chris de la rosa

While I’ve shared several versions of Callaloo, the classic soup-like dish prepared in the Southern Caribbean, this is one of those versions mom would make when she didn’t have access to fresh ocean crab. I still remember mom would have to hide the fact that there were piece of salted pig tails in the Callaloo or my sisters wouldn’t ever touch it.. but my brother, dad and I were quite excited to get those tender pieces of pork on our plate on a Sunday.

You’ll Need…

1 lb salted pigtails (prepared)
1 tablespoon coconut oil (veg or olive oil is ok)
1 lb baby spinach
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
1 medium onion (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon coconut oil (any oil will work)
2-3 wiri wiri peppers (or any spicy pepper you like)
1-2 cups pumpkin (cubed)
15-20 small okra (chopped)
4 sprigs thyme
*salt – adjust

Get your butcher to cut the pieces of salted pig tails into 1 inch pieces as it can be tough to cut with your basic kitchen knife. Rinse, then put in a pot of water to boil. As it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes. This step will help to remove the excess salt it was cured in (or the dish will be too salty) and to help tenderize the meat itself. The goal at the end is to have the meat fall off the bones. Then drain and set aside.

In a deep pot heat the coconut oil on a medium flame, then add the scallion, garlic, onion, thyme and black pepper and reduce to a low heat and cook gently for 3-5 minutes.

Wash and drain the spinach, then add it to the pot.

Now it’s time to add the pumpkin, okra and the prepared pieces of pigtails. Give it a good mix, then turn the heat up to high. Put the wiri wiri peppers whole (any pepper you add).

Immediately add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil.

When it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and allow it to cook for about an hour and 20 minutes. Please be mindful to NOT break the peppers, or the dish will turn out spicy. However, in my case I wanted the heat.

There are 2 ways to personalize this.. taste for salt and adjust (we didn’t add any as the remaining salt in the pigtails should be enough) and remove/discard the peppers before we move to the next step. Then you can remove the pieces of pigtails from the pot and using a swizzle stick (as seen in the pic) or a wire whisk.. whisk until relatively smooth. If you prefer to use an immersion blender, you’re free to do so. However I’d recommend ‘pulsing’ or it will change the texture and go frothy.

Add back the pieces of pig tails, check one more time or salt and adjust. Additionally, if this was done traditionally you’d add a teaspoon of ‘salted butter (Golden Ray), but I no longer use that in my recipes due to health concerns. Turn off the stove and serve.

As mentioned in the video below, traditionally mom would use the baby leaves of the dasheen plant (say dasheen bush leaves), but I’m not based in the Caribbean where it’s readily available, thus the use of baby spinach in this callaloo recipe. I must also mention that if you don’t have freshly made coconut milk, the canned stuff will work quite well. I wouldn’t recommend using stock instead of water as I believe it will change the overall taste of the dish (not to my liking).

If you don’t already know, this can be enjoyed as a soup or as a side to a typical Caribbean Sunday lunch with stewed or oven roasted meats, rice, macaroni pie, boiled sweet potato, salad and plantain.

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Drinks

The Ultimate Mango Mojito (virgin).

October 14, 2017October 2, 20171 Comment

While I did share the video demo for this refreshing virgin Mango Mojito a few months back (during the hot summer), there’s been a lot of requests for the printable version of the recipe. Though this version is ‘virgin’ (safe for kids and those who don’t mess with the rum), you can always add a cup (or more) or your favorite rum and enjoy this as a big-people beverage. If you cannot source a ripe mango, try the frozen section of your grocery store for frozen mango pieces.

You’ll Need…

1 large ripe mango
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 L carbonated water
1/4 cup water (to puree mango)
8-10 mint leave mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
2 limes
1/2 cup sugar (granulated)
orange peel (optional)

Important! If using the orange peel as I mentioned in the list above, try to get an organic orange as the regular ones (North American) in grocery stores may have pesticides and/or covered in a wax-like coating.

Peel and cut the mango into chunks and along with the grated ginger, sugar and water, puree in your blender.

In a large bowl (or the jug you’ll be serving this in) place the mint leaves, cut one of the limes into pieces and place in there as well.. along with pieces of orange peel (zest). Then using a pestle as in my case (I don’t have a bar tending kit) press down to bruise everything so they release their natural oils and juices. Now squeeze in the other lime and top with the mango puree.

All you have to do now is add the carbonated water (chilled) and stir to combine.

Place a couple mint leaves, a slice or two of orange zest (twist to release the fragrant oils), some crushed ice and top with the virgin mango mojito to serve.

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Meat & Poultry

Spam For Breakfast – Caribbean Style Spam Recipe.

