Ingredients
Grits
- 250 ggrits
- 1 litrewater
- 60 gbutter
- salt
Stew
- 2 tinscorned beef, about 340 g each
- 2onions, chopped
- 1green pepper, chopped
- 3tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 2 clovesgarlic, crushed
- 1 tspdried thyme
- 1whole goat pepper
- 2 tbspoil
- 150 mlwater
- black pepper
Directions
- Start the grits first, because they take longer than the stew and they will not be hurried.
- Bring the water to the boil with a good pinch of salt and rain in the grits, whisking hard as they go in.
- Cook them on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often and scraping the base of the pan.
- Give the grits the full time. Undercooked they are gritty in a way that is not a virtue, and the whole plate rests on them.
- Beat in the butter at the end and keep them warm and covered.
- For the stew, fry the onion, green pepper and garlic in the oil for 8 minutes until soft.
- Add the tomato paste and fry it for 2 minutes until it darkens, then add the chopped tomatoes and thyme.
- Cook it down for 10 minutes into a thick sauce.
- Break the corned beef up roughly and add it with the water and the whole goat pepper.
- Add the corned beef at the end and stir it as little as you can. It is already cooked and already soft, and worked hard it disintegrates into a paste.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, lift out the pepper, and season with black pepper. It will need little or no salt.
- Spoon the stew over a bowl of buttery grits and serve hot.
- It is a Bahamian workman’s breakfast and its red colour is what gives it the name.
Technique
- Tinned corned beef is the ingredient rather than a substitute for something better. The dish was built around it.
- The whole goat pepper gives fragrance without heat. Break it into your own bowl if you want the fire.
- It is breakfast food, eaten early and in quantity, and it reheats well.
Substitutions
- Polenta in place of grits, cooked the same way.
- Scotch bonnet for goat pepper, which is close in heat and slightly different in scent.
Variations
- With a fried egg on top.
- Served with johnnycake instead of grits.
- With more tomato for a looser, saucier stew.
History
A Bahamian workman’s breakfast built on tinned corned beef, whose red colour gives it the name.
Frequently asked questions
What is Fire engine?
Fire engine is a breakfast from Bahamas: corned beef stewed with tomato and onion, spooned over buttery grits. A Bahamian workman’s breakfast built on tinned corned beef, whose red colour gives it the name.
How long does Fire engine take to make?
Fire engine takes 15 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Fire engine?
Yes, within limits. Polenta in place of grits, cooked the same way. Scotch bonnet for goat pepper, which is close in heat and slightly different in scent.
What is the most important thing to get right in Fire engine?
Give the grits the full time. Undercooked they are gritty in a way that is not a virtue, and the whole plate rests on them.
