Food allergies no worries

Being a chef is a rewarding and interesting career which allows you to tap into your creativity and, in so doing, satisfying the taste buds. For Beaches Negril's chef Conray Edwards, the focus is not only on whipping up delectable delights for everyone, it is also on satisfying the select few who cannot enjoy all the delicacies and exciting meal options available to them. This select group includes persons with food allergies, whose lives can become difficult if special care is not taken when preparing their meals.

A soup and sauce chef, his dual role involves catering to guests with allergies. Edwards highlights this as the best part of his job. "I absolutely enjoy being able to get creative in designing these meals. I don't follow recipes, but invent my own."

Returning guest from the United Kingdom Steve Morley reveals that Edwards is one of the reasons he keeps returning to Jamaica. "He is just one of the best chefs I have ever met. I have travelled to many places and no one has been able to supply me with a delicious and different meal every day like Conray."

Edwards calls the recipe below a 'light meal' which, with simple changes, can be adapted to suit those with different types of allergies.

Shrimp & Chicken Puff Pie Served with Spicy Mango Sauce

Pie Crust Recipe

1lb flour

1lb margarine

4 cups ice water

1. Mix the margarine and flour in a bowl.

2. Add water gradually whilst mixing until the dough forms.

3. Roll the dough thin and fill one greased tart pan.

4. Pre-bake before adding filling.

To make the pie crust suitable for those with dairy allergies, Edwards suggests making the dough with beans; this is done by blending the beans and dehydrating them to form the dough.

The crust can also be made suitable for those with wheat and gluten allergies by replacing the regular flour with rice flour.

Filling Recipe

¹/²lb shrimp

¹/²lb chicken breast

2 cups onion

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 cup water

¹/²lb spinach - julienne, sautéed in olive oil

1 sheet puff pastry

2tbs olive oil

Black pepper

Salt

Method

1. Purée the shrimp with water, season with black pepper and salt.

2. Dice the chicken into very small chunks and season with black pepper and salt.

3. Mix the chicken and onion together and place in the bottom of the pie shell,

4. Place a layer of spinach, then add the shrimp purée and finish with mozzarella on top.

5. Cover the pie with the puff pastry and brush with egg wash.

6. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until golden brown.

This part of the meal can be made suitable for persons with dairy allergies by substituting the cheese and topping with vegetables. The shrimp may also be removed to make the filling suitable for individuals with shell-fish allergies.

To make suitable for persons with wheat and gluten allergies, remove the puff pastry topping and continue to bake.

Sauce Recipe

1 cup or mango purée

2tbs of Sandals Lifestyle 'Catch a Fire' hot sauce

4tbs diced onion

2tbs chopped garlic

2 cups coconut milk

2tbs of cornstarch

¹/² cup of water

1tsp of salt

1tbs of olive oil

Method

1. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent.

2. Add all remaining ingredients, except the cornstarch and water.

3. Cook for eight minutes and thicken as needed with the cornstarch.

4. Serve with the pie.

Edwards suggests the use of more fresh ingredients instead of pre-made products with preservatives, when making sauces for persons with allergies. This is to ensure there is no cross contamination when producing the meal, and to guarantee 100 per cent certainty of the meal's content.