Appetizers and Soups of The Islands

Revised 30 October 2000

• BAJAN GUNGO PEA AND COCONUT SOUP
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 medium onion -- diced, 1 large carrot -- peeled and diced, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 2 cloves garlic -- minced, 1/2 teaspoon minced habanero or jalapeno pepper -- (1/2 to 1), 2 cups cooked or canned pigeon peas (gungo peas) drained, 4 cups water or vegetable stock, 1 cup peeled -- diced winter squash (Calabaza, butternut or acorn), 2 tablespoons dark rum, 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon dreid thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup canned coconut milk.
  Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, carrot,celery,garlic and chile pepper. Saute for 7 minutes over medium heat, until the vegetables are tender. Add the beans, water,squash, rum,parsley, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little hot water or rum if the soup is too thick, or continue to simmer if it is too thin. Stir in the coconut milk and return to a simmer. Transfer the soup to a foood processor and process for 15 seconds, until smooth. Ladle soup in soup bowls and serve hot. serves 6-8 note: Calabaza, West Indian Pumpkin can be found in tropical markets. 1 serving: calories 192 Sodium 177mg Fat 11g
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• Black Bean Soup
• 1 pound dried black beans, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 3 onions, chopped 1 green pepper, finely chopped , 4 cloves garlic, minced , 1 ham hock , 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons cumin , 2 teaspoons dried oregano , 1 bay leaf , 1 tablespoon salt , 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon vinegar or sherry.
  Rinse the beans, and soak overnight in 4 quarts of water. Drain and set aside. In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic and saute over low heat for 10 minutes. Add beans and ham hock, and enough water to cover. Stir in tomato paste and seasoning (except for vinegar). Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Let cool slightly. Using a blender, remove half of the cooked beans and puree smooth. Return to pot. Add vinegar or sherry and stir well. Serve soup over white rice and top with fresh minced onion and fresh cilantro.
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• Conch Chowder
• 4 slices bacon, finely diced ,4 stalks celery, finely diced ,3 carrots, finely diced 1 green pepper,finely diced ,1 red pepper, finely diced, 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped fine , 1 scotch bonnet,seeded and chopped fine,4 potatos, peeled and diced , 1 28 oz. can crushed Italian tomatos ,1 16 0z. can tomato puree , 1 Tbs. each crushed thyme, basil, oregano, and marjoram,3 crushed garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves ,1 tsp. red pepper flakes,1 tsp. hot sauce (tabasco),3 cups clam juice , 1 lb. ground conch
  In a stock pot, fry bacon to render fat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and peppers. Cook until softened. Add potatos and tomatoes. Add spices. Reduce heat to simmer for about one hour. In a saucepan, heat the clam juice to boiling. Add the conch and make sure it separates. Add the conch and liquid to the stockpot of vegetables and stir. If the chowder gets too thick, thin with tomato juice or water. Whenever working with fresh hot peppers, wear rubber gloves and wash hands frequently.
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• Another Conch Chowder
• 1 pound conch, trimmed, tenderized, 3 tablespoons strained lime juice 5 tablespoons tomato paste, 4 strips bacon, chopped, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 onion, finely chopped, 3 ribs celery, finely chopped, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 1 green bell pepper, seeded, finely chopped, 1 chile pepper, seeded, finely chopped, 4 tomatoes, seeded, chopped, 1/4 cup rum, 1 pound potatoes, peeled, diced, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, Salt, pepper, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
  Cut the conch into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Add the lime juice and tomato sauce and mix well; set aside to marinate. Meanwhile, in a large stew pot, cook the bacon until browned. Pour off the fat. Add the olive oil, onion, celery, garlic, green pepper, and chile pepper. cook over medium-low heat until very lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Add the rum, potatoes, conch mixture, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1 hour. Potatoes should be tender. Discard bay leaf. Stir in the Tabasco sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
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• Curried Avocado Soup
Yield: 4 servings.

• 2 Medium-ripe dark-skinned -(Haas) avocados, 2 1/4 c Vegetable stock, 1 1/2 ts To 2 ts curry powder, 3/4 ts Salt, 1/8 ts To 1/4 ts white pepper , 1/2 c Heavy cream, 2 tb Fresh lemon juice.
  Split avocados in half with a knife and remove the pits. Set aside one half. Scoop out the insides of the other three halves with a spoon and blend with 1 cup of the stock in a blender until smooth. Stir in the curry powder, salt, pepper, cream, and remaining stock. Chill.
  When ready to serve, garnish the soup with thin avocado slices that have been cut from the remaining avocado half and dipped in lemon juice.
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• Jerk Chicken Roll-ups w/Mango-Pineapple-Habanero Chutney
• 1 cup coarsely chopped white onion, 3-4 (1/3 cup) chopped green onion (including the green parts), 1 tbsp ground allspice, 1 tbsp dried thyme leaves, 2 tsp chopped fresh sage (optional), 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander, 1/4 c each white wine vinegar and soy sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, Juice of one lime, 1-3 Chili peppers (I used 2 habaneros, but it works well with jalapenos, too), 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, salt to taste, 4 boneless chicken breast halfs, sliced into 3/4" strips, 2 cans black beans, not drained, 2 tsp ground cumin,cooked white rice, 10-inch flour tortillas, 1 large, ripe mango, 1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed, 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped, 3-4 chili peppers (again, I used habaneros, but jalapenos work).
  Blend the onions, spices, and liquids, and chilis in a food processor or blender until an even, thick paste consistency (a 'slather') is reached. Salt to taste. In a large bowl, cover the sliced chicken breasts with the paste and mix to evenly coat the meat. Cover with cellophane wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably 24. Peel the mango and remove the flesh from the large pit. Try to get at least 1 cup of flesh. Cube. Combine the cubed mango with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and blend on high until smooth. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
  Preheat the broiler. Set the jerk by searing the meat in a non-stick saute pan over high heat, 30-45 seconds per side. Place the seared strips on a foil-lined cookie sheet or large broiler pan and broil, turning once, for 8-10 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Let cool, then chop coarsely. Puree the black beans with the cumin in a blender or food processor. Heat the puree in a sauce pan over medium-low heat until warmed through. Let cool to room temperature (should be a thick, spreadable paste). Place 5-6 tortillas between two damp paper towels and heat in microwave for 30-45 seconds (or warm them in the oven, I guess). To assemble, spread 1-2 tbsp of the black bean paste over a tortilla, leaving a 3/4-inch border around the edge. Spread 2-3 tbsp of rice over the bean paste, and add about half a breasts' worth of the chopped jerk chicken (3-4 strips). Fold the sides over and roll the bottom up (directions usually can be found on the tortilla package). Secure with toothpick(s). Serve 2 for dinner portions, 1 sliced in half for lunch, or sliced in 4 for appetizers, with the chutney on the side for dipping.
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• Jalapeno Rangoons
• 3 ounces chopped fresh jalapeno peppers, 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature,Small onion, chopped, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 3 dozen wonton wrappers, 1 egg yolk, Oil for deep frying, Chinese mustard, sweet and sour, or plum sauce.
  Combine jalapenos, cream cheese, onion, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Place one heaping teaspoon of mixture in the center of each wonton. Use egg yolk to moisten the edges of the wonton wrappers, fold together, and pinch to seal.
  Heat the oil in a frying pan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry five or six rangoons at a time, for about 3 minutes each batch, til golden. Drain on paper towels, and serve while hot with sauce for dipping. Serves: 12
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