Caribbean Callaloo Soup with Butternut Squash

I went shopping on Black Friday, like I have for several years.  No, I didn't go at midnight, I left the house about 3:30 am. I never set the alarm on Black Friday, I just leave when I wake up.  So last Black Friday, when I woke up at 2:30 am,  I got up and got ready to go shopping.  I had gone to bed about 9pm.  I'm not a night person, and I do better in the early morning.  There were few people shopping at that time.  That time period was between rushes, midnight and 6am.  I got some really good deals at Kohls, Target, and Jo-Ann Fabrics. I love getting bargains!  I was surprised that the sales staff were so pleasant and helpful, at that early hour.  I had a very positive experience.  Did you go shopping on Black Friday? What was your experience?  When I got home about  9 am, I had some of the Callaloo soup.

Scott has always wanted to make Caribbean Callaloo Soup.  He fell in love with the Caribbean, when he was in the Navy in his twenties. That's where he discovered Myer's Rum as well.  He has been to the Caribbean over ten times.  We spent our honeymoon on Marina Cay, (see brochure in the picture), an 8 sq mile island off of Tortola in the BVI.  The liqueur is Guavaberry Rum, which  native to St. Martin. As  he looked through recipes on the web, it seems as if each island had their own version of the wonderful soup.

 Callaloo is the leaf of the Taro plant, common to the Caribbean.  Swiss chard or Spinach is a good substitute. Some type of squash or pumpkin is also used in the soup with hot peppers.  We used a jalapeno.  One recipe had added a Scotch Bonnet, the hottest of the hot peppers, add at your own risk.  He also added coconut milk, chicken stock, spinach, spices, plantains, and onions. This soup has so many wonderful flavors and textures of the Caribbean.  Scott also added  crab meat, because that's the way he had it in the Caribbean,  You could add cooked turkey or chicken, as well. As you can see, we didn't puree this soup, but you could if wanted to. He did get a little carried away with all of the spices. if you don't have all those, just use what you have.  You'll still get the flavors of a the Caribbean!

Divi Little Bay, St. Martin

 Picture yourself eating this wonderful soup looking at the azure waters and white sand of a  Caribbean beach. If you are looking for an new soup to use some of your Thanksgiving leftovers, squash and turkey, this is the one. Picture yourself eating this wonderful soup looking at the azure waters and white sand of a Caribbean beach with a Rum in hand.

Caribbean Callaloo Soup Inspired by howstuffworks.com

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 lb butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup coconut milk

32 oz Fat free, Low sodium, chicken broth

2 yellow Plantains, diced

6 oz crab meat, cooked chicken or turkey

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

5 oz fresh spinach, stemmed and torn

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp rubbed sage

3/4 tsp Allspice

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven. Add onion, squash and garlic.
2. Sauté 5 min until onions are clear.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 30 min, uncovered.  Enjoy!

I linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #44
 Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!