Martinique has rich holiday traditions around Christmas time. Chef Prisca Morjon of Ma Cuisine Créole recently joined me at a LIVE holiday celebration on Facebook. She shared her holiday recipes for Martinique’s authentic Ti’ Punch and Accras and the holiday tradition of drinking Coconut Punch. If you missed it, don’t worry. You can rewatch it here.
Prisca Morjon is a self-taught Creole gourmet cook who uses products from the island of Martinique in her dishes. She grew up in her family’s restaurant in Fort-de-France, which is frequented by locals. During her childhood, her grandmother (who had 7 kids !) cooked for her, making authentic Martinican cuisine. Her grandmother filled their plates to say “I love you.” Apparently in Martinique, the way they say I love you is the way they feed you.
Here are recipes Prisca shared with us:
Ti’ Punch Recipe
Ti’ Punch is the national cocktail of Martinique. It’s probably one of the easiest ways to get a quick taste of Martinique. Only three ingredients are used, including the famous Rhum agricole, (French term for sugarcane juice rum) a source of local pride.
(Under Creative Common License by Arnaud 25)
Ti’ Punch Ingredients
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 teaspoon of sugar or cane syrup
- 2 ounces of AOC Martinique rum
Preparation
- Pour the sugar into a small glass, then squeeze the lime wedge.
- Add rum.
- Mix and adjust to taste.
- Add an ice cube if desired.
To be enjoyed in moderation … Cheers!
Coconut Punch
Another drink Prisca introduced was Coconut Punch. Yes, Ti’ Punch is a representative drink from Martinique. But during the holiday season, it is Coconut Punch that Martician enjoy the most as of their Christmas tradition. It is a drink very similar to Egg Nog.
Pumpkin and Carrot Accras (Fritters) Recipe
Accras is a must-try for visitors traveling to Martinique. If you have them in Martinique, they may contain codfish, but the recipe Prisca shared provides a vegetarian option. Easy to make and rich in flavors!
Ingredients (for about 30–40 accras)
- 3.5 ounces carrot
- 5 ounces squash or pumpkin
- 2 ounces sweet potato (or potato)
- 7 ounces flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 green onions
- 1 shallot
- 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, germ removed
- 1 lime
- 1 hot pepper
- Salt and pepper
- Frying oil
Preparation
- Peel, wash and finely grate the raw vegetables (manually or using a heavy-duty food processor). Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, then cover and set aside (the vegetables will release moisture as it sits).
- Finely chop chives, garlic, parsley, thyme and pepper (you can also puree the ingredients in a blender); add herb mixture to the vegetables. Add flour and baking soda or baking powder and stir mixture vigorously to form a thick, semi-soft dough. Let stand, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. (You should not need to use the 1 cup of water but if you find that the pureed vegetables did not yield enough water while resting in order to make the batter, then use some of the water for the batter-dough.)
- When ready to make the fritters, remove the batter-dough from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
- Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat; addd a tablespoon of the mixture to the oil and let fry about 2 minutes. Check fritter for taste, adding more flour if the dough is too wet and the fritters do not ‘take’ or more water if they are too ‘heavy’. If batter is to taste fry in batches and drain well on paper towels.
- Enjoy fritters piping hot with local green cabbage salad or tossed salad.
Don’t forget to put on this curated Martinique Caribbean Vibes playlist on Spotify when sipping your tasty drinks!
Want to learn more about Prisca’s recipes? Visit her blog (French-only) for more cuisine mixed between the traditional and the creative!
