Last Updated on March 12, 2026
Food and stories from the Caribbean
Recipes From The Rum Islands (Headline) is a black and white reissue edition of Shivi Ramatour’s Caribbean Modern, a full-coloured cookbook published in 2015. Born in Trinidad, Ramatour moved to Leicester and later to London. Although trained as a lawyer, she changed career and began hosting supper clubs and pop-ups, drawing on her Caribbean roots for inspiration. She has her own ITV series, Jimmy & Shivi’s Farmhouse Breakfast and appears on Saturday Kitchen, This Morning and James Martin’s Saturday Mornings.
Having spent a holiday in Tobago some thirty years ago, I was awash with happy memories when I paged through Recipes from the Rum Islands. Here were many of my favourite dishes from my trip – callaloo, a variety of dishes with the tang of tamarind, corn soup, jerk pork, curried crab eaten from beach shacks, coconut rice and peas, desserts made with pawpaw, pineapple, and mango, and rum punch (which I drank at every opportunity). The only recipe I missed finding was curried goat.
Ramoutar provides an interesting introduction and answers the question, ” What is Caribbean cuisine?” Since the Caribbean comprises around one thousand islands in the Caribbean Sea, there are multiple influences, chiefly East Indian, West African, Chinese, European, American, and the indigenous Amerindians. In Recipes from the Rum Islands, she outlines how each of these groups came to be in the Caribbean – partly colonisation and the slave trade – and what each contributed to what is known as Caribbean cuisine. The book is divided into chapters including snacks, soups and salads, one-pot meals, two or three-pot meals, sides, desserts, sweet goodies, and drinks.
I began with cauliflower and coconut with lime and garlic croutons. This was one of those wonderful dishes that had your guests trying to guess what they were eating. It was quite thick and creamy, although there is no cream or dairy in the soup. The croutons are a really good addition as they dissolve into the soup, adding another layer of texture. I also added lime zest to each serving. I dialled down the heat by reducing the three tablespoons of curry powder to two, as I wasn’t sure how much spice my guests could tolerate, and I found the flavour strength perfect. If you prefer a spicier profile, use the full three tablespoons as per the recipe. I always make soup the day before serving, as it improves noticeably with an overnight in the fridge. This soup received so many compliments that it is definitely on my ‘to be repeated’ list.
“Carrot and lentils” is a simple salad that would be great for a picnic or a summer side. I liked the contrasting textures of meaty lentils – Puy are suggested – and the crunch of carrots and cashew nuts. The raisins add a welcome sweetness, and gentle heat comes from fresh chilli and ginger, along with ground allspice and cumin. One could dress this dish up with feta, herbs, and even pomegranate seeds, which might add an extra pop of colour.
I am always keen to try variations on the classic tomato sauce, that little black dress of the culinary world, and Recipes from the Rum Islands offered the perfect opportunity with Sauce Creole. I was anticipating that Sauce Creole would be very spicy, but with just one small red chilli and a bit of cayenne pepper, it was mildly spicy. If you want more heat, add more chilli or use a scotch bonnet. I prefer medium levels of spice, so this sauce suited me well. It includes onion, celery, garlic, and red peppers, which makes it even healthier than a regular tomato sauce. The tomatoes used are cans of cherry tomatoes, an interesting change from the usual chopped or whole plum tomato recipes. These small tomatoes added interesting texture to the finished sauce, but you can puree the sauce if you prefer a smoother one. I used the sauce to make baked eggs Creole – think Caribbean shakshuka – which made a delicious brunch dish. The sauce is very versatile, and I used the rest to make a pasta sauce with chickpeas and green olives.
If you have visited the Caribbean or hail from there yourself, Recipes from the Rum Islands will be much used as there are many familiar recipes, but also many more that look enticing. If Caribbean cuisine is new to you, Ramoutar provides an excellent introduction to this vibrant and colourful cuisine.
Recipes from the Rum Islands is available for RRP £20 from Amazon or reputable booksellers.
Cauliflower and Coconut Soup with Lime and Garlic Croutons
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp virgin coconut oil
- 5 shallots roughly chopped
- 3 celery sticks roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 tsp Madras curry powder
- 11/2 tsp ground coriander
- 11/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 400ml tins coconut milk
- 1.5 kg cauliflower florets roughly chopped
- 6 tbsp Good coconut-milk yoghurt or thick Greek yoghurt
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- For Croutons:
- 1 1/2 thick slices bread cut into 10mm cubes
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 tsp garlic granules
- 1 large lime zested
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add shallots and celery and soften with a pinch of salt, soften around 5 minutes, stir occasionally.
- Add garlic curry powder, ground coriander and cumin and stir for 30 seconds until the aroma from the garlic and spices is released. Add stock, coconut milk and cauliflower and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, put on lid and simmer, stir occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender. Around 20 minutes.
- To make the garlic croutons, preheat oven to 200 C /Gas 6.
- Put crouton ingredients plus a pinch of salt and ground pepper into a freezer bag, seal and shake it very well to fully coat the cubes of bread in the oil and seasonings.
- Tip out onto a baking sheet and bake for 5-6 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Blitz the soup in a blender or with a stick blender until smooth. Season.
- Serve soup topped with a dollop of yoghurt and scattered with the croutons.
Looking for something different? Check my review of Ripe Figs
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