The Best Oxtail Soup Recipe You’ll Ever Taste!

May 29, 2025January 15, 2024Leave a Comment

As we dig deeper into #SoupSeason it occurred to me that I’ve never shared this version of Oxtail Soup with you. For most people outside the Caribbean, the texture and consistency (loaded with root vegetables) of this soup will be more comparable to a stew. However such is the case for most soups from the Caribbean. And yes, it’s one of those dishes you must reserve about four hours of your time to put together.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs oxtail
1 lemon (juice)
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 large carrots
2 1/2 lbs pumpkin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 cloves garlic (smashed)
6-8 sprigs thyme
3 scallions (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup yellow split peas (washed)
8-10 cups hot water
3/4 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper
2 tablespoon coconut cream (or 1 cup coconut milk)
3 large potato
2 large sweet potato
6-8 medium eddoes
10-15 okra
1 tablespoon tomato paste
5-8 cups water
1/3 lb baby spinach
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 cup water (adjust)

Notes! May I recommend that you follow along with the video below as I discuss much more about the recipe there. You’ll notice I didn’t combine (total) all of the water and olive oil I used as it’s easier for you to follow along with the way I listed the ingredients. The goal is to cook the oxtails low and slow in the soup to get it fork tender. You’ll need a LARGE soup pot and a few friends to enjoy this soup. Or feel free to freeze leftovers.

Wash the cut oxtail pieces (get your butcher to cut it) with the juice of a lemon (lime or 1/2 cup vinegar will work also) and water, then pat dry with paper towels. Place them onto a baking tray and top with 1/2 tablespoon sea salt (use your fav salt, I just happen to only use sea salt in my home), 1 teaspoon black pepper and two tablespoon olive oil. Mix well to coat, then into the oven for one hour at 350 F.

Since I had the oven on, on another baking tray I placed my carrots and pumpkin (large pieces) and drizzled them with a tablespoon olive oil and roasted them as well. I scraped the carrot and peeled the pumpkin. If you cannot source calabaza pumpkin, just about any squash will work.

Once your oxtails are roasted, it’s time to add one tablespoon of olive oil into a large soup pot (I ended up having to switch over to a larger pot), then add the onion, garlic, thyme, scallions and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper on a medium flame. Stir well, turn the heat to medium/low and cook for 3 minutes.

It’s time to add the roasted oxtail pieces to the pot . As explained in the video, I used 1/2 cup of hot water to loosen the bits on the bottom of the roasting tray, which also went into the soup pot.

Raise the heat to medium high and cook for 2 minutes, before adding the tomato paste, 10 cups of water and Yellow Split Peas (washed). As it comes to a boil, toss in the Scotch Bonnet pepper (in the video I explain why you should or avoid breaking the pepper) and the Caribbean Green Seasoning. Reduce the heat to between a rolling boil and simmer and add 3/4 tablespoon salt. The oxtail will take a long time to get tender… this is just the start.

After 1 hour it’s time to add the roasted carrots and pumpkin (chop into smaller pieces as they cool from being in the oven).

Continue on that rolling boil/simmer for another 30-40 minutes. The pumpkin is meant to fall apart and along with the yellow split peas, thicken the soup.

I used eddoes, potato and sweet potato for the body of this oxtail soup, but you can also add dasheen (taro), green cooking banana, green plantain, cassava, yam.. just about anything you want basically. What I would recommend is that you cut the pieces large (as I did) so they don’t totally fall apart during the long cooking process.

This is when you’ll add okra if you’re a fan of it, as well as the coconut cream.

At this point I was forced to switch over to a larger pot as the soup needed a further 8 cups of water, since it was getting too thick for my liking.

One hour after adding the root vegetables, add the baby spinach and flour dumplings to the pot. The flour dumplings were shaped as what we refer to as being spinners.. from a dough made from 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt,1 teaspoon brown sugar and about 1/2 cup of water. Add more water if needed to form a soft dough. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes before pinching off tablespoon size pieces and shape by rolling between your hands to form a sort of small cigar.

