Trinidadian callaloo
Adapted from a recipe by Cynthia Nelson for The Spruce Eats by Lori and Yorkville CSA members From Cynthia Nelson: Callaloo is a type of soup made in Trinidad and Tobago, although many Trinidadians consider it a side dish. It’s a must-have on the table for the traditional Sunday meal. Each country in the region has its own version of callaloo. Trini Callaloo is a concoction of dasheen—eddo and taro leaves—okra, crab, salt meat, onions, pimento peppers, scotch bonnet peppers, green onions, and thyme, all cooked in fresh coconut milk. You can eat callaloo soup by itself, or serve it with rice, chicken, and pigeon peas. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Equipment
- 1 Immersion blender, foodprocessor, or blender
Ingredients
- 12 amaranth leaves or dasheen/eddo/taro leaves, chopped
- 7 stalks okra chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tsp salted butter
- ¼ cup onions diced
- 4 pimentos chopped
- 2 large crabs cut into quarters
- 1 3-inch piece salt meat (or beef or pork, cut into 3 pieces)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 scallions white and green parts, chopped
- 1 chicken bouillon cube crushed
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper or a jalapeno pepper if you like it milder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cover the pot and cook on medium heat. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the scotch bonnet pepper, whole. Cover the pot again and allow to cook for about 15 more minutes, until all of the ingredients are cooked through and the vegetables are very soft.
- Remove the scotch bonnet pepper and crab meat from the pot and set aside. Remove the salt meat and discard.
- Puree the remaining mixture using an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Be careful when pureeing hot liquids using a blender or food processor, as steam can expand quickly and cause splatter and burns. To avoid this, fill the blender just a third of the way, vent the top, and cover with a kitchen towel while blending.
- Taste and add salt, if necessary.
- Serve soup with the crab meat and hot pepper on top.