Soup’s place in West Indian cuisine dates back to the colonial era, when coal pots simmered over open flames to provide a substantial meal for the slaves after their backbreaking labor in the fields was finally finished. Everything was thrown into the mix: native produce, scraps of meat and bones from the plantation owner’s table, and almost anything else that could be foraged or fished. Eventually, no matter how poor the original ingredients, this long, low and slow cooking method would yield results that were not only flavorful but filling. Today these thick soups (which are eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner) have become regional staples, delicious evidence of a centuries-old tradition that defies the modern culinary convention of eating to suit the climate. And at this time of year, as temperatures plummet in our corner of the world, they’re also a fitting way to bring some Caribbean warmth to your table.
CALLALOO
Trinidad and Tobago’s national dish features taro leaves, okra, coconut milk and hot peppers. Callaloo is also served in Barbados, Grenada, the French Caribbean and Jamaica, where local spinach is used for the staple ingredient.
CONCH CHOWDER
This iconic soup is most popular in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The conch (also known as lambí) is combined with onions, celery, carrots and fresh herbs; add a dash of hot sauce for an extra kick. See the recipe for Conch Chowder »
PEPPER POT
This hearty Guyanese stew combines slow-cooked chunks of tougher cuts of beef, mutton or pork, cassareep (a syrup made from boiled-down cassava) and, of course, as the name suggests, plenty of hot peppers.
PUMPKIN SOUP
The ultimate Caribbean comfort food is traditionally made from the native squash calabaza (a round gourd with yellow-green skin and sweet orange flesh) and enhanced with coconut milk, vegetable or chicken stock, herbs and garlic. See the recipe for Pumpkin Soup »
