Comforting Beef Bone Soup.

May 30, 2025July 17, 2023Leave a Comment

Over the years I’ve shared about 30 + Soup Recipes and to be honest and frank, I’ve barely touched the surface when it comes to Caribbean and Caribbean inspired soup recipes. Such is our love for soups throughout the Caribbean. While this one is not your typical thick and ‘stew’ like variety you’d normally enjoy on the Islands, it is packed with deep Caribbean flavors.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs beef neck bones
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 large head garlic
1 large onion (diced)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon concentrate tomato paste
1 tablespoon salt
8 sprigs thyme
2 thick slices ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper
10-14 cups hot water
3 medium carrots (cut large)
5 medium potatoes (cut in half)
1 1/2 lbs pumpkin (large pieces)
1 small cabbage (cut in large pieces)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Notes. Be sure to get your butcher to cut the bones for you, as you will not be successful with your clever or large chef’s knife. Any beef bones will work, in my case the neck bones I used had a fair bit of meat on it. If you’re 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.

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Wash the pieces of neck bones to remove any grit it may have from being cut on the band saw. Pat dry, then place in your roasting pan along with the garlic (skin on – I cut each head in half). Drizzle on the olive oil to coat everything.

Place a sheet of foil over the pan lightly and roast for one hour in the oven.

Remove the fat from the bottom of the roasting pan and place in your large soup pot on a medium/low flame. Add the onion, celery, 1/2 the black pepper, garlic we roasted (once cool, they will fall off the skin) and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the roasted beef bones and stir well to coat. Then add the ginger, thyme (I tied them with string so later on they will be easier to remove) and float in the Scotch Bonnet pepper – DO NOT Break! Explained in the video.

Top with the water, turn up the heat to medium/high and bring to boil. Reduce to a gentle rolling boil. At any time you may watch the video below should you have any relating questions.

As it comes to a boil, add the carrots. Cook for 1 hours and 40 minutes. Then remove the ginger pieces, the thyme and at this point you will decide if you want to remove the Scotch Bonnet or break it to release the beast (heat). They’ve all done their respective jobs.

Add the pumpkin pieces along with the cabbage.

Bring the soup back up to a boil and cook for another 30 minutes or until the potato is tender. Please try to NOT over-stir as we don’t want to crush the carrot, pumpkin nor potato. The goal is to have a tasty broth with chunky pieces of vegetables.

At this point there may be pieces of bones where the meat fell off, you may remove those bones and discard. Taste and adjust the salt to you liking. The final step is to add the remaining black pepper and parsley. Turn off the stove.

TIP! You may add pieces of boneless pieces of beef (about 1 to 2 inches thick) to the soup at the start if you wanted (do not roast). And should you want an even more pronounced Caribbean flavor, add a tablespoon of homemade Caribbean Green Seasoning to the pot when you add the potatoes.

Enjoy a massive bowl of comfort!

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

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).

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Gluten Free Vegetarian Callaloo Recipe [creamy spinach soup].

August 23, 2015August 23, 20152 Comments

Callaloo, the delicious soup-like dish of the Southern Caribbean is traditionally made with the inclusion of fresh ocean crabs for it’s unique and rich flavor. If one cannot source that wonderful ‘blue’ crab, we then look for that layer of flavor from salted meats like pigtails and beef, and I’ve seen some people use smoked meats on some occasions. I must point out that the traditional recipe for making callalloo (not to be confused with Jamaican Callaloo) are the tender leaves of the dasheen or taro plant. However, sourcing those in Canada is almost impossible, so we’ll be using baby spinach with brilliant results in this vegetarian version of Callaloo.

You’ll Need…

6-8 cups chopped spinach
2 cups diced butternut squash (or pumpkin)
1 1/2 cups diced sweet potato
2 birds eye pepper (1/4 scotch bonnet)
4 cloves garlic
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 scallions
1 med onion
1 heaping tablespoon sofrito (see note below)
4-5 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water (or veg stock – gluten free)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
10-15 okra

Note: If you don’t have sofrito you can use 1/2 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning – or leave it out if you wish. If you have access to Caribbean seasoning peppers (pimento peppers) I’d recommend adding a couple. Remember to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Click here for the >> Sofrito Recipe

Heat the olive oil in a deep pot (soup pot) and go in with the diced onion, garlic, thyme, chopped scallions and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook (stir) for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cubed sweet potato, chopped okra, squash (use pumpkin if you have) and stir well. Then turn up the heat to med and go in with the chopped spinach. Top with the coconut milk and then add all the other ingredients. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.

As it comes to a boil, reduce it to a gentle bubble (like a simmer) and let it go until everything goes tender and starts falling apart (about 40-50 minutes).

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly as my tolerance for salt will be different than yours. It’s now time to ‘swizzle’ the callaloo.. I have an old-school swizzle stick, but you can use an immersion blender or wire whisk. If using an immersion blender try to PULSE in short bursts – do NOT go continuous or you’ll end in with a forty mess. The goal is to have a somewhat smooth soup-like texture/consistency.

Traditionalists may argue that you need the crab or salted meats for a GOOD callaloo to stand out, but I assure you that this vegetarian version, which happens to be gluten friendly is stunning. As a soup or with rice, stewed meats (for non vegetarians), sides of plantains and salad and you’re in true Caribbean heaven. You and your belly can thank me after that food-induced nap!

Meat & Poultry

A Classic Caribbean Split Peas And Salted Pigtail Soup.

May 27, 2025March 9, 201422 Comments

This is a take on a basic but extraordinary soup my grandmother would make with simple ingredients like yellow split peas, herbs, salted cod instead of salted pig tail and tons of dumplings. She lived her entire 99 years without ever touching pork. However I love pork on my fork, so in my version I’ll be using pieces of salted pig’s tail for added flavor and that true Caribbean vibe in the pot.

You’ll Need…

2 cups yellow split peas
2 lbs salted pig tails
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 large onion
4 sprigs thyme
4 large potatoes
3-4 cups coconut milk
6-8 cups water
2 scallions
4 cloves garlic
1 cup flour + water for dumplings

Note: If you don’t dine with the swine, you can easily use salted beef or bits of salted cod for the same flavor base. Additionally, you can make this split peas soup fully vegetarian and leave out the pork. Just add about 2/3 teaspoon salt in cooking.

Have your butcher cut the salted pig tail into one to 1.5 inch pieces for you or use a heavy Chinese clever to do so. Anything else and you’ll ruin your good knives. Rinse with cool water, place in a deep pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer and let it go for about 45 minutes. The goal is to remove most of the salt the pork was cured in and to help tenderize it so when cooked in the soup it will be falling off the bones. Then drain and set aside.

As the vegetable oil heats on a medium flame in a deep soup pot, prep the ingredients. Dice the garlic, onion and scallions and peel and cut the potato into quarters.

The oil should be hot now, so toss in the garlic, onion, scallion and thyme and reduce the heat to low. After about 3-4 minutes, go in with the black pepper and then toss in the pre-cooked pieces of salted pig tail. Raise the heat to medium and give it a good stir. Wash and drain the split peas (place in a strainer and run cool water while running your fingers though the grains), then add it to the pot.

It’s now time to add the water, coconut milk and potato to the pot and bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer and drop in the scotch bonnet pepper ‘whole’! This will give us a ton of flavor but not the raw heat. Near the end you can remove the springs from the thyme as well as the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Or if you want that Caribbean sunshine, you can burst it for real fyah!

After about 50 minutes of simmering (remember to keep stirring) the pieces of pigs tail should be tender and the split peas should start to dissolve. A sign that it’s time to add the flour dumplings. In a bowl place the flour and enough water to make a soft but firm dough (tip – add a pinch of sugar to the dough) , then work with a fork then go in with your hands to make the dough ball. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, then start pinching small pieces off and shape into a sort of cigarette shape (spinners). Add to the pot and cook for another 8 minutes.

Now taste for salt (adjust accordingly) as we didn’t add any salt with the hopes that the remaining salt from the salted pig tail would be enough to season the pot accordingly, remove the pepper if you so desire and don’t forget to also get rid of the springs from the thyme.

IMPORTANT! This split peas soup will thicken drastically as it cools so be sure to add more water if needed.

Turn off the heat and serve HOT! You can always add carrots, green bananas and ground provisions to the pot if you desire, but I find that it’s not really necessary! However our grandmother would always include yam if it was in season. Also bear in mind that this is not like a North American soup, but more like a thick stew and it will (no matter how hard you try) turn out to be a very large pot of soup.

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Gluten Free Soups & Stews Vegetarian

Roasted Tomato And Rice Soup, Memories of Tomato Choka.

May 28, 2025November 13, 20133 Comments

About 10 years ago I had my first culinary encounter with tomato and rice soup while visiting Caron’s grandparents and though I wasn’t (so I thought..silly me) a fan of tomato soup, the plump grains of rice in it got my attention. I could not believe I was asking for seconds even though my bowl was only half the way through. I had always reflected back to that dish, but for some reason I never ventured to ask Heddi (ma-mere) for the recipe. Somehow I’m glad I didn’t as when it came time to prepare it it this past summer when we had an abundance of vine ripe tomatoes in our garden, I decided to put my own twist on this tomato and rice soup I first fell in love with a decade ago.

Tomato choka is one of my favorite ways to enjoy ripe tomatoes, so I thought I’d mimic the same technique in making this rice and tomato soup for those rich roasted and spicy flavors. Basically, here’s my take on tomato choka soup.

You’ll Need…

3 large tomatoes
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chicken stock (or veg)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup parboiled brown rice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
pinch ground coriander

* If you don’t have access to a grill as I did, toss the tomatoes in about 2 tablespoon of olive oil (not mentioned in the ingredient list) and roast them in your oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes or so. You will notice that I used chicken stock, but the recipe is posted in the vegetarian section. For vegetarians, please use vegetable stock and it will be a complete one-pot vegetarian meal. IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free do go through the ingredient list to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

As with making traditional tomato choka I placed the ripe tomatoes on my grill, along with a whole green scotch bonnet pepper to cook. The pepper will take about 2-3 minutes (remove), but give the tomatoes about 20-30 minutes, flipping them so they char evenly. Yes, it’s normal for them to look burnt on the outside.

Remove the tomatoes off the grill and place in a bowl to cool. They will release a lot of liquid as they cool, thus the reason for having them in a bowl so you can save this lovely liquid to add to the pot later. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove the charred skin and give them a rough chop.

Heat the olive oil on a med/low flame in your soup pot and gently cook the diced onion, thyme and garlic for about 4 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes. By adding the tomato paste at this point the sort of frying will increase the natural sugars in the paste and give the dish a lovely sweetness.

Now turn up the heat and add all the other ingredients except the rice. Bring to a boil.

Wash the rice to remove any grit and extra starch. Do so by placing the rice in a strainer and run cool water over it while moving it around until the water runs clear. Or you can place the rice in a deep bowl, top with water, then massage the grains of rice. The water will get cloudy. Drain, repeat until the water runs clear. As the pot comes to a boil add the rice, then turn the heat down so you have an active simmer going.

Let it cook for 20-25 minutes or until the rice grains are plump and fully cooked.

Skim off any sort of reside off the top of the pot as it cooks and discard. Remember to taste for salt and adjust accordingly. If you used a whole scotch bonnet pepper as I did, you now have 2 options. Remove it so you don’t have that ‘kick’ or burst it open to reveal that Caribbean sunshine. WARNING! It will be live!

Top with some chopped parsley and get ready to serve with a thick slice of coconut bake or bread. This is not your typical Caribbean soup which is usually thick with ground provisions and salted meats (for the most part), but I assure you that this absolutely delicious, quite filling and a great twist on traditional tomato soup and rice soup.

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Vegetarian

Jamaican Callaloo (Amaranth) And Bean Soup.

July 3, 2013May 22, 20133 Comments

I must mention that I used chicken broth in this recipe and you’ll find it’s listed under the vegetarian section of the website so please use vegetable stock to make this fully vegetarian as I didn’t have any left in the pantry when I was putting the recipe together. If you can’t source Jamaican callaloo (chorai bhaji), any ‘greens’ will work (spinach, collard greens… even the green parts of pak choi (bok choy) or Swiss chard).

The flavors from the fresh herbs, scotch bonnet pepper, onion and the textures of the sweet potato and callaloo, will all combine for an excellent Caribbean inspired soup.

