Caribbean Spinach Callaloo Soup

Method11 steps · about 1 hr 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Prepare the sliced onion, chopped large scallion, minced garlic, peeled diced squash and sweet potato, sliced okra and washed spinach before heating the pan. Melt the 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.

   Uses 2 tbsp of coconut oil

2. 2

   Step 2: Add the sliced small onion (1), chopped large scallion (1) and 4 minced garlic cloves to the coconut oil from step 1. Sauté for the author’s 1-minute guide, stirring, and continue if needed until the onion is softened.

   Check softened onion · 1 minUses Melted coconut oil · 1 small onion (sliced) · 1 large scallion, chopped · 4 cloves garlic, minced

3. 3

   Step 3: Fold the 1½ cups diced butternut squash, 1½ cups diced sweet potato and 4–5 sliced okra into the softened aromatic pan from step 2.

   Uses Softened onion, scallion and garlic · 1½ cups peeled diced butternut squash · 1½ cups peeled diced sweet potato · 4–5 okra, sliced

4. 4

   Step 4: Sweat the vegetables from step 3 for 2–3 minutes, checking from 2 minutes and stirring frequently so they do not scorch.

   Check sweating vegetables · 2 minUses Diced vegetables with softened aromatics

5. 5

   Step 5: Stir the chopped quarter Scotch bonnet, 4 thyme sprigs, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp pink salt into the vegetable pan from step 4.

   Uses Sweated vegetables and aromatics · ¼ of a scotch bonnet (not too much) · 4 sprigs of thyme · ½ tsp of black pepper · 1 tsp of pink salt

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the 6 tightly packed cups fresh spinach to the seasoned pan from step 5. Fold it in as it begins to wilt; the full volume will reduce as the soup cooks.

   Uses Seasoned vegetables with thyme and chilli · 6 tightly packed cups fresh spinach

7. 7

   Step 7: Pour the 2 cups coconut milk and 2 cups ready vegetable stock into the spinach-and-vegetable pan from step 6. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.

   Uses Spinach and seasoned vegetables · 2 cups of coconut milk · 2 cups ready vegetable stock

8. 8

   Step 8: Cover the soup from step 7 and simmer gently, stirring often to prevent sticking. Start checking from 30 minutes; the author commonly stops at 30–45 minutes and allows up to 1 hour. Continue until the squash, sweet potato and okra are tender and the soup has thickened to your liking.

   Check tender thickened soup · 30 minUses Assembled spinach callaloo-style soup

9. 9

   Step 9: Take the thickened tender soup from step 8 off the heat. Lift out the woody thyme stems, then use an immersion blender carefully to pulse the soup only partly smooth, leaving some body and texture.

   Uses Thickened tender soup, woody thyme stems removed

10. 10

    Step 10: Taste the blended soup from step 9 and add a little of the separate additional pink salt and black pepper only if needed.

    Uses Partly blended spinach soup · Additional pink salt to taste, only if needed · Additional black pepper to taste, only if needed

11. 11

    Step 11: Serve the finished spinach callaloo-style soup from step 10 hot.

    Uses Finished seasoned spinach callaloo-style soup