Such a Jerk
The Latin world is a diverse, colorful, vibrant and flavorful realm. More than 30 countries in South America, Central America, North America (Mexico) and the Caribbean Islands comprise Latin America. The topography and cultural influences of such a vast area varies greatly; as such, so do the favored cuisines.
One of my personal favorite dishes hails from Jamaica: Jerk chicken. It is said that African descendants in Jamaica created the jerk cooking technique by using a dry rub comprised of various Jamaican spices and then slow cooking the meat (most often chicken, but also pork or goat or even other foods) over a fire. Boldly flavored, jerk chicken has a kick as well as a sweetness to it that I’ve always enjoyed.
As we start to look towards spring in the coming months, I tend to start seeking out a little more flair to contrast the “comfort food” I typically enjoy in the somber winter. Seeing a Jerk Chicken Pizza on a menu always brightens my day!
A few years ago, my friend John Gutekanst — a prolific contributor to Pizza Today and Pizza Expo, supplied me with this Jerk Sauce recipe. The sauce is easy to make, crazy flavorful and just plain good. Dig it.
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JEREMY WHITE is Editor-in-Chief of Pizza Today.
