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This show is so phony.

I think Jeffery is by far the best suited for a show. However, I think that not only is Jamika the winner, but that the decision was made early. She has been all over the media already. She was featured in a commercial for the Art Institute during the premiere of Top Chef: Masters. Curious. Also consider that Jen was sent home the first week for making a side dish (gourmet green beans) and Jamika won the second week by making a side dish (spicy collard greens). Curiouser and curiouser.

I'm not terribly concerned with the authenticity of this dish. I made it and it was yummy. My kids loved it as well so I was extra happy. Makes an easy and cheap week night dinner. I didn't have green onions so I subbed cilantro and it worked perfectly. I like the allspice in it.

I'm making it again tonight with pork tenderloin on the side.

we made this over the weekend but added some chicken and chalula. it was like a nice bean risotto. really good. I see lots of potential for improvisation here.

Looks good. But my Cuban grandmama never made rice and beans without a piece of meat in 'em. Usually pork or chicken.

Ooh...I didn't realize there were other Trinis here!! :)
As was previously mentioned, different Caribbean islands have variations on the same recipe...this one being no different...this take on R&P does look a bit soupier than what I'm used to, but yummy nontheless.
I think it's more than ok to use canned peas or beans, which Trinis and other Caribbean nationalities use in the interest of time.

I am from the Caribbean and I can tell you our Rice and Peas DO NOT LOOK LIKE THAT, depending on our Country you use either Pigeon Peas, Red Beans or Black-eyes Peas and we ALWAYS use dried peas that has been soaked.We don't use the vegetable stock as the recipe says but the water the peas or beans has been pressured in (pressured to get the peas soft). In the finish product the rice is cooked but still firm and the flavors of all the ingredients have married.

Wrap a piece of jalapeno inside a dried apricot (you can soak the apricots in brandy briefly if you want something extra...). Wrap the apricot in bacon, bake.

@bitchincamero - Love tater tots. Love bacon. Am still afraid that eating them together like that would give me a heart attack. : )

wrap bacon in bacon.

The plantain and pineapple sound great. What about wedges of sweet potato or yam? Yams are also a Caribbean staple, right? I always oven bake my bacon sprinkled with brown sugar and freshly ground pepper anyway. You could partially oven bake the potato wedges on an oiled sheet and sprinkle them with the sugar and pepper before wrapping with the bacon... I might have to try that, if I don't say so myself ! Maybe a sweet/hot or honey mustard dip on the side?

OMG - just saw these BACON WRAPPER TATER TOTS. I swear I would die happy if I could just have one right now.

@Junie - I think you have to make these!

@BananaMonkey & @Junie - Actually, I'd use them when they're almost fully black with a little yellow showing through. If you've ever had "maduros" - that's when they fry them up.

Any less ripe and I think they'd be too tough. Tostones are made when they're much less ripe, almost green. That's why they have to fry tostones twice...they're much starchier and less sweet, so you have to cook them longer to get that french fry-like consistency.

The sweetness of the ripe plantains will caramelize with the bacon nicely (think bacon-wrapped dates).