Bamboo Jerk Marinade

Remove thyme leaves from stems. Peel garlic. Wearing rubber gloves, remove stems from Scotch Bonnet peppers.

Puree the onions, green onions, thyme, garlic and peppers together in a food processor. You may have to do this in small batches. Place pureed mixture in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

This marinade will keep up to three months, refrigerated in an airtight container, and can be frozen up to six months.

JERK CHICKEN: You can use any part of the chicken you like or even a whole chicken. We find the most tender and versatile meat is boneless chicken legs. Poke the chicken with a fork and, wearing rubber gloves, rub the marinade all over the chicken to thoroughly coat. Let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.

Bake in a 400 degrees F oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or grill on a hot barbecue for 45 minutes, turning often. If using a whole chicken, cook for 20 minutes per pound in a 435 degrees F oven, basting often.

ROAST JERK PORK: Allow approximately 1/2 lb of meat per person. We find boneless pork shoulders to be extremely tender and juicy. Wearing rubber gloves, rub the marinade generously over the pork, covering it completely. Wrap the entire roast in tinfoil and let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.

Cook the roast, still wrapped in tinfoil, in a 325 degrees F oven for 20 minutes per pound. Remove from oven and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove from foil, slice and serve.

NOTE: Uncooked Jerk Chicken and Jerk Pork will keep up to two days, refrigerated, and can be frozen for up to three months. Once cooked, the meat will keep for one week, refrigerated, and it can be frozen for up to six months.

This recipe is from "The Bamboo Cooks: Recipes from the Legendary Nightclub" by Richard O'Brien and Patti Habib. It's a fabulous restaurant here in Toronto. A Caribbean friend of mine tells me that the recipe's authentic.