Twenty minutes later and you’ll taste and adjust the salt, ensure the oxtail is tender and make sure you have a good amount of broth. Add more water if needed and adjust the seasoning a bit to compensate. Remember to be very gentle in stirring near the end or you’ll disintegrate the eddoes, potato etc.

Serve HOT!

Meat & Poultry

Chicken Foot Soup The Ultimate Caribbean Comfort Food.

May 27, 2025December 14, 20232 Comments

Chicken Foot (feet) Soup is made throughout the Caribbean as part of our “Soup Saturday” menu, so anyone’s claim to this soup is pure rubbish. That said, this recipe is loosely based on the Jamaican way of making this iconic comfort food. Get that big soup pot out!

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (sliced)
6-8 cloves garlic (smashed)
8-10 sprigs thyme
2 scallions (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 lbs chicken feet (trimmed, cleaned & washed)
10- 14 cups water
2 lbs pumpkin (cubed)
5 allspice berries
2 packs spicy chicken soup mix
4 medium potatoes (1/4s)
5 eddoes (1/2s)
3 small sweet potato (1/4s)
1 Christophene (cubed) aka chocho, chayote, Buddha’s palm or choko
1 large carrot (1/4 inch wheels)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

For the flour dumplings
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 – 1 cup water

Notes. It’s important that you use the video below to follow along as much more is explained there. Including the use of the Jamaican cock soup mix, how this recipe is loosely based on my trip to Jamaica several years ago, as well as why I prefer bite sized dumplings as opposed to ‘spinners’ in my soups.

How to Prepare Chicken Feet, A Step-by-Step Guide.

Please refer to the link and video above to learn how to prepare the chicken feet for cooking. Then add the oil to your soup pot on a medium flame, along with the onion, garlic, scallion, thyme and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and gently cook for 3-4 minutes.

Turn the heat up slightly (medium low) and add the trimmed, cleaned and washed chicken feet to the pot. Stir well!

After 3 minutes, add enough water to cover the chicken feet by about 3 inches as we’ll add the pumpkin, allspice berries, salt and packages of soup mix to the pot, as soon as it comes to a boil. You will need to raise the heat to bring it to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

It’s now time to add the potato, sweet potato, Christophene (while I didn’t peel it, I did remove and discard the core – watch the video), carrot and eddoes to the pot, top-up with more water and bring back to a rolling boil.

As this cooks away, it’s time to create a soft dough by kneading the ingredients for the dumplings mentioned above. Cover with a damp cloth or paper towel until it’s time to shape the dumplings.

30 minutes later and everything should be fully cooked and tender, so it’s time to shape the dumplings. As explained in the video I much prefer bitesize dumplings as opposed to ‘spinners’ as traditionally done in Jamaica. I broke up the main dough-ball into 5 pieces on a flour-dusted surface, then I rolled each one out like a long skinny cigar, after-which using a pairing knife, I cut into small pieces and added them to the soup.

The dumplings will only take about 5-7 minutes to fully cook, so we’re almost done.

Finish off by tasting for salt and adjusting to your liking. Please keep in mind that we limited the amount of salt at the start as the pre-packaged soup will be high in sodium. Add the chopped parsley, turn off the stove and give it a final mix.

To personalize this soup further you may add Yam, Dasheen, Green Cooking Banana or any other ground provision you enjoy. I didn’t add a scotch bonnet pepper to the mix as the packaged soup I used was spicy. However you may add as much as you can tolerate, should you wish. Additionally you may add a tablespoon of Caribbean Green Seasoning for a more pronounced herbal note near the end.

Meat & Poultry

Grandma’s Split Peas And Dumpling Soup.

