West Indian Soup Recipes

WEST INDIAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, toss squash and sweet potatoes with melted butter, brown sugar, salt and black pepper.
• Spread mixture onto a greased roasting pan.
• Bake at 350F for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until tender.
• Saute onion in oil in a large pot until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the scotch bonnet, garlic, and ginger and cook just until fragrant.
• Add the thyme, orange peel, curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves, mixing everything thoroughly.
• When it becomes sticky, add the roasted vegetables and stir to mix, then the chicken stock, stirring to keep blending everything.
• Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove soup from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
• Puree approximately 1/3 of the soup in a blender until it is smooth then add back to soup and stir well.
• Add heavy cream and coconut milk and blend.
• Reheat if necessary.
• May also be chilled before serving up to 1 day.
• Serve cold or hot, garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds (if desired).

WEST INDIES PEPPER-POT SOUP

Steps:

• In a large glass dish, liberally salt pork and beef tenderloin on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for one day. Turn over once each day for an additional two days. Remove pork and beef from container and pat dry with paper toweling. Dice the pork and beef.
• In a large stockpot with the oil, saute the pork and beef until brown. Add the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet; saute until onion is translucent. Add scallions and saute for 3 more minutes. Add taro root and saute until translucent.
• Add chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, allspice, and ground pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until meat is tender. Stir in the callaloo. Reduce heat and simmer until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

WEST INDIAN SOUP

Steps:

• Roast onions, leeks and garlic with olive oil in a pre-heated oven at 300° F for about 30 minutes.
• remove and purée.
• Bring the chicken stock, pumpkin purée and puréed vegetables to a boil.
• Simmer for 45 minutes.
• Add half and half and simmer for 30 more minutes; season with salt and pepper.
• Finish with heavy cream.

WEST INDIES PEPPER POT SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, saute the pork and beef in the oil over high heat for 10 minutes, until brown. Add the onion, garlic, and Scotch bonnet pepper; saute for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the scallions and saute for 3 minutes. Add the taro root and saute for 3 to 5 minutes more, until translucent. Add the chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, allspice, and ground pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook about 30 minutes, until the meat and taro root are tender. Stir in the callaloo. Reduce the heat and simmer about 5 minutes, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a tureen or divide among individual soup bowls.

CARIBBEAN FISH SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse fish with lemon juice; drain.
• Bring water to a boil in a large bowl. Add fish; simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Strain fish, reserving broth. Let fish cool. Remove bones, trying to keep large pieces of fish intact.
• Bring broth to a boil. Add green bananas, pumpkin, potatoes, corn, carrots, okra, scallions, chile pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in fish. Simmer until flavors combine, about 5 minutes more.
• Remove soup from heat and let stand before serving, about 30 minutes. Discard chile pepper.

WEST INDIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large stockpot or dutch oven, over medium heat, combine the vinegar, barbeque sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir in the tomatoes, green pepper, and mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the chicken. Continue to simmer until chicken is tender and pulls from the bone easily, about 30 minutes.
• When chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and tear the meat off of the bones into bite sized pieces. Discard bones and return the chicken to the pot and heat through. Serve hot over rice.

WEST INDIAN PEPPER POT SOUP

Steps:

• Dice the sausage, place it in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Dice the corned beef, add it and continue to cook a few minutes. Add the onion, scallions, bay leaf and thyme, and continue to cook until the onion is tender. Stir in the hot chili or pepper.
• In a mortar or spice grinder, crush the allspice and peppercorns and add them to the pot. Stir, then add the stock. Bring to a simmer, and add the greens. Cook for 20 minutes.
• Add the carrot, yuca and squash and cook about 10 minutes longer. Taste, adjust the amount of pepper if necessary and season with salt. Remove the bay leaf and thyme before serving.

WEST INDIAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
• While oil is heating, dredge one third of beef in flour, shaking off excess, then brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Dredge and brown remaining meat in 2 batches in same manner, adding 1 tablespoon oil per batch and transferring beef as cooked with slotted spoon to bowl.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and sauté garlic, onions, and bell peppers, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 12 minutes.
• Whisk together tomato paste and water in a small bowl.
• Add tomatoes with reserved juice to onion mixture along with tomato paste mixture, bay leaf, Tabasco, and sugar. Bring to a boil and add beef, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir in rum and olives and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.