Callaloo Soup

While Turkish cuisine will ALWAYS own the #1 spot in my heart for ethnic food, Caribbean is rising quickly on the list...

There are so many spices, so much produce, so many flavors that come alive in Caribbean cooking.  Those of you who follow our Facebook page have seen that I have been spreading my wings in the kitchen and experimenting with cooking Carib-style, and this particular foray was just so dang good I had to share it with you.  Seriously.  Yum.

Here is my (bastardized) recipe for Vegetarian Callaloo Soup.  If I have learned anything about Caribbean cooking, it's that it is very forgiving and if you want to make substitutions, go right ahead!  Play with the spices and just keep taste-testing as you go!

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 large chopped red onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons dried (powdered) ginger (can use fresh!)
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 large diced peeled sweet potato
• 3 cups chopped callaloo (can use kale or spinach)
• 4 chopped green bananas (can sub 1 large regular potato)
• 1.5 cups lite coconut milk (can use regular if you wish)
• 1/2 can diced tomato (can use 1 cup fresh)
• 1 cup canned black-eye peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste
• Salt/pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the ginger, turmeric, coriander, and thyme; cook 1 minute longer.
2. Pour in the vegetable stock, green bananas and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add the callaloo; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, tomato, black-eye peas, and lime juice. Simmer about 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Bon Appetite!

Brittany & Scott