May 27, 2025February 8, 20222 Comments

This is as classic a Caribbean soup can get, as it’s loosely based on a thick dhal (yellow split peas) and dumpling soup my grandmother would make on a Saturday (have you heard of Soup Saturday?). Truly simplicity at it’s best! My grandmother would usually flavor hers with bits of Salted Cod, but we’ll be using salted Pig tail in this version.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (any oil you like using)
1 large onion (diced)
5 cloves of garlic (smashed)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
3-4 lbs salted pig tail (prepped)
1 1/2 cups yellow split peas (washed)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups coconut milk
5-8 cups water
5 medium potatoes (1/4)
1 large carrot (cut into 1/4 inch coins)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon brown sugar
pinch of salt (for dumplings)
3/4-1 cup water for the dumplings
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

You can replace the salted pig’s tail with salted Cod fish. Smoked bones or turkey will work just as great. Or feel free to rock it without any of those and keep it vegetarian.

Start by prepping the salted pig’s tail. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this). Give it a good rinse with cool water, then into a deep pot with water (cover). Bring to a boil and simmer for 40-50 minutes. This will make it tender and remove most of the salt it was cured in. Drain and set aside for now. or Feel free to boil for 30 minutes, drain, add new water, bring back to a boil and cook another 30 minutes if you want.

Put your huge soup pot on medium flame, add the oil followed by the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper (use and pepper you may have on hand and in the amount you can handle). Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for 3 minutes.

Add the pre-cooked salted pigtails, black pepper and Caribbean Green Seasoning, followed by the washed split peas. Stir well.

Now add the coconut milk and 4 cups of water. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Then reduce it to a gentle boil and cook until the peas are fully cooked and falling apart. About 1 hr and 15 minutes.

Turn the heat to medium, then add the potato and carrots. Bring back to a boil (add more water if it’s too thick). I added 2 more cups of water at this point as when you add the flour dumplings it will further thicken.

As it comes back up to a boil, lets make the dumplings. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt, then add half of the water and make a soft dough. Add more water if needed and if it’s too wet, add a bit more flour. Knead for 3-5 mins, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes. I did place a damp paper towel over it to prevent the dough from forming a skin.

On a flour dusted surface, roll out the dough ball as if you were making a pizza or Sada Roti. I like my dumplings (following how grandma would do it) thin and flat. After the dough is about 1/8 of an inch, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut into 1 inch squares.

Twenty minutes after adding the potato and carrot, add these completed dumplings to the pot, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together. It will only take about 5 minutes to cook.

Some housekeeping. Pay attention to the thickness of the soup and add more water accordingly, as it will thicken considerably as it cools. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking… I didn’t add any salt to this pot as the remaining salt in the salted pig tail was enough. The scotch bonnet pepper we used can be spicy so be mindful of that and if you don’t have scotch bonnet or prefer something like a Habanero or Jalapeno.. rock that! Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers.

Toss in the parsley and enjoy

An incredible soup with some basic ingredients. While this is very TASTY, for some reason it could never taste as good as my grandmother’s. Side Note… there were times she would add eddoes and yam to the soup.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Hearty Lentil Soup Recipe.

May 27, 2025March 3, 2021Leave a Comment

Here’s a dish which can be a soup (as I treated it today), a stew (add some cubed potato and other root vegetables) or reduced to a lovely lentil side dish. While not the classic way we do lentils in the Caribbean, you’ll find that it’s just as tasty and COMFORTING!

You’ll Need…

2 cans lentils
1 can stewed tomatoes
1.5 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion (diced)
5-7 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 scallions (chopped)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
4 smoked pork ribs
1 large carrot (small cube)
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Caribbean Browning
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 Pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups diced squash or pumpkin (cubed)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Note! You may need to visit your local West Indian or Latin super market for the ‘Browning” and Pimento peppers (NOT pimento seed/spice). We’re using canned lentils to speed-up the cooking time.

In a deep stew pot on medium flame, add the olive oil followed by the onion, pimento pepper, garlic and turn the heat to low so we don’t burn the garlic.

2 minutes later add the black pepper, scallions, celery and carrot, stir well and continue cooking on low.

