A classic Caribbean soup and a specialty of Sign Great House near Montego Bay, Jamaica
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pig tails, scrubbed, rinsed in cold water, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound salt beef, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 6 1/2 pints water
- 1 pound yams, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound coco, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups ice water
- 12 okra, rinsed
- 8 ounces Indian kale, trimmed of heavy stalks and finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon powdered thyme
- Freshly ground salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 6 ounces onion, thinly sliced
- 3 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 can callaloo* or 1 pound fresh spinach, shredded
- *a Jamaican green vegetable that tastes like a cross between broccoli and spinach
Directions
In a pot large enough to hold at least 20 cups of water, add pig tails. Cook on medium heat to render fat. Pat salt beef dry with a towel. When drippings have accumulated, add salt beef to pot and saute until brown.
Once browned, add 6 1/2 pints of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 hour, occasionally skimming off the foam that rises to the surface and clings to the sides of the pot.
After 1 hour, add the yams and coco. Add ice water to congeal fat and cause it to rise to the top. Skim off fat. Simmer for 1/2 hour more.
Add okra and kale. Add thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Add chopped onion and scallion. Cook another 1/2 hour. Add callaloo or spinach and boil for 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
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By Hirfa
on April 07, 2011
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I've not really tried this recipe yet but from my personal experience from making Jamaican pepperpot soup numerous times, this recipe just needs a slight adjustment.
#1 This soup is never complete without the juice extracted from a grated dry coconut.
#2 The calaloo or spinach needs to be cooked for at least a half hour not 3 minutes.
#3 In the West Indies, dumplings are a must, in any soup.
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