Aromatic bases are the signatures of so many cuisines – be it mirepoix, soffritto, sofrito, or cajun holy trinity, they’re the framework upon which everything is made – and Haitian is no exception. Here, the base is Epis – the heartbeat of the majority of savory dishes we enjoy from that ethereal cuisine.
Haitian cuisine, (aka Haitian Creole), is by definition, fusion cookery – a mashup of West African, Spanish, and French, with a pinch of Arabic influences. It’s not shy – it’s gutsy, sometimes in your face – and most of that influence hails from its West African roots.
It’s damn near impossible to define ‘classic’ epis – like so many signature bases, everybody’s version is a bit different, and they’re all the best, period. That’s not a problem at all, because what you get to do is add yours to the mix. The signature flavors of Haitian cooking – Habanero (aka Scotch Bonnet) chiles, allspice, cayenne, nutmeg, bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seed – any or all might find their way into your mix.
Whereas many aromatic bases are used directly for cooking, epis is more oft used as a marinade. That’s a good thing, because you can whip up a batch and store it in your fridge for rapid deployment when the spirit moves you – and that contributes greatly to spontaneity and exploration. Haitian rice and bean dishes, soups, stews, and veggie curries all employ epis, as do marinades for beef, pork, chicken, goat, crab, and shrimp.
Epis stores well refrigerated – it’s got sufficient acidity to last several weeks. If that makes you nervous, it freezes extremely well – that’ll allow you to do one of my absolute favorite tricks – fill an ice cube tray with an airtight lid with epis and freeze that – you just pop out however many cubes you want and go to town.
Here’s my go-to version – take a swing at it and make it yours – and let me know how it goes.
Urban’s Haitian Epis
2 Green Bell Peppers
1-3 Habanero Chiles
1 medium Sweet Onion
1 large bunch Cilantro (about a packed cup)
2 stalks Celery
3 fat cloves Garlic
3 Green Onions
1 fat Lime
8-10 sprigs fresh Parsley
4-6 sprigs fresh Lemon Thyme
1/4 Cup Avocado Oil
2 Tablespoons Pineapple Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Chicken Stock
2 teaspoons Mustard Seed
8-10 twists fresh ground Pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground Allspice
Pinch of Salt
End trim and gut the bell peppers.
End trim, peel and rough chop the garlic, onion, and green onions.
Stem and rough chop the cilantro, and parsley.
Strip leaves from the lemon thyme.
Zest and juice the lime.
End trim and rough chop the celery.
End trim and rough chop the habaneros – be careful, and field strip the whitish membrane and seeds, I f you prefer a less nuclear option.
Throw everything into a blender and pulse to form a uniform sauce/paste.
Store refrigerated, in a sanitized glass jar, or freeze.
Deploy with wild abandon.
UrbanMonique 