5-6 minutes later add the smoked ribs and stir again then the scotch bonnet pepper. Remember to use as much as you can handle and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such HOT peppers. We want to render some of the fat off the ribs to get that deep meaty/smoky flavor from the start. Use smoked turkey if pork is not your thing. BTW, bacon is a great (cheaper) substitute for a smoky flavor.

Drain the lentils and rinse with cool water, then into the pot… followed by the can of stewed tomatoes, salt, Caribbean Green Seasoning and grated ginger.

Turn the heat up to bring this to a boil. Here’s where we’ll add the brown sugar, Caribbean browning and stock. Bring to a boil.

As it comes up to the boil, add the Worcestershire sauce and butternut squash and be sure to give everything a good stir.

Reduce to a simmer, lid on slightly ajar and cook for 20-25 minutes.

Everything should be tender now so this is where you personalize things. Taste for salt and adjust (remember the pork ribs and stock will add a bit of salt), adjust the consistency to your liking (reduce more if you want) and toss in the chopped parsley.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Side Dishes Vegetarian

25 Minutes Red Lentil Dhal.

May 28, 2025February 9, 20213 Comments

I LOVE Dhal.. that rich and thick yellow split peas soup we make in the Caribbean, based on recipes brought to our shores by Indentured Laborer’s from India almost 200 years ago. However, since I dislike using a pressure cooker, I find that I don’t have the patience to wait the 1.5 hours needed. This brings us to Red Lentils, if you enjoy the taste and texture of yellow split peas Dhal, but want in in under 30 minutes.. stay tuned.

You’ll Need…

3 cups red lentils
1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
9 -11 cups water
2 small scallion (chopped)
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8-10 cloves garlic (smashed – divided)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon geera (cumin) seeds

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 needs.

Bring the water to a boil in a deep pot on a high heat.

In the meantime wash the lentils by rinsing in cool water, drain and repeat until the water runs clear.

As the water comes to a boil, add the washed lentils, followed by the tumeric and bring back to a boil.

When you got that bubble going, skim off that froth at the top and discard.

Reduce to a rolling boil and add the black pepper, scallions (adds a lovely touch), salt, onion, scotch bonnet pepper (optional or any spicy pepper you like or have access to) and 5 cloves of the garlic.

It will cook on that rolling boil for 20 minutes with the lid slightly ajar… or until the lentils are falling apart.

I used a traditional swizzle stick (see image), but you can use a whisk or stick blender and get it smooth and silky. If using a stick blender, I’d recommend that you pulse or if you go continuous it will go frothy. BTW, I turned off the stove at this point as it was fully cooked.

Once smooth, taste for salt and adjust to your liking, then it’s time to chunkay (temper) the dhal to give it that finishing layer of flavor.

Heat the oil in a small pan on a medium flame, add the garlic and cumin seeds. Heat until the garlic burns (yes the only time I’ll recommend burning garlic) and you see smoke from the hot oil

All you have to do now is pour that oily mixture into the pot with the dhal, then stir. You’re done. Quick right?

An amazing side to rice and curry dishes or as I normally do.. as a cup of soup that warms my soul. I always make a big batch and freeze into containers for those nights I get my Dhal craving.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Soups & Stews

Coconut Roasted Tomato Soup.

May 28, 2025February 7, 20211 Comment

Unlike those thick vegetable and ground provision laden soups the region is known for, this Tomato Soup hits different on many levels. Smooth, rich and creamy with a hint of herbs and bursting with flavors of the summer. With the vine ripe tomatoes freshly harvested from my garden.

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs tomatoes
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon salt (divided) – adjust
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
8-10 sprigs thyme (divided)
1 large onion (diced)
1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
2 scallions (chopped)
2 stalks celery (diced)
1 pimento pepper (optional)
4-6 confit garlic
1/2 cup prepared salted cod (optional)
2 tablespoon tomato (concentrated) paste
1 liter chicken stock
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup water
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
1-2 tablespoon parsley (chopped finely)

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 needs. Especially the stock you choose to use.

