Caribbean Calabaza Soup Recipes

CALABAZA SOUP: SOPA DE CALABAZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the calabaza. Season with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven until tender, about 1/2 hour.
• In a large stockpot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and saute onions, green pepper, red pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes or until caramelized. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 more minutes.
• Deglaze with white wine. Add chicken stock and heavy cream and the roasted calabaza. Add the thyme. Bring to a boil. Simmer about 20 minutes. Puree all the ingredients. Strain the soup and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with vanilla-flavored whipped cream, if desired.

CALABAZA VEGETARIAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place all ingredients (except salt, pepper, and chili pepper) in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Let simmer for 1 hour. Strain the liquid into a bowl and allow the solids to cool. Puree the cooled solids.
• Return the puree to the soup pot along with the strained liquid. Simmer, uncovered, until the mixture is reduced to a syrup-like consistency.
• Add the seasonings while the soup is simmering, and serve while still hot.

CARIBBEAN WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and green pepper; cook until the onion begins to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in the water, white beans, tomato sauce, garlic, cilantro, and calabaza. Season with the sazon packet, bouillon cube, salt, pepper, and cumin; stir well to combine.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the calabaza has softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the cover, and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened, about 10 more minutes.

JAMAICAN COCONUT-PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, shallots, scallions, garlic, and carrot and cook until soft and just starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes, making sure not to brown.
• Add calabaza, chicken stock, thyme, bay leaves, Scotch bonnet chile pepper, and allspice to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer until pumpkin is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and season with sea salt and pepper.
• Puree soup using a hand blender until smooth. Return to a medium-low heat and bring to a boil. Stir in coconut milk and lime juice and let simmer to develop flavor, about 5 minutes. Serve.

SPICY PUMPKIN SOUP - CARIBBEAN STYLE

Steps:

• Boil split peas in a large pot of water with the garlic until soft, about 40 minutes.
• Boil pumpkin in a pot with just enough water to cover, about 3 cups. Add adobo/ buillon or seasoning to pot, if using.
• Cook pumpkin until soft, about 20 minutes after it comes to a boil.
• Using a blender or by hand with a masher, puree pumpkin with the cooking water.
• Add an additional 2 cups of water.
• Add thyme and scotch bonnet and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for 10 minutes until the broth is smooth and homogenous.
• Add the smoked chicken and the cooked split peas.
• Add the potatoes and 1 cup of water.
• Simmer until the potato is cooked, about 15 minutes.
• Add parsley and salt as needed. Stir to combine.
• Remove the Scotch Bonnet pepper if you want to stop the spiciness at this point.
• If the soup has thickened too much with the addition of the potato, add a little more water until it is the perfect thickness for you.

CREAM OF CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN SOUP WITH CACAO NIBS: CREMA DE CALABAZA Y CACAO

Steps:

• Heat a griddle, medium-sized cast-iron skillet, or Mexican comal over medium heat. Add the cacao nibs and dry-roast for 2 minutes, until fragrant, turning constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Turn out into another container and set aside.
• Stem and seed the chile. Place on a hot comal, griddle or iron skillet and roast briefly turning with tongs. Place in a bowl with warm water to soften. Roast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until blistered on all sides. Peel the onion and garlic. Place in a food processor or blender together with the roasted cacao nibs and the spices and puree.
• Heat the oil in medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the puree and the brown sugar and saute for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin and the stock. Correct seasoning. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and cover until the pumpkin is soft, about 15 minutes. Puree in a food processor or blender, in batches. Strain the soup pushing the solids against the strainer with the back of a spoon. Put back in the pot and heat over medium heat. Add the chocolate and stir until dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Serve the soup hot garnished with a dollop of Mexican cream or creme fraiche and a tablespoon or so of the cubed cheese. Pass the Kekchi Cacao-Chile balls around the table with a small cheese grater and invite your guests to grate a pinch of this super-hot condiment on the soup for extra heat and cacao flavor.
• Heat a griddle, medium-sized cast-iron skillet, or Mexican comal over medium heat. Add the cacao nibs and dry-roast for 2 minutes, until fragrant, turning constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Turn out into another container and set aside.
• Add the chiles, cinnamon stick, and allspice berries to the griddle and roast the same way, stirring for 2 minutes. Scrape into an electric spice mill or coffee grinder with the salt and paprika; grind to a fine powder.
• Combine the spice mixture and roasted cacao in a mini-food processor and process into a warm, sticky paste, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Scrape out onto a work surface and shape into 12 small balls. Let sit until thoroughly dried. Store in a tightly sealed jar. When ready to use, grate over any dish of your choice.