May 27, 2025October 1, 20173 Comments

NO! I never had Spam while living in the Caribbean as mom wasn’t big on feeding us canned stuff (corned beef, salmon and sardines were the exceptions) and to be completely honest, this was the first time I would be including Spam in a recipe. Further, I didn’t even know what to expect as I opened the can of Spam. Totally unknown territory for me, but the plan was to include this interesting canned meat in our morning breakfast alongside eggs, slices of avocado and toasted coconut bread.

You’ll Need…

1 can Spam (diced)
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 clove garlic (diced fine or crushed)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 medium onion (diced)
1/4 chili pepper
2-4 drops worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 medium tomato (diced)
1/2 small bell pepper (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)

On opening the can of Spam I could tell that the texture was a bit soggy and overall it was fatty. I quickly diced it into 1 cm pieces and thought it would be best to sort of render out some of that fat to flavor the dish.

In a non stick pan I added the oil, then the cubed spam on a medium heat. The goal is to toast the edges, give it a slight bit of color and render out some of the fat. After about 3-5 minutes it’s time to add the garlic, black pepper and diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes.

At this point you can add everything else mentioned in the ingredients list and stir well to incorporate.

Cook on medium/low for another 3-5 minutes. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt as I find the amount of sodium in such canned meats, is enough. But taste and adjust to your own liking. If you wanted a little gravy, you can add about 1/4 cup of water near the end and cook until it’s to the consistency you like.

Overall a delightful way to put an ingredient (Spam) which has a bit of a “reputation” to delicious use.

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Vegan

Amazing Okra Rice Recipe (vegan).

May 28, 2025September 27, 20173 Comments

Here’s another example of a dish mom would prepare during the time I was a kid on the islands we’d (my brother and sisters) never want to touch, yet as an adult I can never get enough. The culprit for our childhood hate? OKRA! The texture and flavors were simply not our thing and we won that battle with mom time and time again. I must confess (as far as I can remember) mom’s version wasn’t as good as the recipe I’m about to share with you (don’t let her know I said so though).

You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (diced)
1 scallion (chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 sprigs thyme
10 saffron (strings)
1 bird’s eye pepper (bird pepper)
1/2 bell pepper (diced)
2 cups jasmine rice
1 cup pumpkin (diced)
12-15 small okra (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust accordingly)
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cups water (adjust to the type of rice you choose to use)

Prep the ingredients.

Heat the coconut oil in a heavy wide pan (with a lid) on a low heat, then add the onion, garlic, black pepper, bird’s eye pepper, scallion, parsley, saffron and thyme. Stir and cook on low for about 3 minutes. Then add the diced pumpkin, along with the bell pepper. Cook another 2 minutes.

Add the rice (don’t wash – I know that’s not what we normally do here on CaribbeanPot) and with the heat on medium, coat the rice with all that wonderful flavors we created and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then it’s just a matter of adding everything else to the pot – salt, coconut milk, water and okra.

Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. As it starts to bubble, drop the heat down to low, cover and allow to cook until the rice is plump and tender… and all the liquid is gone. Depending on the rice you choose to use (yes you can use any rice you like) it will take 15 mins plus.

Do keep in mind that I’m cutting back on the amount of salt I use in dishes, so you may need to adjust. Additionally, if you’re not doing this vegan you can go in with chicken stock instead of the water. If you go that route, be mindful of the sodium level in the stock you use (or the dish can turn out salty). We didn’t wash the rice as we wanted to coat the rice grains with the flavored oil for a lovely ‘nutty’ flavor and a somewhat grainy texture when the dish was completed.

As soon as you turn off the stove, cover the pot and allow the rice to sit without doing anything. After about 20 minutes, uncover and use a fork to fluff.

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Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Insanely Good Guava Peppersauce (hot-sauce).

May 28, 2025September 8, 20174 Comments

While I don’t have immediate access to many of the fruits I grew up eating as a young fella on the islands, with many local groceries servicing the vibrant immigrant population in Ontario, there are times when I luck out. This time I came across ripe guavas (mind you they were not the best quality) at my favorite Asian market. Usually I’d make guava jam or guava cheese, but the amount of fruit required for those two recipes.. let’s just say my budget didn’t allow for it. So a fruity peppersauce came to mind.

You’ll Need…

10-15 hot peppers
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
6-8 guavas (ripe, seeded)
2 cups white vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 lime (juice)
2 slices ginger
1 teaspoon salt

* add brown sugar for a more sweet undertone

IMPORTANT! PLEASE wear gloves when handling these hot peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

For more heat add more hot peppers and for a more fruity/guava flavor, I’d recommend using more ripe guavas in the mix.

I kept the seeds of the peppers (I used a combination of extremely hot peppers) as I wanted the raw heat. Discard the seeds if you’d like it a bit more tame. Wash, remove the stems and rough-chop the peppers. Then cut the tips off the guavas, cut into 1/4’s and remove/discard the seeds (if there are any blemishes on the skin of the guava, cut off and discard). Add both to a saucepan, along with the vinegar, raisins, salt, ginger slices and molasses. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very gentle simmer. Simmer for about 30 minutes with the pan covered (slightly ajar). I’d recommend turning the fan on over your stove or open the windows in your kitchen.

Turn off the stove and allow it to cool. Then remove the ginger slices and discard… place in a blender and puree until relatively smooth (you can personalize it by leaving it a texture you like).

Return back to the saucepan, add the honey and lime juice, stir well and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 mins on a low heat.

Store in a clean glass container with a lid (if you use plastic the scent/taste will remain permanently) and store in the fridge. Yes it can stay outside the fridge for about a week or two, however in the fridge it will last a couple months easily.

This Guava hot sauce is excellent on grilled meats and vegetables, on your morning eggs and just about anywhere you’d normally add a spicy condiment. If you’re wondering how this would taste.. fiery, with a sort of bbq sauce undertone and overall fruitiness from the guava and sugar elements.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Classic Caribbean Beef Pelau.

January 6, 2018September 5, 20174 Comments

During those cold and nasty winter days in January and February I always try to add a little Caribbean sunshine in our home/kitchen in Canada, with a big pot of bubbling Pelau. A delicious one pot dish packed with ingredients and flavors of the Caribbean which immediately takes me back to my childhood on the islands. However back then it was the dish of choice (usually the Chicken version) for those days at the beach.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs beef
2 scallions (chopped)
4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 med onion (diced)
1 large tomato (diced)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 tablespoon salt
3 cups long grain par-boil rice
1 can coconut milk (about 1.5 cups)
2 cups water – adjust
1 large carrot (diced)
1 can pigeon peas (drain, rinsed)
3 small white habanero peppers

1 tablespoon veg oil
1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs (especially the Worcestershire sauce). I used 3 white Habanero peppers, but you can use any spicy pepper you like or leave it out if ‘heat’ is not your thing. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

Cut the pieces of beef into thin strips (I used a cheap cut of beef) and season with the salt, black pepper, scallions, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, parsley, tomato, onion, garlic, hot pepper and ketchup. Stir well and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

This is the most critical part of the cooking process so follow along by using the video below. In a heavy / dry pot, heat the veg oil on a medium flame, then add the brown sugar. Make sure the pot is dry, as well as the spoon you’ll be using. I’d recommend using a spoon with a long handle. You may need to turn the fan on above your stove or open your kitchen windows as it can become a bit smoky. Turn the heat up to high (please have the seasoned beef close) and stir the sugar. It will melt, go frothy, then amber in color (like the edges in the pic below). You want all the sugar to go amber and NOT black. If it goes black you’ve gone too far.. STOP. As you achieve that amber color.. carefully add the seasoned beef to the pot and stir well.

After you’ve stirred it well, cover the pot and bring it to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and allow it to cook for about 30 minutes. Yes, you will be required to stir it every 5-10 mins and it will spring it’s own juices.

After 30 minutes or so, turn the heat up to med/high, remove the lid and burn off all the liquid that’s left. We’ll achieve two things.. intensify the beef with the ‘stewed’ flavor and we’ll get a lovely dark color which will help ‘color’ the finished dish. In the same bowl you marinated the beef, pour in the water and mix around to pick up any remaining marinade (we’ll need it soon). Stir the beef well as the liquid burns off so it’s doesn’t burn. When you can see the veg oil we started off with, add the rinsed pigeon peas, diced carrots and coconut milk. Stir and bring to a boil

It’s now time to wash your rice and add it to the pot. Basically all you have to do is place the rice in a deep bowl, cover with water and massage with your fingers/hands. The water will go cloudy. Drain off that water and repeat that process until the water in the bowl is relatively clear.

Now add the water from the bowl (where the beef was marinated) and bring to a boil (stir). As it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover and allow it to cook until the rice is fully plump and all the liquid is burnt off. Taste for salt near the end and adjust accordingly. I’d recommend leaving the lid on the pot for about 10 minutes after you turn off the stove. Also, you can have the Pelau be grainy (as in this version) or add a bit more water to the pot if you like your pelau a bit more ‘soupy’.

If you have celery or extra parsley, I’d recommend adding a bit (diced fine) after you turn off the stove. Then after the 10 minutes of ‘resting’, stir in.

Serve with a side of coleslaw, Tomato Choka and/or Pepper Choka.. don’t forget a thick slice of Avocado! Remember to cut the pieces of beef small so it’s fork tender when the pelau is done cooking.

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