Epis is a blend of
peppers
Pepper or peppers may refer to:
Food and spice
* Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant
** Black pepper
* ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae
** Bell pepper
** Chili ...
,
garlic, and
herbs that is used as a flavor base for many
foods in Haitian cuisine.
Some refer to it as a
pesto
Pesto () is a sauce that traditionally consists of crushed garlic, European pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano (also known as Parmesan cheese) or Pecorino Sardo (cheese made from sheep's milk), a ...
sauce.
It is also known as ''epise'' and ''zepis''.
It is essential for Haitian cuisine.
Background
Epis has
Taino and
African origins.
It also has similarities to
sofrito
(Spanish, ), ( Catalan), (Italian, ), or (Portuguese, ) is a basic preparation in Mediterranean, Latin American, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese cooking. It typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sautéed o ...
which is used in
Hispanic cuisine.
This use of a flavor base is common in
Caribbean cuisine
Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of West African,["Cuisine."](_blank)
(Caribbean.
.
Ingredients
Epis often contains
parsley,
scallions
Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, chi ...
,
garlic,
citrus juice
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...
, and
Scotch bonnet
Scotch bonnet (also known as Bonney peppers, or Caribbean red peppers) is a variety of chili pepper named for its supposed resemblance to a Scottish tam o' shanter bonnet. It is ubiquitous in West Africa as well as the Caribbean. Like the clos ...
peppers.
Numerous recipes for epis exist, as traditionally, Haitian women would cook and have their personal epis recipe.
Also, various regions have different recipes.
Preparation
Traditionally, epis is made with a large wooden
mortar and pestle
Mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used from the Stone Age to the present day to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. The ''mortar'' ( ...
(called ''munsh pilon'').
Today, it is often made with a
blender
A blender (sometimes called a mixer or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary blender consists of a blender container with a rotating me ...
.
The ingredients are blended until the consistency is as smooth as desired.
Use
It can be used as a
marinade
Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine (''aqua marina'' or sea water) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flav ...
for
meat.
It can also marinate
fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...
.
It also is added to flavor a number of Haitian dishes.
This includes
rice and beans
Rice and beans, or beans and rice, is a category of dishes from many cultures around the world, whereby the staple foods of rice and beans are combined in some manner. The grain and legume combination provides several important nutrients and man ...
,
soups
Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingr ...
, and
stews.
It is a convenient way to utilize flavors from fresh herbs and spices to everyday cooking.
Many Haitians have epis available on hand to be used for various dishes.
Storage
Epis can last up to three months in the
refrigerator, but this time will vary depending on the ingredients that are used.
The
acidity
In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a ...
helps keep the ingredients from spoiling.
Epis will last indefinitely in the freezer and will not transfer its odor to other freezer items.
The epis can be distributed in an ice cube tray and frozen, so that the frozen cubes can be used in future cooking.
See also
*
Sofrito
(Spanish, ), ( Catalan), (Italian, ), or (Portuguese, ) is a basic preparation in Mediterranean, Latin American, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese cooking. It typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sautéed o ...
*
Holy trinity
*
Tempering (spices)
Tempering is a cooking technique used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in which whole spices (and sometimes also other ingredients such as dried chillies, minced ginger root or sugar) are roasted briefly in oil or ghee to ...
*
Mirepoix
A mirepoix ( ; ) is a flavor base made from diced vegetables cooked—usually with butter, oil, or other fat—for a long time on low heat without coloring or browning, as further cooking, often with the addition of tomato purée, creates a dar ...
*
Sauce
In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi-solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...
References
{{Meat
Cooking techniques
Food ingredients
Haitian cuisine
Marinades