jamaican me crazy!

Finally, the last of the Jamaican appetizer recipes! I saved the best for last, this was my favorite. Caramelized onions are such an amazing thing – the transformation of the pungent and sharp flavor of a raw onion into something similar to candy – wow! The leek jam is just another form of caramelized onion, with a twist. The Jamaican sauce called Pickapeppa was found along with other condiments near the Tabasco sauce at my neighborhood Safeway grocery store.  It was the first time I purchased or used it, yummy! The rest of the ingredients, from the ciabatta to the Parmesan, hummus, and rock shrimp were all found at Trader Joe’s.

Caribbean Flatbread

Caramelized Onions
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, cut into medium dice
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Leek Jam
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 leeks, white and light green parts only, diced then rinsed very well
2 tablespoons Jamaican Pickapeppa Sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Assembly
Three 8-ounce Ciabatta loaves, sliced in half horizontally
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup purchased hummus
1 lemon, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced
1 pound small, sweet rock shrimp peeled and cooked
6 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Caramelized Onions: Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in sugar and cook until onions are golden, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Leek Jam: Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; sauté for about 4 minutes or until onions are softened. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in Pickapeppa sauce and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Assembly: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place ciabatta halves on a baking sheet. Brush each half of the ciabatta with olive oil and spread with hummus. Scatter onions, then leeks over the hummus. Top with lemon slices and shrimp. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then with salt and lemon juice.

the stages of topping-beginning at the bottom left and going around clockwise