Arr, Matey! Here's the Rum!!

Hello, mateys! Welcome to International Talk Like A Pirate Day! Being a fan of seafaring, in both my own family (dad and mom were sailors themselves, I practically grew up on a sailboat; plus I have some rum-runner in me too!) and my cinematic loves (Pirates of the Caribbean, anyone?), I just couldn't let the day go by without a few culinary mentions on the subject! Of course, both the drink recipe and the ham component of the dinner meal contain measures of rum, and while I was browsing Danielle's gorgeous blog Habeas Brulee (looking for details on her new event Of Course You Can Pair Garlic With That, which I have a great recipe for!) I found two more rummy delights that the true pirates out there in the blog-o-sphere can tempt themselves and their crew with, or use to barter passage off a deserted island!

Start things off with a (cannon) bang:


Anchors Away!
Serves One
1 oz white rum
1 oz spiced rum
1 oz coconut rum
3 oz pineapple juice
1/2 ripe banana
5 large, frozen strawberries
1 slice pineapple

1. Combine all ingredients together in a blender with ice.
2. Blend on high until smooth, pour into a hurricane glass, and serve.

Smooth sailing ahead (mind the main [sail], matey!):

Jamaican Ham Steaks
Serves 6
2 ham steaks, 1” thick, cooked
24 whole cloves
2 cups sliced Red Delicious apples
½ cup dark rum
water
1 tsp mustard powder
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp dark rum

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Insert cloves around the edges of the steaks. Place in a shallow baking dish.
3. Pile apple slices on each steak.
4. Add the ½ cup rum, plus enough water to come halfway up ham.
5. Cover and bake 50 minutes
6. Reserve 1/3 cup cooking juices, drain remainder from dish.
7. Mix reserved juice with mustard, brown sugar, honey and remaining rum.
8. Pour mixture over apples and ham.
9. Bake uncovered 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Tortuga Rice
Serves 6
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 large onion, sliced
1/2 red delicious apple, cored and sliced
1 pinch curry powder
1 1/3 cups water
2/3 cup brown rice
1 teaspoon dark molasses
1 small, slightly green banana, sliced
1 tablespoon unsweetened flaked coconut

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and red apple; cook and stir until onion is transparent.
3. Season with curry powder, and stir in the water.
4. Add the rice and molasses, cover, and cook over low heat about 30 minutes.
5. Mix in the banana, then sprinkle the coconut on top.
6. Heat through for a moment over low heat before serving.

P.S. If you don't feel like baking away all your rum with a dessert, the Rum Runner's Rum Cake Factory in Halifax ships both Original and Chocolate Rum Cakes!