Caribbean Pumpkin Soup Recipes

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.

JAMAICAN PUMPKIN BEEF SOUP

Steps:

• Bring 2 litres of water to a boil in a large stock pot.
• Add pumpkin, beef, onions and garlic to the pot. Stir and cook partially covered over medium-high heat for 45 minutes.
• Mash some of the larger pieces of pumpkin in the pot with a fork. Add in the carrots, potato, and yam.
• Stir in the salt, thyme, bay leaf, green onion, pimento seeds and Scotch bonnet pepper. Pour in the remaining 1 litre of water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
• Stir the sweet potatoes, soup mix and spinners.

CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN SOUP

Steps:

• Place garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add onion and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place jalapeno in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add celery and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. Place carrots in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium stockpot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add jalapeno, celery, and carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add the squash, chicken stock, bay leaf, curry, turmeric, cayenne, 1 tsp of the salt, and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the plantain. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and cook for about 30 seconds, shaking pan constantly to prevent burning, until all the seeds have popped. Remove from heat and add parsley. Place 2 cups of the cooked vegetables and about 1/2 cup of the liquid in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir puree back into the soup. Adjust seasonings, and stir in the creme fraiche, if desired. Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds.

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.

CARIBBEAN PUMPKIN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Stir cumin in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat 30 seconds. Add pumpkin, beans, coconut milk, broth and 3 tablespoons cilantro. Bring soup to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 minutes to blend flavors. Mix in lime juice and lime peel. Season soup with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro.