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pumpkin soup

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Smoky Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

Leave a Comment on Smoky Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

In the Caribbean this would be called a pumpkin soup and it would be thicker and packed with ground provisions and flour dumplings. Outstanding, but we’re going lighter today as I’d like for the smoky flavors, along with the Butternut Squash itself, to shine through and captivate our taste buds.

You’ll Need…

1 large butternut squash (about 4-5 lbs)
4 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1 tablespoon salt (divided)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium onion (diced)
2 stalks celery (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
2 small heads of garlic (roast whole)
2 1/2 – 3 cups chicken stock (gluten free)
2 1/2 – 3 cups water
3 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 carrot (diced)
1/2 lb smoked pork ribs
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 Habanero pepper (diced)

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. Especially the stock you choose to use and read the label of the smoked ribs just to be sure.

Cut he squash in half and remove the seeds etc from the core with a spoon.

Place the now ready pieces of squash on a baking tray, along with the 2 heads of garlic and drizzle on 1/2 the olive oil and salt (1/2). Then into a 400 F pre-heated oven on the middle rack.

Heat your soup pot on medium flame and go in with the remaining olive oil. Followed by the onion, celery, scallions and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and and go in with the thyme and carrot. Mix well.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, then toss in the ribs. Any meaty parts, I’d recommend cutting into cubes. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes to render out any of the fat on the smoked ribs. Remember you can use smoked Beef, Chicken or Turkey if you don’t eat pork or can’t source the smoked pork ribs.

Turn up the heat to medium / high and add the stock and water, along with the grated ginger. As it comes to a boil, squeeze out the roasted garlic out of it’s skin, directly into the pot. BTW it took 30 minutes for the garlic to roast. I forgot to mention – roast the garlic and squash before you get started with the soup itself. Add the habanero pepper, no seeds and stir. If you want this to have a kick, add the seeds of the pepper.

The squash took 1 hour and 30 minutes to cook through. After the squash cools a bit, scoop out the flesh and add it to the pot. Try to get big chunks if you can.

25 minutes after adding the roasted squash, the soup should be done. Add the remaining salt and parsley. I like this soup to be a bit chunky and not that thick porridge-like stuff you get in North America. Remember to taste it for salt and adjust to your own liking. Be mindful that the stock you use may be loaded with sodium (this is why I add the salt at the end).

The smoky flavors of the smoked ribs, along with the roasting of the squash adds a unique taste to this soup. While it’s ‘light’ it’s also very filling / comforting and for those of us lucky enough to get one of the ribs.. BONUS!

If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Beef, Sweet Potato And Pumpkin Soup

4 Comments on Caribbean Beef, Sweet Potato And Pumpkin Soup

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (11)

That bone chilling cold is back and with a vengeance. Over the Christmas holidays it was relatively mild by Canadian standards, but this morning the mercury dropped to -28 C (-18.4 F). Like a true son of the Caribbean soil, I’m battling back with a hearty beef with sweet potato and pumpkin soup to warm up the mind, soul and body! We’ll start off by roasting the pieces of beef (with bones) in the oven, something which is not traditional in Caribbean soup making, but that roasted flavor will elevate this soup to a HIGHER level! Then we go in with pieces of pumpkin and sweet potato, followed by fresh herbs and other flavor ingredients.
You’ll Need…

2-3 lbs beef bones
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 carrots
1 large onion
2 stalks celery
2 large sweet potatoes
1 medium butternut squash
2-3 cups diced pumpkin
water * or Beef stock
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
4 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 stock cube
2 scallions
3-4 allspice berries

optional.. flour dumplings, potato and ground provisions.

It’s important that you use pieces of beef with bones for maximum flavor and it’s normally the cheapest cut of meat. Wash and pat the beef dry, then place in a baking dish with the cubed celery and carrots. Toss with 2 tablespoon olive oil and roast on the middle rack of your oven for 45 mins @ 400F

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (1)

As the beef roast in the oven, peel and cube the pumpkin, squash and sweet potato. You’ll notice that I used traditional Caribbean sweet potato (purple/red colour) and what is called ‘yams (sort of orange colour) in North American grocery stores. We’ll cook this for a long time, so feel free to cut them in large pieces.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (2)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (3)

Remove the roasted beef from the oven and get ready to put everything together so we can started on our soup. If you prep the vegetables in advance, cover them with water so they don’t go discolored on you.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (4)

In a large soup pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and go in with the diced onion, garlic, black pepper, chopped scallion and thyme on a low heat and cook for about 3-4 minutes.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (5)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (6)

Turn up the heat, add the roasted beef and vegetables.. be sure to get all the stuff at the bottom of the roasting pan and give the pot a good stir. Now go in with all the other ingredients, cover with water or beef stock and bring to a boil.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (7)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (8)

You will notice a few things. 1. If using beef stock, keep in mind that it will have a lot of sodium so be mindful when adding more salt. 2. I added the scotch bonnet ‘whole’ to get the flavor and not the raw heat. if you break it – be prepared for that Caribbean sunshine. and 3. If adding flour dumplings, do so the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Reduce to a gentle boil and allow to cook for about an hour and 3/4 or until the beef is tender. The vegetables will fall apart for the most part, but that will give you a nice thick soup. If you want your vegetables with texture, you can add them the last 35 minutes of cooking. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly and remember to remove that scotch bonnet pepper at the end of cooking.

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (9)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (10)

caribbean pumpkin and beef soup (12)

Serve HOT (forget the warm thing).. this is meant to warm you up on those cold winter days or when you just want a taste of home! If doing this recipe gluten free, do go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Flour dumplings will NOT be an option.

Recipe Card

Caribbean pumpkin and beef soup plated
Print Recipe

Caribbean Beef, Sweet Potato and Pumpkin Soup

Cuisine: , , Courses: Recipe Keys: Dairy Free Non Vegetarian Spicy
Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 2 hrs Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6
Diet:
B Beef

Description

This rich, Caribbean-style soup blends tender beef with the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes and pumpkin, creating a comforting, slow-simmered broth perfect for winter meals or anytime you crave a taste of home.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204 °C).

  2. Pat the beef bones dry and place in a baking dish with chopped carrots and celery. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast for 45 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, peel and cube sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and butternut squash. Keep covered in water to prevent discoloration.

  4. In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic, scallions, thyme, and black pepper. Cook for 3–4 minutes until fragrant.

  5. Increase heat to medium-high. Add roasted beef and vegetables to the pot, including all pan drippings. Stir well to coat.

  6. Add pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash, stock cube, allspice, parsley, and enough water or beef stock to cover. Add whole scotch bonnet pepper.

  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover loosely and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, or until beef is tender and vegetables break down. Skim any foam.

  8. Taste and adjust salt. Remove scotch bonnet before serving. Add flour dumplings or other provisions in the last 10 minutes, if using. Serve hot.

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Vegetarian

Vegetarian Roasted Sweet Potato And Squash Soup Recipe.

2 Comments on Vegetarian Roasted Sweet Potato And Squash Soup Recipe.

This soup follows on the North American way of roasting root vegetables during the colder months to intensify their flavors and to bring out the natural sweetness. I’ve been calling Canada home in excess of 20 years, so it’s only natural that I use this technique, but with a Caribbean twist. You’ll see me add some richness with coconut milk and the Caribbean sunshine (scotch bonnet peppers) will make an appearance.

Unlike the heavy soups laden with ground provisions we are accustomed to in the Caribbean, this soup will be much lighter, but very filling and quite comforting.

You’ll Need…

1 acorn squash (butternut squash works well also)
1 large sweet potato
3 cups veg stock
1 large shallot
4 cloves of garlic (with skin)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup coconut milk

Note: you can also add your fav herbs and top with freshly grated nutmeg and chopped chives.

Cut the sweet potato, squash and shallot in half. Then using a spoon, scoop out the inside of the squash and discard. Now brush each (cut side) with the olive oil and place then cut side facing down on your roasting tray, along with the garlic (skin on). Place the tray in a 375F heated oven for about 35-40 minutes.

In the meantime you can dice the scotch bonnet pepper, very finely. Remember to wear gloves when handling such hot peppers and do wash your hands with soap and water before touching anywhere. Don’t use any of the seeds or white membrane directly surrounding the seeds as that’s where the raw heat will be.

Allow the roasted vegetable to cool a bit so we can easily handle them, then using a spoon, scoop out all the flesh and place into your soup pot. Remember to remove the skins from the garlic and shallots and place them in the pot as well.

Basically all the other ingredients listed above goes into the pot at this point. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes (remember to stir every 4-5 minutes) it’s time to puree a bit and make smooth. I used my submersion blender and went at it for about 1 minute. I ended up with a smooth and silky soup. Do taste for salt and adjust accordingly. If you don’t have a submersion blender you can (make sure to allow it to cool a bit first)  use a traditional blender to puree it. You can then place back in the pot and reheat a bit since we had to cool it down so it’s safe to work with in the blender.

Top with chopped chives and make sure you have some good bread to enjoy this lovely roasted vegetarian soup. There will be enough here for about 6 people as a side dish or starter and 4 people as a complete meal with toasted bread.

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.

