring, so crack open a Presidente beer, put on some tunes, and get choppin’!
2 lbs [0.9 kg] of chicken cut into small pieces
2 limes cut into halves
A pinch of oregano
1 small red onion chopped into fine strips or eighths
½ cup of chopped celery (optional)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of mashed garlic
2 tablespoons of oil
1 teaspoon of honey or sugar
2 cups of water
4 plum tomatoes cut into quarters
2 cubanelle peppers
1 cup of tomato sauce
A small bunch of fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon of pepper
1. Cut the chicken into small pieces. Scrub with the lime, getting lime juice into all the crevices.
2. In a bowl mix the chicken, oregano, onion, celery, salt and garlic. Marinate for 30 minutes.
3. In a pot heat the oil over medium heat, add sugar and wait until it browns. Add the chicken (reserve all the other things in the marinade) and sauté until the meat is light brown.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring and adding water by the tablespoon as it becomes necessary.
5. Add onion, celery, tomatoes, cubanelle pepper, olives, and garlic, cover and and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, adding water by the tablespoon and stirring as it becomes necessary.
6. Add the tomato sauce and half a cup of water, simmer over low heat to produce a light sauce. Add fresh cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ready to find the freshest ingredients in Cabarete? Book your ocean-view condo now!