Wash and dry the tomatoes, then (since I used different size tomatoes) cut the large ones into 1/4’s. Please remove the stem area where there’s a hard area (discard). Explained in the video below.

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet (450F preheated oven).. then drizzle on the olive oil, 1/2 the salt, and 1/2 black pepper. Then fresh from my garden, some thyme (1/2 of it). Middle rack for 45 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove the skin off the tomato and discard.

Unfortunately I don’t have a pic of the roasted tomatoes when they came out of the oven, but you can follow along in the video below.

Time for soup making! Add the coconut oil to a soup pot on a medium flame, followed by the onion, scallions, celery and remaining black pepper. Heat on low now please.

Add the pimento peppers (optional) and the remaining thyme. Here is where I’ll add my confit garlic and prepared salted cod. Add raw garlic if you don’t have confit garlic.

As it gentle cooks, add the remaining salt and the tomato paste. Stir well to allow the tomato paste to hit the bottom of the pan as this will give us a lovely sweetness to the tomato. Keep in mind that the salted Cod and chicken stock will have a salty element, so adjust your final salt at the end or you may run into problems.

Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Now it’s time to add the roasted tomato (remove the thyme stalks) to the pot (try to remove as much of the skin as possible). And do include any juices on the baking tray.

Turn the heat up to bring to a boil and add the coconut milk and water. Stir well. Then reduce the heat to med/low after it comes to a boil and allow the soup to cook for 25 minutes.

Feel free to add a bit more black pepper (fresh ground) and taste/adjust the salt. If you find there’s a bit of tartness you can add a bit of brown sugar and parmesan cheese would also make a great addition. I added honey and sugar.

Here’s where you’ll use your stick blender and pulse until you get the texture and consistency you like. DO NOT go continuous or it will go frothy.

You should have a nice silky texture combined with herbal notes, the sweetness of the coconut and the fresh burst of summer… in the roasted tomatoes. ENJOY!

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Smoked Turkey Callaloo (soup).

May 27, 2025October 14, 2020Leave a Comment

YES! I’ll admit, there’s NOTHING better than a classic callaloo made with fresh ocean crabs (as mom makes). In some instances I even drool for Callaloo made with salted pigtails. However, when you’re based in Canada (away from the tropics) Smoked Turkey is a just-as-good replacement and dare I say, just as tasty? Here’s my take on this classic Caribbean soup, using ingredients I can source at my local shops.

You’ll Need…

1 smoked turkey drumstick
3 lb baby spinach (washed + rough chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion (diced)
3 cloves garlic (smashed)
3 scallions (chopped)
5 sprigs thyme (leaves)
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1 teaspoon salt (adjust)
2 seasoning peppers (aka pimento peppers)
15 okra (cut into 1 cm wheels)
2 cups cubed sweet potato
2 cups cubed squash or pumpkin
2 cups coconut milk
6-8 cups chicken stock (adjust)

Important. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the coconut milk and stock you decide on using.

In a deep soup pot heat the oil on a low flame, then add the onion, scallions, garlic , thyme leaves, black pepper, Scotch Bonnet pepper (no seeds) and pimento peppers if you can source it. Cook on low heat to bring out the flavors and not burn anything. about 3-4 minutes.

Add the smoked Turkey Leg (wash first with cool water) and stir. Then add the chicken stock and bring up to a boil – so turn up the heat.

Add the salt as it comes to a boil, followed by the okra and the coconut milk. Stir well to combine everything.

Now add the washed spinach (rough chop), followed by the sweet potato and pumpkin (or squash). Bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Note! Traditionally, the baby leaves of the dasheen plant (taro) would be used instead of the spinach.