Soups & Stews Vegetarian

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

15 Comments on Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

As we move closer to the holiday season I’ve decided to share some tasty Caribbean inspired appetizer recipes with you all. So for the entire month of November you’ll see your taste buds challenged with some twists on traditional Caribbean dishes. But done in such a way that you can easily serve them during your holiday gatherings. We’ll start off with 3 ingredients I simply adore.. pumpkin, coconut and curry. The end result is a wicked coconut curry pumpkin soup which can be served in small bowls or shooter glasses, so you can pass them around to your guests.

 

You’ll Need…

2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup chopped onions
1 minced garlic clove
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground coriander
4 cups diced pumpkin
1 Cup coconut milk
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

* chives for garnishing

Notes: I used the leafy part of the celery to garnish. The coconut oil was used to maintain that wonderful coconut undertone, but you can certainly use vegetable oil as well. Additionally, to keep this fully vegetarian I used vegetable stock, but you can certainly use chicken stock for an additional level of flavor.

Start  off by prepping all the ingredients. Peel, wash and cube the pumpkin into 3/4 inch pieces. Dice the onion, garlic and celery and chop the scotch bonnet pepper very finely. Remember to wear gloves and wash you hands with soap immediately after handling such hot peppers. Don’t include any of the pepper seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds as that’s where the true fire is.

Heat the coconut oil in a deep pan on medium heat then add all the fragrance building ingredients (celery, garlic and onion). Allow that to sweat down for 3-4 minutes on low heat. Then add the curry powder and ground coriander. With your heat still on low, stir so the curry gets an opportunity to toast and start coating the bottom of the pot. Grate in the ginger and allow this to cook on low for 4 minutes.

Now that we have a wicked flavor base it’s time to add the diced pumpkin and give it a good stir.

It’s now time to add all the other ingredients (salt, veg broth and coconut milk) and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a gentle simmer and allow to cook until the pumpkin pieces becomes tender and starts to fall apart (about 25 minutes).

The ideal way to serve this pumpkin soup is to have it smooth, so out came my hand blender and with about 1 minutes of working it, I had a silky soup. Try not to overwork it or you’ll end up with a frothy mess. Do remember to taste for salt and adjust accordingly.

As your guests arrive you can pour some of this coconut curry pumpkin soup in little serving bowls or in shooter glasses and serve. This soup is packed with true Caribbean flavor and I assure you that though it’s fully vegetarian, your guests will be craving every drop.

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.

 

Recipe Card

Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup served in three small white bowls
Print Recipe

Caribbean Coconut Curry Pumpkin Soup

Cuisine: , , Courses: , , , Recipe Keys: Dairy Free Gluten Free Quick Meals Spicy Vegetarian
Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 40 mins

Description

As we move closer to the holiday season I’ve decided to share some tasty Caribbean inspired appetizer recipes with you all. So for the entire month of November you’ll see your taste buds challenged with some twists on traditional Caribbean dishes. But done in such a way that you can easily serve them during your holiday gatherings. We’ll start off with 3 ingredients I simply adore.. pumpkin, coconut and curry. The end result is a wicked coconut curry pumpkin soup which can be served in small bowls or shooter glasses, so you can pass them around to your guests.

Ingredients

Instructions

Video

  1. Heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, celery; cook on low for 3–4 minutes until softened.

  2. Stir in ginger, curry powder, and coriander; toast on low for 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

  3. Add diced pumpkin, salt, broth, coconut milk, and Scotch Bonnet (if using). Increase heat to bring to a boil.

  4. Reduce to gentle simmer and cook until pumpkin is tender and falling apart (about 25 minutes).

  5. Using an immersion blender, blend gently for about 1 minute until silky smooth.

  6. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve in bowls or shooter glasses, garnished with chives.

Note

I used the leafy part of the celery to garnish. The coconut oil was used to maintain that wonderful coconut undertone, but you can certainly use vegetable oil as well. Additionally, to keep this fully vegetarian I used vegetable stock, but you can certainly use chicken stock for an additional level of flavor.

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Vegetarian

A Creamy Caribbean Curry Pumpkin Soup.

41 Comments on A Creamy Caribbean Curry Pumpkin Soup.

making curry pumpkin soupThough I’m a SOLID food kinda guy, I’m starting to really appreciate soups. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, the traditional soups in the Caribbean are very heavy, thick and full of carbs. Our soups are what would be seen as being “stews” in North America and is meant to be a true meal in one pot. But lately I’ve been experimenting with lighter (belly wash as my dad call them) soups, where the ingredient list is not overly complex.Simple and made from a few ingredients so you can really appreciate the main ingredient.

I first had this soup a few years ago while in Trinidad, but I can’t remember the name of the restaurant where we had lunch (some where in Port Of Spain)… I probably had some “beverages” that same day so the memory isn’t all that clear. After a few tries I came up with a recipe that’s as close to the real thing as far as I can remember.

You’ll Need…

1 medium onion diced
1 celery stalk diced
1 carrot diced
2 cloves of garlic diced
1/4 cup of butter (about 1/2 a stick)
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 cups pumpkin – peeled and diced
1/4 cup cream
water (about 3-4 cups)
Salt (about 1/2 teaspoon)
black pepper

IMPORTANT NOTE: I tried my best to get the sort of pumpkin we get in the Caribbean, but the Asian stall at the farmers market didn’t have any. I then tried a couple Caribbean food stores without any luck so I ended up using a sort of squash-like version. Though they probably belong to the same family, it’s really not the same as the real thing. Yes, squash will work, but the flavour and consistency does differ a bit. BTW, here’s a pic of sliced pumpkins at the San Fernando Market (Trinidad) that I took back in October 2009. You can view a lot more pics I took that day on the picture feed for the site (go a couple pages deep)

trinidad fresh cut pumpkin

Start by putting the butter to melt on medium heat in a deep pot (on high heat the butter will burn very quickly). Then add the onions, carrots, garlic and celery to the pot. Allow this to cook until the onion is tender (about 3-5 minutes). Then add a dash of black pepper, the curry powder and turmeric… allow to cook for about 3 minutes. Quite honestly the aroma that comes out of this is probably the BEST I’ve smelled in quite some time.

how to make pumpkin soup

trini pumpkin soup

trinidad soup recipe

Now we’ll add the cubed pieces of pumpkin and stir around. Then add enough water to cover the pumpkin, bring to a boil, then back down to a simmer (I used about 3 1/2 cups of water). Add the salt, cover and let cook on low heat for about 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. If you find that it’s going thick, add a bit more water and/or turn down the heat a bit.

pumpkin soup

curried pumpkin soup

pumpkin soup recipe

The final step is to add the cream and blend or puree the entire thing into a smooth soup. I used one of those immersion blenders to get the smooth consistency I was looking for. A couple tips if you’re using one… 1. Try to pulse to avoid the soup going frothy. 2. Rinse the blender off with water first before putting it into the soup. The turmeric can stain the blender, if yours is as white as mine. Yea, we got the cheaper plastic version and not the stainless steel one. You can also use a whisk or pour the entire thing into a regular blender or food processor if you wish. Bear in mind that you’re working with a hot liquid.

recipe for trinidad pumpkin soup

trinidad curry pumpkin soup

jamaican pumpkin soup

Next time I’ll be sure to get some of the authentic Caribbean type pumpkin to really test the difference in the final taste as compared to using the squash. I’ll also be testing using a combination of cream and coconut cream as I’m sure it will work well with the curry in this dish.

BTW, if you can’t get cream, I’m sure evaporated milk will work just as well.

Do you have a different version or a tip about this recipe you’d like to share? Please leave a comment in the area provided below.

happy cooking

chris…

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Vegetarian

Hearty Pumpkin, Pigeon Peas and Christophene Soup.

87 Comments on Hearty Pumpkin, Pigeon Peas and Christophene Soup.

Stew or Soup? In the Caribbean what we call “soup” is usually very hearty and in places like Canada and the US they would be considered “stews”. A great meal in one pot! Last fall I put this one together with the help from my mom (my personal recipe book) over the phone. Her original version did contain salted meat.

Ingredients.

25g  / 1 oz  butter or margarine

1 onion, chopped.

2 garlic cloves crushed

2 carrots, sliced

1 – 15g / 4 oz seeded, peeled pumpkin, chopped

1 Christophene, peeled, stoned and chopped (same size as the pumpkin)
Hearty Pumpkin Stew With Pigeon Peas and Christophene.

1 – 15g / 4 oz pigeon peas (that’s about a 1/3 of a normal can)

600 ml / 2 1/2 cups of vegetable stock.

2 sprigs of thyme (dried if you can’t get fresh)

1 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves chopped.

25-50 g / 1-2 oz coconut cream (liquid or solid)

2.5 ml / 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

hot pepper

salt

Fun Fact : The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophene, mirliton, and vegetable pear, is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash.

Step 1.

Melt the butter or margarine in a large saucepan and saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion is soft. You may want to cook the onion a bit before adding the garlic, since garlic is know to burn fast and become very bitter. .

Step 2.

Stir in the carrots, pumpkin, christophene, pigeon peas, stock and thyme at this point. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Step 3.

Add the coriander, coconut, cinnamon, hot pepper and salt (to taste). Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is reduced and thick (agin to your liking.. I like mine thick) . Serve hot… garnish with coriander.


Here’s a peek at the finished product…

pumpkin-stew

Do you have another version of this recipe? We welcome you to post your comments or submit your recipe and be featured on one of the fastest growing websites dedicted to Caribbean culinary culture.

Chris…