When I make Callaloo soup, I omit the bacon and I’m very careful with the amount of hot sauce that I use as we don’t like things too spicy. I use a blender and I also add the Corn dumplings with a little baking powder added. I’ve been accused by the locals of making “British Dumplings” because of the addition of the baking powder.
Dumplings
Plain Dumplings. 1 cup flour mixed with ½
teaspoon salt
Corn Dumplings. ½ cup flour, ½ cup corn
flour, ½ teaspoon salt
Cassava Dumplings. ½ cup cassava farine, ½
cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt
Directions for Dumplings
Mix ingredients with cold water to form a
stiff dough. Form small balls about ½ to 1
inch in size and drop in boiling soup
after it has been blended or whisked.
Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes according to
size.
While baking powder is not used locally, 1
teaspoon can be added to any of the above
quantities for lighter dumplings
Fry bacon to crisp and drain on paper towel, reserving the bacon fat. Make up the reserved bacon fat to tablespoons with butter and put into large pan.
Wash Callaloo well, trim off ends of stems and any wilted bits, chop roughly; kitchen scissors work well.
Add chopped onion and cook gently for a few minutes without browning. (If no blender to be used, chop onion and garlic finely and crumble bacon very well).
Add chopped chilli, garlic and thyme. Stir and add Callaloo, hot sauce, crumbled bacon and water.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up Callaloo.
Remove from heat, cool a little and blend to smooth. Return to pan. If not blending, then whisk very well at this stage. Return to boil.
Mix cornstarch with milk and add stirring. Add lime juice and pepper. Check the seasoning; salt may not be needed because of the bacon.
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Per serving: 476 Calories (kcal); 25g Total Fat; (45% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 65g Carbohydrate; 31mg Cholesterol; 448mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 Fat; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrates
NOTES : Variations
Add small quantities of any or all of the following vegetables with Callaloo leaves: okras, sweet pepper, celery, spring onions, or parsley; chopped finely if not blending.
Use ham, salt pork, or salt beef instead of bacon. Any salt meat should be soaked in cold water overnight, then cut up into small pieces and cooked with the onion. Vegetarians can just omit the meat.
For supreme of Callaloo soup, add ½ cup fresh cooked or drained canned, crab or shrimp before blending or whisking, plus a little cream swirled in just before serving.
A Carriacou Callaloo soup often uses locally caught land crab. Put in some washed claws and legs with the Callaloo leaves. Do not blend. The crab meat is sucked out while eating the soup.
Received from:
"SV Wind-Borne III (Rick and Carolyn)"