1 hour and 15 minutes later, remove the turkey drumstick and set aside to cool. Taste for salt, and once everything is soft and tender (cook a further 10-15 mins if needs be), it’s time to puree everything into a somewhat smooth (but thick) consistency. I used my traditional swizzle stick, but you can use a stick blender. May I recommend that you pulse it if using an electric blender so it does not produce a lot of foam/froth.

Now the turkey should be fully cool, stirp the meat off the bone and add it back to the pot.

Stir well, final taste for salt (adjust) and enjoy. This is an excellent stand-alone soup, or as a side dish to rice, ground provisions and stewed meats.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Flavorful Homemade Chicken Stock.

May 27, 2025February 26, 2020Leave a Comment

While we don’t have a culture of making stock (specifically) in the Caribbean, you’ll easily notice that our soups and stews are indeed packed with stock-making ingredients. We basically create a stock in the process of cooking. So why am I sharing a homemade Chicken Stock to share with you? Demand! There’s been many requests for this recipe over at Instagram.

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs chicken
3 stalks celery (rough chop)
1 large onion (quartered)
6-8 sprigs thyme
5 cloves garlic
bunch of parsley (rough chop)
2-4 scallions (rough chop)
12-16 cups water (cool)
10 black peppercorns
2 carrots (rough chopped)
3/4 tablespoon sea salt (optional)

Important: I used chicken carcasses (breast and legs removed) which were on sale, but you can use a whole chicken or chicken parts if you wish. This is a more concentrated stock as I’m using less liquid as I would normally. Add a couple allspice berries for even more flavor. If doing this recipe gluten free please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

In a large pot, place the chicken, celery, carrots, onion and pepper corns.

The add the other ingredients and bring to a boil (med/high heat). I did add salt to my stock as IMHO I think it helps to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients. But to make this sodium free, you can leave out the salt obviously. And the beauty of making your own homemade stock is to control the ingredients, especially the high sodium typically found in the grocery store stuff.

As it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to as low as it will go and simmer. Be sure to periodically skim off any scum/froth/impurities at the top.

An hour and thirty minutes later (go longer for a more concentrated stock) turn off the stove. Allow to cool to make straining easier and safer.

Feel free to use immediately or put into sealed containers in the freezer and simply thaw when you’ve got use for this amazing homemade chicken stock.

The second reason I have for sharing this recipe is because whenever I visit the Caribbean I make a huge batch of this stock, then a just as massive pot of chicken soup (very light) for my sister. She portions it out into freezer friendly containers and she’s got soup for those chilly nights during the rainy season in the Caribbean.

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

Smoky Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

May 27, 2025February 22, 2020Leave a Comment

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.

Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Red Peas Soup.

May 27, 2025November 7, 20169 Comments

Here’s another one of those classic soups you’ll find being made on a Saturday throughout the Caribbean, with each household putting their own personal twist on things. While it’s loving known as Red Peas Soup, the key ingredient in most cases is usually red beans (Kidney Beans). And though in this recipe I didn’t use any ground provisions (I explain more in the demo video) it’s also customary to add stewing beef and/or smoked meats as well. I went pretty basic to keep it simple for you to duplicate, while giving you maximum flavor and heartiness.

You’ll Need…

2 cups dried red beans (kidney / soaked)
1 large carrot (1/4 inch pieces)
2 scallions (chopped)
4-6 sprigs thyme
1 medium onion (diced)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 bird’s eye pepper (leave whole)
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
6 pimento berries (allspice)
2 lbs of salted pig tails (prepared)
10-12 cups water
4 medium potatoes (1/4)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup water (for dumplings)

Edit: 1 cup coconut milk

Note: Optionally you can add stewing beef, yam, sweet potato as well as other ground provisions. If pork is not your thing you can always use smoked meats and/or beef. You’ll then have to add salt though.

Wash and rinse the dried kidney beans.. then cover with water in a deep bowl. Remember as they soak they will expand to at least triple the size they were originally so add a lot of water to the bowl. Soak them overnight or for at least 2 hrs to make the cooking step go quicker. I tossed out the water they were soaked in after it did the job.

