Callaloo is a Caribbean dish that originated in Africa. It is typically made with amaranth leaves (aptly called callaloo in the West Indies), taro leaves (dasheen), or water spinach; since these plants are somewhat hard to find in the United States, spinach is a common replacement stateside. There are many variations of this dish, and my recipe follows the Trinidadian version, which includes coconut milk and okra. In the Caribbean, Callaloo is often served as a side dish, but when I make it, it almost always turns into a main course. I’m not the type of guy that craves vegetables often, or vegetable soups for that matter, and I crave this dish. A lot.
1. In a stockpot or large saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat for a minute, then add the garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the onion; continue to sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.
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2. Add the peppers and sauté until softened, another 4 minutes, then stir in the okra, pumpkin/squash, thyme, salt, pepper, coconut milk, chicken broth, and scotch bonnet/habanero pepper if you’re using it. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low; simmer until the squash is fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Be careful to not burst the scotch bonnet/habanero pepper when stirring the soup.
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3. Stir in the spinach, in batches if needed (add more as it wilts and shrinks). Simmer until the spinach is soft and dark green, about 8 minutes.
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4. Add the chives to the soup, and carefully fish out the scotch bonnet/habanero pepper. Using an immersion blender or food processor, gently blend the soup until it is smooth but still has a little texture. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
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** Instead of using two bell pepper halves, feel free to use one whole bell pepper. I just like the bit of color that comes from using half of a red bell pepper.
** If you are lucky enough to find amaranth or taro leaves, use them as directed in this recipe, but bear in mind that they’ll take longer to soften than spinach – 30 minutes should be enough time.
** Many people add meat to this dish, including crab pieces, stewed chicken, or salted pork. Typically the meat is cooked with the vegetables, fished out before you blend the soup, then shredded and returned to the blended soup.