You’ll Need…

3 cups chicken broth
1 can (540 mL) Bean Medley
1 large onion diced
1 potato
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
8 cups Jamaican callaloo
1/4 cup parsley leaves with stems
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper.
1 diced sweet potato
2 scallions (spring / green onions)
1 tablespoon thyme

Notes. use veg stock for the veg version of this recipe. If you don’t have coconut oil, use extra virgin olive oil.

Start by prepping the ingredients.. wash, chop and dice. The sweet potato is peeled and diced as you would any regular potato and try to cube them in the same sizes. Remember to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet pepper, wash your hands with soap and do not include any of the seeds. That’s where the real fire is when it comes to such lethal peppers.

Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot on medium heat, then add the diced onion, garlic, parsley, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let that gently cook for about 3-5 minutes. We’re creating a lovely base for the soup at this point.

Wash, drain and trim the callaloo (cut into smaller pieces).. feel free to use any tender stems if you wish. Tough stems will not cook down and will give the soup a woody texture. Now add all the chopped callaloo to the pot and give it a good stir. It will wilt down as it cooks.

Add the cubed potatoes and all the other ingredients to the pot. Bring that up to a boil and reduce with the cover slightly ajar to a rolling boil for about 20-25 minutes.

I don’t like using beans straight out of the can, so I usually place the beans in a strainer and let cool water run over them to remove the grit and excess sodium in packed in.

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. The vegetables will still have their shape so it’s now up to you (if you want to thicken it up a bit as I did), to use a stick blender and give it a couple quick buzz. DO NOT over do it. If you don’t have a stick (immersion) blender, you can take about a cup or 2 (not all) out and place it in your traditional blender and give it a couple pulses. Then return it back to the pot and give everything a good mix. If you don’t have either you can use a whisk or swizzle stick to break things down a little so it thicken up a bit.

This recipe is enough for 4-6 people as a starter and 3-4 as a full meal with some coconut bake or your favourite bread… please serve hot.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Cow Heel (cow foot) Soup Recipe.

November 12, 2014March 31, 201318 Comments

Ladies and gents, I must confess that I’m not a fan of cow heel (cow foot or bull foot) soup and if it were up to me, this recipe would not have been found here as I normally don’t cook this. However, a fan on the CaribbeanPot.com Facebook page sent in a request and being the good boy I am.. I got the pot bubbling. Clevlan, this one is for you my brethren.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs cow heel *
1 teaspoon salt
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 carrots (cut in big pieces)
3 potatoes
1 cup yellow split peas
4 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
1 tablespoon veg oil
Okra (about 8-10)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 pimento berries (optional)
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
12-16 cups water
1 cup diced pumpkin

Dumplings
– 1 cup flour (all purpose)
– pinch salt
– water

Notes: Make sure the cow heel is clean and cut into small pieces for easier cooking. Keep the scotch bonnet whole or burst open at the end if you want the kick from the heat it possesses.

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot on medium heat, add the diced onion, garlic, pimento berries, thyme, black pepper for 3-5 minutes and then add the cow heel. Stir well, then add the yellow split peas, salt, carrots and cover with water.. raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hrs or 1/2 hr if using a pressure cooker. Drop the scotch bonnet pepper whole as it simmers.

As it simmers you’ll notice stuff gather at the top of the pot, skim and discard. After 2 hours the peas should be tender to the point where it will melt away and start thickening the soup. The pieces of cow heel will now be tender (and go gelatinous) , so it’s time to start adding the other ingredients. You can certainly add yams, dasheen, eddoes, green bananas etc, but I tried to keep this soup simple.

After adding the okra, potato, chopped scallions and pumpkin, it will take about 30 minutes to finish. So in a small bowl prepare the dumplings.. the flour, pinch of salt and enough water to form a soft but firm (to touch) dough. Let that rest for 15 minutes (cover with plastic wrap). Then the last 10 minutes of cooking, pinch small pieces of dough and roll between your hands to form a small cigar. Add to the pot and let cook for the final 10 minutes.

You will definitely need a large pot as no matter how hard you try.. when making any Caribbean soup, it always turns out to be a huge feast. There will be enough here for at least 8 people as a main dish. Taste for salt the last 4 minutes and adjust accordingly. Remember you can personalize this soup with the addition of yams, sweet potato, cassava, dasheen and cooking bananas, so get creative. If you want to add additional flavor you can always add a soup mix (Grace or Maggi) to the pot the final 30 minutes of cooking, but this is really not necessary.

At the end fish out the sprigs from the thyme and don’t forget to get the scotch bonnet pepper out. I like the kick from the pepper, so I usually burst it in the soup and enjoy the explosive flavor. But proceed with caution as it will be live with that Caribbean sunshine.

IMPORTANT – Do not add flour dumplings if doing this recipe gluten free as it will not meet with your gluten free dietary needs.

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Meat & Poultry

A Hearty Chicken Soup For The Soul.

May 27, 2025April 14, 201034 Comments

jamaican chicken soup Let’s be clear.. this is NOT your typical Caribbean style soup, but you’ll be amazed at how simple and tasty this is. Especially on those days when you’re drained or your suffering from the flu and your stomach can’t accommodate anything heavy. Kieana, our eldest daughter has been sick with flu like symptoms the past few days, so she called me from school and asked if I could make up a batch of my special Chicken soup for her. This is a hit in our home whenever anyone is sick. Unlike me who prefers extra spicy foods when I’m not feeling well, our girls like it a bit more simple.

I should also mention that the recipe below makes enough for about 4-5 people, but all remainder can be stored in a freezer bowl and frozen for another time (keeps for about 2 months). We’ve got some portion-sized bowls that we use to freeze leftovers, so on those days we’re tired.. we pop it in the microwave and we’ve got a hot, homemade meal. All you need then is some good French bread and butter. My Trinbagonian friends would probably prefer a couple hops bread or coconut bake for sure.

Note: If you like spicy, you can easily learn from my way of enjoying this soup. When I serve myself, I usually add a bit of pepper sauce, a few drops of soy sauce and if I have any.. some shredded shado beni or cilantro.

You’ll Need…

1 chicken breast (boneless | skinless)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stalk celery
1 scallion
3 cloves garlic sliced thin
2 sprigs thyme
1 carrot (peeled / sliced)
1 onion diced
3 medium potatoes (1/2 inch cubes)
4 cups chicken broth
egg noodles or pasta
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen corn and/or peas (optional)

The first thing we’ll do is cook the chicken breast, so it can cool and make it easier for us to shred. Do so by putting a deep pot on medium heat and place the butter and olive oil to heat. Then add the chicken breast (make sure it’s dry) and cook on low/medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, depending on how thick the breast is. Be sure to flip every 4-5 minutes or so, to cook evenly.

cooking chicken noodle soup

As this cooks, lets prepare the vegetables that will go into the soup.

ingredients for chicken noodle soup

what you need for chicken soup

chicken soup noodle

carrots for chicken soup

The chicken should be cooked all the way through by now. Remove from the pot and put aside to cool. Now in the same pot, turn the heat up to medium and add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook that for about 4 minutes, then add the carrots, scallion and potato… stir around. Allow that to cook for a couple minutes, before adding the thyme, black pepper and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.

trini chicken noodle soup

recipe for caribbean chicken soup

caribbean chicken noodle soup

cooking trini chicken soup

All the vegetables should now be tender. It’s time to add the chicken. Using a fork (I used my fingers) pull away on the chicken breast to shred it into small pieces (see picture below). This is when I usually add my egg noodles or any pasta I have in the cupboard. I just grab a handful and add to the pot. As well as frozen peas or corn to the pot as well.

chicken for soup

noodles for trinidad chicken soup

caribbean chicken soup

Since I used chicken broth that’s already a bit salty and I don’t like a lot of salt, I usually never have to add any salt to my dish. However, this is the time to check to see if there’s enough salt for your liking. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, just enough time for the pasta to cook.

chicken noodle soup recipe

Give this one a try the next time you need something light and energy boasting and be sure to leave me your comments and variations in the comments box below. I’d love to hear from you.

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trinidad soup

Comforting Beef Bone Soup.

Recipe Card

Comforting Caribbean Beef Bone Soup with Root Vegetables

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Note

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A Hearty Chicken Soup For The Soul.

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