Have your butcher cut the salted pigtail into 2 inch pieces as it will be very difficult to cut with an ordinary kitchen knife. Wash, then place a deep pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, then drain + rinse and repeat (boil again in water). The goal is to make the pieces of pig tails tender and to remove most of the salt it was cured in.

Time to start the soup. Place everything in the pot (except the flour and potato), then cover with water and place on a high flame to bring to a boil. As it comes to a boil, skim off any scum/froth at the top and discard. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and allow it to cook for 1 hr and 15 mins.. basically until the beans are tender and start falling apart.

It’s now time to add the potato (and Yams etc if you’re adding it) as well as the coconut milk and continue cooking for 15 minutes.

Now is a good time to start making the basic dough for the spinner dumplings. Mix the flour and water (add a pinch of salt if you want) until you have a soft/smooth dough. allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then pinch of a tablespoon at a time and roll between your hands to form a cigarette shape.

Add them to the pot, stir well and continue cooking for another 15 minutes on a rolling boil.

You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to the pot as the remaining salt from the salted pigtails will be enough to properly season this dish. However you can taste and adjust accordingly. Lets recap the timing part of things so you’re not confused. Cook the base of the soup for 1 hr and 15 minute or until tender, then add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, then add the dumplings and cook for a further 15 minutes. Keep in mind that this soup will thicken quite a bit as it cools.

While this is not a traditional recipe to any one specific island, versions of this soup (sometimes called stewed peas) can be found throughout the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa. A hearty bowl of this soup will surely give you the sleepies (some may call it ethnic fatigue). You can certainly freeze the leftovers and heat it up another day.

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Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Salted Beef Soup.

September 12, 2016September 12, 2016Leave a Comment

One of my favorite soups to look forward to on “Soup Saturdays” was when mom would have a massive pot of saltbeef (salted beef) soup, packed with ground provisions bubbling away on the stove. Due to the price and the fact that sourcing ‘good’ salted beef was difficult, we didn’t have saltbeef soup often. I still get a chuckle when I do thick heavy soups during the summer months here in Canada and people would say “isn’t it too hot for soups?”. For the most part the Caribbean is always hot and it’s tradition throughout the Caribbean that on Saturday’s we enjoy a piping hot bowl of soup.

You’ll Need…

1 lb salted beef
8-10 cups water
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 1/4 cups yellow split peas
1 large carrot
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4-6 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
4 small potatoes
4-6 eddoes
1 large Taro (or dasheen)
3 sweet potatoes
Yam and green bananas optional
1 scotch bonnet pepper

* The salted beef I used had bones so I got my butcher to cut it into pieces for me. I then washed and boiled in water for about 25 minutes before I got to cooking the actual soup. This will help remove some of the salt and start tenderizing it a bit.

Add the pre-cooked salted beef to your soup pot and place it on a medium flame. I didn’t need any veg oil as the pieces of salted beef I had was rather fatty. Then go in with the smashed garlic, diced onion, thyme and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for about 5 minutes.

It’s now time to add the split peas (washed), along with the carrots and 5 cups of water and bring to a boil (turn up the heat).

When it comes to a boil, reduce it to a rolling boil and allow it to cook for 45 mins – 1 hr. Basically until the beef and peas are somewhat tender. I also added the scotch bonnet pepper chopped, but if you don’t want the raw heat of the Caribbean Sunshine, you can float it whole. Just be sure to not break it as the soup cooks. Then fish it out near the end and discard. Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.

While things bubble, I like peeling my ground provisions and potato. Try to cut them the same size so they cook evenly and if you’re doing so in advance, simply place them in a bowl covered with water so they don’t discolor. If you see any sort of foam accumulating at the top, skim off and discard.

