Jerked Gator

There are jerks and then there are jerks. This is a tasty one. You can jerk anything short of your sandals, but oilier foods like ribs jerk best. Gator ain’t bad, though.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup allspice 
• 3 scotch bonnets or habeneros, seeded and chopped 
• 1 to 2 chipotle (smoked) pepper, diced 
• 10 scallions, chopped 
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped 
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 4 bay leaves, crushed 
• 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped 
• 1/3 cup thyme 
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/4 cup key lime juice 
• Water

Blend these ingredients over medium heat. Use the water to vary the thickness for clingingness. Get some gator and rub it on and refrigerate overnight. Tomorrow, invite some friends over and throw the gator on the grill.