Trinidad Callaloo Food

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.

CALLALOO (REAL TRINI STYLE)...CARIBBEAN

Steps:

• Separate leaves from stems. Thoroughly wash leaves and strip the stems. Tear leaves apart with hands into smaller pieces. Chop stems into about 2 inches length.
• Add all the ingredients into a medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for 20 mins or until the okra seeds turn pink.
• Taste and season with salt & pepper if necessary.
• When the callaloo is done the leaves and okras should be tender and there should be enough liquid to blend the ingredients. If not add a little warm water to bring to a soup consistency.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Remove the pork tails before blending.
• Using a hand blender, blend the callaloo until all the ingredients are pureed.
• Store in a clean pot with pork tails and reheat before serving.
• Serve with rice, stewed Caribbean chicken, potato salad, boiled provisions, cole slaw, pigeon peas and macaroni pie.

TRINI CALLALOO (COCONUT SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot heat oil and add onion, garlic, celery and fresh herbs. Saute. Add okras and dasheen or spinach leaves. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and stock, bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Stir in Angostura Bitters Blend soup until smooth; add butter and salt and pepper, stir. To Plate: Pour this delicious concoction into bowls, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve.

TRINIDADIAN CALLALOO (WITH VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Add all ingredients-dasheen, okra, butter, onions, pimentos, crabs, salt pork, thyme, green onions, bouillon cube, and coconut milk-except the scotch bonnet pepper and the salt to a large pot. Stir to mix.
• Cover and bring to a light boil over medium heat, allowing the callaloo cook for 15 minutes.
• Add the whole scotch bonnet pepper.
• Cover the pot again and allow to cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the ingredients are cooked through and vegetables are very soft.
• Remove the hot pepper, crab, and salt meat from the pot.
• Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. Add salt to taste, if necessary.
• Pour the soup into a large serving bowl and garnish with the hot pepper and crab.

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.