Crab And Callaloo Food

CARIBBEAN CALLALOO AND CRAB

Steps:

• Clean the taro leaves by removing the skin from the stalks, and removing the tip from the center rib. Rinse, and cut into bite size pieces.
• Place the taro leaves, okra, onion, thyme, garlic, salted pig's tail, pumpkin, water, habanero pepper (whole), and coconut milk into a large pot. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
• Add the crab to the pot. Be careful not to puncture the habanero pepper. Cover, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the habanero, and season with salt to taste. Puree the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. You could also puree in small batches using a blender. Serve over rice.

CRAB AND CALLALOO

Steps:

• Soak and cut up the meat. Scald and clean the crabs. Strip the stalks from the dasheen leaves.
• Wash leaves, ochros and seasoning; chop finely. Simmer all the ingredients, except hot pepper and salt, together in the water and coconut milk.
• Stir occasionally. Cook for about 15 minutes and add hot pepper and salt for flavoring.
• Cover saucepan and allow to cook for another 15 minutes over medium heat until everything is soft. Remove hot pepper and crab and swizzle with a swizzle stick or puree in blender.
• Serve with rice.

CRAB AND CALLALOO

Steps:

• Strip the stalks from the dasheen leaves and wash and dry the leaves. Cut leaves into fine pieces. Set aside.
• Heat oil, if using, in a large pot over medium-high heat, and then add crab meat, okra, pig's tail, green onions, onions, thyme, and garlic. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Place whole hot pepper in pot, then add 2 cups of boiling water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until all ingredients are tender.
• Remove hot pepper. Whisk in the dasheen leaves until well blended. Serve with rice, potatoes or boiled dasheen root.

CALLALOO

Steps:

• Pour 1 cup of water into a large saucepot. Add the salt pork and crabmeat, if using, and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a small frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add chives, onion, and garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic mixture to the pot with the pork. Add the okra, dasheen or spinach, coconut milk, and pumpkin and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, and season with salt, to taste. Serve hot with rice or cornbread.

CALLALOO (TRINIDAD)

Steps:

• Put salted pork pieces in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Drain off this water. Repeat this process to draw off the excess salt from the salted meat.
• Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion, garlic, celery and fresh herbs. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add okras, pumpkin and dasheen leaves and sauté for another minute or so. Add the coconut milk and stock or water, crab and hot pepper.
• Keep an eye on that hot pepper use one that is not bruised. You DO NOT want that pepper to burst while cooking. The heat from the burst pepper will overpower the other flavours.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 35 minutes.
• Taste and add salt if needed.
• Remove hot pepper and crab or meat, and swizzle the callaloo, or put in a blender or you can use an immersion type blender, and beat until smooth. Return the crab or meat pieces to the soup. Add the cooking margarine or butter. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Stir well.
• Serve hot as a soup on it's own or as a side dish.