Last night was quite an eating extravaganza at the R.J. household last night. The collision of two previously planned events – the preperation of jerk chicken for consumption by myself and two neighbors and a small Hannukah gathering with some of the DCFÜD crew – ended up on the same night.
So much cooking took place that a load of dishes had to be done in the middle.

This dish requires surprisingly little effort, assuming you plan ahead.
Jerk sauce can be purchased at most supermarkets, with superior variety available at specialty stores or upscale markets. I used Walkerswood, which is hot enough to rip your head off. Reactions to the finished product ranged from “ooh, this is tasty,” to “WATER! [gasp] where’s the water?” There was a lot of involuntary salivating and eye-watering among the uninitiated. So keep that in mind.
Anyway, get your chicken (I used breasts, you can use whatever you like) into a pan covered in jerk sauce about two days before you plan on eating it. Cover it up and forget about it until 15 minutes before you want to serve it.
On the day of the meal, get some rice cooking (your choice — you could make traditional dirty rice, but I’ve only got two hands) and prepare your fruit by peeling two green plantains and chopping into 3/4 inch sections. Plop them into a pan with hot oil and fry until brown on both sides. Let the fried plantains dry out on a paper towel as you drop the chicken on the grill until cooked through. When you’re done with the chicken, the rice should be ready as well.
Chop up the chicken, throw the plantains and rice into bowls and serve family style. A heartier (and spicier) meal you will not find.
In retrospect, the Jerk & Jew event worked well. When you think about it, there are similarities between the two cultures: Jamaica is a place known for its music and beaches that has a surprising amount of violence, while Israel is a place known for violence with surprisingly good beaches and music.
Makes you think…