Complimentary recipe: Talie and Tijo's corn on the cob
Thanks for being part of the Ti Chef family! Here is your free recipe: épis, the green herb sauce that gives almost all Haitian cuisine its flavor. With no cooking required, little chefs can do almost everything themselves.
Ages 6+ · Prep time: 15 minutes · Cooking time: none · Yield: 1 jar (approx. 300 g)
Safety: the knife and the blender are for the adult. The blender blades are very sharp: only the adult should open and clean it.
Allergens: this recipe does not contain any of the 14 major allergens. Always check your product labels.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- 4 green onions (scallions)
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 green bell pepper
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 lime
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves (optional)
For the grown-ups: a small piece of scotch bonnet pepper, to be cut and handled only by the adult.
Steps
- Child: wash your hands well and put on your chef's apron.
- Child: wash the parsley, green onions, and thyme in a bowl of cold water, then drain them.
- Child: pull the small thyme leaves off with your fingers. Throw away the stems!
- Child: peel the garlic cloves and squeeze the lime.
- Adult: cut the onion, bell peppers (remove the seeds), and green onions into large pieces.
- Child: put everything into the blender bowl. Measure and pour in the oil, lime juice, and salt.
- Adult: close the blender and pulse until you have a beautiful green paste.
- Together: use a spoon to fill a clean glass jar and stick on a label with the date.
A word in Creole: pilon
This is the wooden mortar. In the past, people would crush the herbs for the épis by hand using a pilon. Today, the blender is faster… but many families still keep a pilon in their kitchen!
While the adult is blending: the scent game
Close your eyes. Have the adult let you smell a parsley leaf, a thyme leaf, a clove of garlic, and a piece of lime. Can you recognize them just by using your nose? Then, it's your turn to have the adult guess!
How to use and store it?
Épis is used to marinate chicken, fish, or meat, and to flavor rice, beans, and sauces. One or two spoonfuls are enough. It keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator in a tightly closed jar. Tip: pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze it to have small portions ready to use.
Did you enjoy this recipe?
Find 37 easy recipes to make as a family in Ti Chef – My first Haitian cookbook, from épis to pen patat, with Talie and Tijo. PDF e-book in French, English, or Creole, immediate download.