Caribbean Pumpkin Soup Recipes

CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add onion and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place jalapeno in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add celery and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place carrots in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add jalapeno, celery, and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the squash, chicken stock, bay leaf, curry, turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the plantain. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for about 30 seconds, shaking pan constantly to prevent burning, until all the seeds have popped. Remove from heat and add parsley.
• Place 2 cups of the cooked vegetables and about 1/2 cup of the liquid in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir puree back into the soup. Adjust seasonings, and stir in the creme fraiche, if desired. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds.

CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add onion and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place jalapeno in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add celery and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place carrots in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add jalapeno, celery, and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the squash, chicken stock, bay leaf, curry, turmeric, cayenne, 1 tsp of the salt, and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the plantain. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and cook for about 30 seconds, shaking pan constantly to prevent burning, until all the seeds have popped. Remove from heat and add parsley. Place 2 cups of the cooked vegetables and about 1/2 cup of the liquid in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir puree back into the soup. Adjust seasonings, and stir in the creme fraiche, if desired. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds.

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP - CARIBBEAN STYLE

Steps:

• Boil split peas in a large pot of water with the garlic until soft, about 40 minutes.
• Boil pumpkin in a pot with just enough water to cover, about 3 cups. Add adobo/ buillon or seasoning to pot, if using.
• Cook pumpkin until soft, about 20 minutes after it comes to a boil.
• Using a blender or by hand with a masher, puree pumpkin with the cooking water.
• Add an additional 2 cups of water.
• Add thyme and scotch bonnet and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 10 minutes until the broth is smooth and homogenous.
• Add the smoked chicken and the cooked split peas.
• Add the potatoes and 1 cup of water.
• Simmer until the potato is cooked, about 15 minutes.
• Add parsley and salt as needed. Stir to combine.
• Remove the Scotch Bonnet pepper if you want to stop the spiciness at this point.
• If the soup has thickened too much with the addition of the potato, add a little more water until it is the perfect thickness for you.

CREAM OF CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CACAO NIBS: CREMA DE CALABAZA Y CACAO

Steps:

• Heat a griddle, medium-sized cast-iron skillet, or Mexican comal over medium heat. Add the cacao nibs and dry-roast for 2 minutes, until fragrant, turning constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Turn out into another container and set aside.
• Stem and seed the chile. Place on a hot comal, griddle or iron skillet and roast briefly turning with tongs. Place in a bowl with warm water to soften. Roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until blistered on all sides. Peel the onion and garlic. Place in a food processor or blender together with the roasted cacao nibs and the spices and puree.
• Heat the oil in medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the puree and the brown sugar and saute for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin and the stock. Correct seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and cover until the pumpkin is soft, about 15 minutes. Puree in a food processor or blender, in batches. Strain the soup pushing the solids against the strainer with the back of a spoon. Put back in the pot and heat over medium heat. Add the chocolate and stir until dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Serve the soup hot garnished with a dollop of Mexican cream or creme fraiche and a tablespoon or so of the cubed cheese. Pass the Kekchi Cacao-Chile balls around the table with a small cheese grater and invite your guests to grate a pinch of this super-hot condiment on the soup for extra heat and cacao flavor.
• Heat a griddle, medium-sized cast-iron skillet, or Mexican comal over medium heat. Add the cacao nibs and dry-roast for 2 minutes, until fragrant, turning constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Turn out into another container and set aside.
• Add the chiles, cinnamon stick, and allspice berries to the griddle and roast the same way, stirring for 2 minutes. Scrape into an electric spice mill or coffee grinder with the salt and paprika; grind to a fine powder.
• Combine the spice mixture and roasted cacao in a mini-food processor and process into a warm, sticky paste, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scrape out onto a work surface and shape into 12 small balls. Let sit until thoroughly dried. Store in a tightly sealed jar. When ready to use, grate over any dish of your choice.

JAMAICAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Sauté onions in butter in a large pot until transparent.
• Add pumpkin and fill with stock.
• Add the remaining ingredients and bring to boil
• (Put Scotch Bonnet Pepper in Whole).
• Simmer for about half an hour or to desired consistency.
• Remove Scotch bonnet pepper and serve hot.

JAMAICAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• In a saucepan, or stockpot (large enough to hold all the ingredients) over medium heat, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Add all the ingredients except the buttermilk and coriander and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and pumpkin are tender. The stock should completely cover all ingredients by at least 2 inches.
• Remove the bay leaf and pour the soup into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
• Return the soup to the pot and heat through. Stir in the buttermilk or evaporated milk. Divide the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the coriander.

CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Stir cumin in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, beans, coconut milk, broth and 3 tablespoons cilantro. Bring soup to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 minutes to blend flavors. Mix in lime juice and lime peel. Season soup with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro.