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trinidad soup

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Gluten Free Soups & Stews Vegetarian

Roasted Tomato And Rice Soup, Memories of Tomato Choka.

3 Comments on Roasted Tomato And Rice Soup, Memories of Tomato Choka.

About 10 years ago I had my first culinary encounter with tomato and rice soup while visiting Caron’s grandparents and though I wasn’t (so I thought..silly me) a fan of tomato soup, the plump grains of rice in it got my attention. I could not believe I was asking for seconds even though my bowl was only half the way through. I had always reflected back to that dish, but for some reason I never ventured to ask Heddi (ma-mere) for the recipe. Somehow I’m glad I didn’t as when it came time to prepare it it this past summer when we had an abundance of vine ripe tomatoes in our garden, I decided to put my own twist on this tomato and rice soup I first fell in love with a decade ago.

Tomato choka is one of my favorite ways to enjoy ripe tomatoes, so I thought I’d mimic the same technique in making this rice and tomato soup for those rich roasted and spicy flavors. Basically, here’s my take on tomato choka soup.

 

You’ll Need…

3 large tomatoes
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chicken stock (or veg)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup parboiled brown rice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1/2 teaspoon  brown sugar
pinch ground coriander

* If you don’t have access to a grill as I did, toss the tomatoes in about 2 tablespoon of olive oil (not mentioned in the ingredient list) and roast them in your oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes or so. You will notice that I used chicken stock, but the recipe is posted in the vegetarian section. For vegetarians, please use vegetable stock and it will be a complete one-pot vegetarian meal. IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free do go through the ingredient list to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

As with making traditional tomato choka I placed the ripe tomatoes on my grill, along with a whole green scotch bonnet pepper to cook. The pepper will take about 2-3 minutes (remove), but give the tomatoes about 20-30 minutes, flipping them so they char evenly. Yes, it’s normal for them to look burnt on the outside.

Remove the tomatoes off the grill and place in a bowl to cool. They will release a lot of liquid as they cool, thus the reason for having them in a bowl so you can save this lovely liquid to add to the pot later. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin and give them a rough chop.

Heat the olive oil on a med/low flame in your soup pot and gently cook the diced onion, thyme and garlic for about 4 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes. By adding the tomato paste at this point the sort of frying will increase the natural sugars in the paste and give the dish a lovely sweetness.

Now turn up the heat and add all the other ingredients except the rice. Bring to a boil.

Wash the rice to remove any grit and extra starch. Do so by placing the rice in a strainer and run cool water over it while moving it around until the water runs clear. Or you can place the rice in a deep bowl, top with water, then massage the grains of rice. The water will get cloudy. Drain, repeat until the water runs clear. As the pot comes to a boil add the rice, then turn the heat down so you have an active simmer going.

Let it cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice grains are plump and fully cooked.

Skim off any sort of reside off the top of the pot as it cooks and discard. Remember to taste for salt and adjust accordingly. If you used a whole scotch bonnet pepper as I did, you now have 2 options. Remove it so you don’t have that ‘kick’ or burst it open to reveal that Caribbean sunshine. WARNING! It will be live!

Top with some chopped parsley and get ready to serve with a thick slice of coconut bake or bread. This is not your typical Caribbean soup which is usually thick with ground provisions and salted meats (for the most part), but I assure you that this absolutely delicious, quite filling and a great twist on traditional tomato soup and rice soup.

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Vegetarian

Jamaican Callaloo (Amaranth) And Bean Soup.

3 Comments on Jamaican Callaloo (Amaranth) And Bean Soup.

I must mention that I used chicken broth in this recipe and you’ll find it’s listed under the vegetarian section of the website so please use vegetable stock to make this fully vegetarian as I didn’t have any left in the pantry when I was putting the recipe together. If you can’t source Jamaican callaloo (chorai bhaji), any ‘greens’ will work (spinach, collard greens… even the green parts of pak choi (bok choy) or Swiss chard).

The flavors from the fresh herbs, scotch bonnet pepper, onion and the textures of the sweet potato and callaloo, will all combine for an excellent Caribbean inspired soup.

 

You’ll Need…

3 cups chicken broth
1 can (540 mL)  Bean Medley
1 large onion diced
1 potato
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
8 cups  Jamaican callaloo
1/4 cup parsley leaves with stems
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper.
1 diced sweet potato
2 scallions (spring / green onions)
1 tablespoon thyme

Notes. use veg stock for the veg version of this recipe. If you don’t have coconut oil, use extra virgin olive oil.

 

Start by prepping the ingredients.. wash, chop and dice. The sweet potato is peeled and diced as you would any regular potato and try to cube them in the same sizes. Remember to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet pepper, wash your hands with soap and do not include any of the seeds. That’s where the real fire is when it comes to such lethal peppers.

Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot on medium heat, then add the diced onion, garlic, parsley, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let that gently cook for about 3-5 minutes. We’re creating a lovely base for the soup at this point.

Wash, drain and trim the callaloo (cut into smaller pieces).. feel free to use any tender stems if you wish. Tough stems will not cook down and will give the soup a woody texture. Now add all the chopped callaloo to the pot and give it a good stir. It will wilt down as it cooks.

Add the cubed potatoes and all the other ingredients to the pot. Bring that up to a boil and reduce with the cover slightly ajar to a rolling boil for about 20-25 minutes.

I don’t like using beans straight out of the can, so I usually place the beans in a strainer and let cool water run over them to remove the grit and excess sodium in packed in.

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. The vegetables will still have their shape so it’s now up to you (if you want to thicken it up a bit as I did), to use a stick blender and give it a couple quick buzz. DO NOT over do it. If you don’t have a stick (immersion) blender, you can take about a cup or 2 (not all) out and place it in your traditional blender and give it a couple pulses. Then return it back to the pot and give everything a good mix. If you don’t have either you can use a whisk or swizzle stick to break things down a little so it thicken up a bit.

 

This recipe is enough for 4-6 people as a starter and 3-4 as a full meal with some coconut bake or your favourite bread… please serve hot.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Cow Heel (cow foot) Soup Recipe.

18 Comments on Cow Heel (cow foot) Soup Recipe.

Ladies and gents, I must confess that I’m not a fan of cow heel (cow foot or bull foot) soup and if it were up to me, this recipe would not have been found here as I normally don’t cook this. However, a fan on the CaribbeanPot.com Facebook page sent in a request and being the good boy I am.. I got the pot bubbling. Clevlan, this one is for you my brethren.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs cow heel *
1 teaspoon salt
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 carrots (cut in big pieces)
3 potatoes
1 cup yellow split peas
4 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
1 tablespoon veg oil
Okra (about 8-10)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 pimento berries (optional)
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
12-16 cups water
1 cup diced pumpkin

Dumplings
– 1 cup flour (all purpose)
– pinch salt
– water

Notes: Make sure the cow heel is clean and cut into small pieces for easier cooking. Keep the scotch bonnet whole or burst open at the end if you want the kick from the heat it possesses.

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot on medium heat, add the diced onion, garlic, pimento berries, thyme, black pepper for 3-5 minutes and then add the cow heel. Stir well, then add the yellow split peas, salt, carrots  and cover with water.. raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hrs or 1/2 hr if using a pressure cooker. Drop the scotch bonnet pepper whole as it simmers.

As it simmers you’ll notice stuff gather at the top of the pot, skim and discard. After 2 hours the peas should be tender to the point where it will melt away and start thickening the soup. The pieces of cow heel will now be tender (and go gelatinous) , so it’s time to start adding the other ingredients. You can certainly add yams, dasheen, eddoes, green bananas etc, but I tried to keep this soup simple.

After adding the okra, potato, chopped scallions and pumpkin, it will take about 30 minutes to finish. So in a small bowl prepare the dumplings.. the flour, pinch of salt and enough water to form a soft but firm (to touch) dough. Let that rest for 15 minutes (cover with plastic wrap). Then the last 10 minutes of cooking, pinch small pieces of dough and roll between your hands to form a small cigar. Add to the pot and let cook for the final 10 minutes.

You will definitely need a large pot as no matter how hard you try.. when making any Caribbean soup, it always turns out to be a huge feast. There will be enough here for at least 8 people as a main dish.  Taste for salt the last 4 minutes and adjust accordingly. Remember you can personalize this soup with the addition of yams, sweet potato, cassava, dasheen and cooking bananas, so get creative. If you want to add additional flavor you can always add a soup mix (Grace or Maggi) to the pot the final 30 minutes of cooking, but this is really not necessary.

At the end fish out the sprigs from the thyme and don’t forget to get the scotch bonnet pepper out. I like the kick from the pepper, so I usually burst it in the soup and enjoy the explosive flavor. But proceed with caution as it will be live with that Caribbean sunshine.

IMPORTANT – Do not add flour dumplings if doing this recipe gluten free as it will not meet with your gluten free dietary needs. 

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

A Hearty Chicken Soup For The Soul.

34 Comments on A Hearty Chicken Soup For The Soul.

jamaican chicken soupLet’s be clear.. this is NOT your typical Caribbean style soup, but you’ll be amazed at how simple and tasty this is. Especially on those days when you’re drained or your suffering from the flu and your stomach can’t accommodate anything heavy. Kieana, our eldest daughter has been sick with flu like symptoms the past few days, so she called me from school and asked if I could make up a batch of my special Chicken soup for her. This is a hit in our home whenever anyone is sick. Unlike me who prefers extra spicy foods when I’m not feeling well, our girls like it a bit more simple.

I should also mention that the recipe below makes enough for about 4-5 people, but all remainder can be stored in a freezer bowl and frozen for another time (keeps for about 2 months). We’ve got some portion-sized bowls that we use to freeze leftovers, so on those days we’re tired.. we pop it in the microwave and we’ve got a hot, homemade meal. All you need then is some good French bread and butter. My Trinbagonian friends would probably prefer a couple hops bread or coconut bake for sure.

Note: If you like spicy, you can easily learn from my way of enjoying this soup. When I serve myself, I usually add a bit of pepper sauce, a few drops of soy sauce and if I have any.. some shredded shado beni or cilantro.

You’ll Need…

1 chicken breast (boneless | skinless)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stalk celery
1 scallion
3 cloves garlic sliced thin
2 sprigs thyme
1 carrot (peeled / sliced)
1 onion diced
3 medium potatoes (1/2 inch cubes)
4 cups chicken broth
egg noodles or pasta
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen corn and/or peas (optional)

The first thing we’ll do is cook the chicken breast, so it can cool and make it easier for us to shred. Do so by putting a deep pot on medium heat and place the butter and olive oil to heat. Then add the chicken breast (make sure it’s dry) and cook on low/medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick the breast is. Be sure to flip every 4-5 minutes or so, to cook evenly.

cooking chicken noodle soup

As this cooks, lets prepare the vegetables that will go into the soup.

ingredients for chicken noodle soup

what you need for chicken soup

chicken soup noodle

carrots for chicken soup

The chicken should be cooked all the way through by now. Remove from the pot and put aside to cool. Now in the same pot, turn the heat up to medium and add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook that for about 4 minutes, then add the carrots, scallion and potato… stir around. Allow that to cook for a couple minutes, before adding the thyme, black pepper and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.

trini chicken noodle soup

recipe for caribbean chicken soup

caribbean chicken noodle soup

cooking trini chicken soup

All the vegetables should now be tender. It’s time to add the chicken. Using a fork (I used my fingers) pull away on the chicken breast to shred it into small pieces (see picture below). This is when I usually add my egg noodles or any pasta I have in the cupboard. I just grab a handful and add to the pot. As well as frozen peas or corn to the pot as well.

chicken for soup

noodles for trinidad chicken soup

caribbean chicken soup

Since I used chicken broth that’s already a bit salty and I don’t like a lot of salt, I usually never have to add any salt to my dish. However, this is the time to check to see if there’s enough salt for your liking. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, just enough time for the pasta to cook.

chicken noodle soup recipe

Give this one a try the next time you need something light and energy boasting and be sure to leave me your comments and variations in the comments box below. I’d love to hear from you.

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