Callaloo
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Callaloo, a luscious green stew made all over the Caribbean, is one of *those* recipes. It’s like chili in the US; everyone lays claim to having the “best” version. And every version was made by someone’s mama, so you best not mess with it. This version is made by Ava’s mamma – me. But.. unlike those other recipes, feel free to mess with mine. After all, I’m a novice Callaloo maker and still have a lot to learn. Given the limitations of supplies around these parts, I went ahead and made a few substitutions, all clearly noted.
Servings
4-6 people
Servings
4-6 people
Callaloo
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Callaloo, a luscious green stew made all over the Caribbean, is one of *those* recipes. It’s like chili in the US; everyone lays claim to having the “best” version. And every version was made by someone’s mama, so you best not mess with it. This version is made by Ava’s mamma – me. But.. unlike those other recipes, feel free to mess with mine. After all, I’m a novice Callaloo maker and still have a lot to learn. Given the limitations of supplies around these parts, I went ahead and made a few substitutions, all clearly noted.
Servings
4-6 people
Servings
4-6 people
Ingredients
  • 1 large onions , chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 4 green onions , sliced
  • vegetable oil
  • ham bone (salted pig tails are traditional)
  • 1 lb baby spinach (use dasheen/taro leaves, if you can find them)
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 can coconut water
  • 1/2 lb okra
  • 1 tsp thyme , about a sprig (freshly chopped)
  • 1/2 lb lump crabmeat (whole crab is traditional)
  • 1 habanero pepper
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Add coconut milk and water to a large pot. Heat over medium.
  2. Pile on baby spinach, it will cook down into the liquid.
  3. Add onions, garlic, green onions, okra habanero and thyme.
  4. Add ham bone when there’s room in the pot. Simmer, covered for an hour.
  5. Remove the ham bone and pulse a few times with an immersion blender. (Traditional recipes call for “swizzling” the soup with a special rod called a “swizzle stick”. They use it much like a whisk and it breaks the soup down and leaves a somewhat coarse texture).
  6. Stir in the crab meat. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Cook another 15 minutes, then serve over rice with macaroni pie or some beautiful bakes.