After the 1 hr or so, add all the other ingredients (including the chopped scallions), top with water and bring to a boil. If you notice any froth/scum at the top, skim off and discard. Cook for 25 mins or so on a rolling boil, or until all the ground provisions are tender. This will depend on how thick you cut them. You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt to this soup as the remaining salt from the beef will be enough, but you can certainly adjust to your liking near the end.

You can leave the pot open or have the lid slightly ajar as it boils.

While I must admit that the quality of salted beef I get here in Southern Ontario is not as good as the ones we’d normally get on the islands, this is still a TASTY and comforting soup. This sort of meal takes me back to a time and place I wish I could relive often. Such a fun time to be a kid on the islands! Remember if you wanted you can add some flour dumplings the last 10 mins of cooking and it will take the comfort level over the TOP!

Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Black Eyed Peas Soup.

May 27, 2025March 2, 20163 Comments

Take us away from the Caribbean, but you CANNOT take the “Caribbean” from US! Soup and Saturday is like the blue shirt and khaki shorts uniform you’d see next generation island boys smartly dressed in as they make their way to school. You expect to see it, without question. In my time on the islands anyway! We love making a massive (no matter how hard you try, the pot never seems big enough) pot of soup, rich and thick with wonderful flavors and textures. Guaranteed to be found on a Saturday bubbling away in homes across the region. Here’s one such soup..

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs salted pigtails
1 cup dried black eyed peas
7-9 cups water (for the soup)
1 can coconut milk (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 carrot
2 scallions
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2-3 cups diced pumpkin
12 okra
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 allspice berries
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon veg oil
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
4 sprigs thyme
1/2 lime for washing pig tail

Flour Dumplings
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water

* Please ask your butcher to cut the pigtails for you (make sure it’s salt cured pigtails and not fresh) as the bones can cause some damage to your regular kitchen knife.

Place the salted pig tails (cut into 1-2 inch pieces) in water and the lime juice, wash well and remove any tiny hairs (if there’s any). Then place in a deep pan with about 5 cups of water (not mentioned in the recipe ingredient list) and boil for about 30-40 minutes. This will remove most of the salt and help to tenderize the pieces of meat (which can be tough). Click Here to watch a video on how to prepare the salted pigtails.

Soak your dried black eye peas in water overnight or at least 2 hours to help speed up the cooking time. If you want you can use canned black eye peas and cut the cooking time by half. Then in your soup pot heat the veg oil on a medium flame and go in with the thyme, scallions, onion, garlic, allspice berries, black pepper and parsley. Lower the heat to low and cook gently for 3-5 minutes.

Drain and add the boiled pieces of pigtails to the pot and stir well. NOTE: the residual salt from the pigtails will be enough to season this dish (my liking but do taste near the end and adjust accordingly).

Now turn up the heat and add all the other ingredients (except the stuff for making the flour dumplings) and bring to a boil. DO NOT cut the scotch bonnet pepper as we’ll just float it in the soup to get flavor and not the raw heat. So please be gentle when stirring the pot. Unless you want that KICK.. break that Caribbean sunshine open!

Be sure to remove the tips and stems from the okra.

When it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it go for about 1 hr and 40 mins. Then make the flour dumplings (watch the video below to see how I did it).. basically mix the ingredients together with a fork, then form into a dough ball with your hands – rest for 5 minutes (cover with plastic wrap), now form little cigar shape dumplings..called spinners. Add them to the pot and cook another 5-10 minutes. Do test the peas to make sure they are tender before adding the dumplings, so you can cook it a bit longer if necessary. Add more water if you find the soup is too thick… since it will thicken more as the soup cools.

You can also add sweet potatoes, green bananas, yams, dasheen, cassava etc to this for even more goodness.. I kept it simple by using what I had on hand. Remember to remove the scotch bonnet pepper and if you want you can squeeze in a tiny bit of lime juice at the end for a little brightness (optional).

soup

The Best Oxtail Soup Recipe You’ll Ever Taste!

Recipe Card

Hearty Caribbean Oxtail Soup with Root Vegetables and Dumplings

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Ingredients

Instructions

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