Red Stripe Chicken

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 3-pound chicken with a split lemon stuffed into its cavity
• 6 carrots, cut coarsely on the diagonal
• 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
• 3 potatoes, peeled and quartered, about 1 pound
• 1 1/2 liters Red Stripe or other beer
• 3 bay leaves

It may be hard to believe that such a sumptuous chicken dish is actually made with beer, but it's the Red Stripe that gives the otherwise straightforward ingredients in this recipe a touch of authentic Jamaican flavor and a tantalizing smell.

1. In a deep pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, green peppers, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, and oregano. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the entire chicken, turning it to brown on all sides.

2. Pour the beer into the pot; it should almost cover the chicken. Mix well, and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to medium low.

3. Intermittently stir and add more beer, if needed to keep the chicken bathed. Add salt and cook until well done, about 45 minutes. Serve in a deep platter surrounded with the vegetables, with the broth poured over the chicken.

Yield: 4 servings

Thanks to Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet by Padma Lakshmi, copyright 2007 Weinstein Books