Sweet Hands: Island Cooking from Trinidad & Tobago, 3rd edition. Ramin Ganeshram
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firm dough that is not sticky. Pinch off 1-inch pieces of dough and roll between the palms of your hands to form ovals. Pinch both ends, then flatten the ovals between palms or against a cutting board. The dumplings should resemble small flat footballs. Set aside.
3 Add the potatoes, calabaza, and whole Scotch pepper to the soup, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, adding more stock if necessary. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Add the dumplings and check for seasonings, adding more salt or pepper if needed. Simmer for 15 minutes more. Remove the Scotch pepper, and serve soup hot. (Note: If you’d like to freeze some Sancoche, do so before you add the dumplings; then add them to the soup once you’ve reheated it.)
SERVES: 4 TO 6
Cow Heel Soup is one of the street foods found at stands and shops all over Trinidad. The soup originated in colonial times when enslaved people received the offal of slaughtered animals as part of their provisions. Cow heel is more than the name implies—it includes the area from the hoof to the knee. The gelatin in the actual hoof makes this thick soup a more-than-hearty meal.
1 cow heel, or 2 pounds beef soup bones, cleaned and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ small cassava, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
1 small yam, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
1 small taro, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1 small Scotch bonnet pepper or other hot chili pepper
1 pound calabaza or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch chunks
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Place the cow heel or soup bones and 6 cups water in a soup pot and add the salt. Bring to a boil, skimming the surface as impurities rise to the top. When the water is simmering clear, reduce the heat and add the onion and celery. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
2 Add the cassava, yams, taro, nutmeg, and hot pepper to the pot. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, adding the calabaza in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
3 Remove from heat and remove the chili pepper. Add the parsley and lime juice and serve hot.
Tip
Ask your butcher to cut the cow heel or soup bones to the appropriate size.
SERVES: 4 TO 6
The traditional way to prepare this soup is to place all the ingredients together in one pot and simmer. My French culinary training has convinced me of the importance of first browning meats and vegetables to develop flavor, and this recipe has been adapted to reflect that process.
1 cup dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight in 3 cups water, or 1 cup canned
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 pounds lean oxtails
2 or 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper or other hot chili pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon sherry
1 If using dried black-eyed peas, drain and set aside. If using canned peas, drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2 In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the oxtails and brown on all sides. Stir in the carrots and cook until they are light brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3 Pour 4 cups of cold water over the oxtail mixture. Make sure there is enough water to completely cover the ingredients. Mix well, scraping the bottom to loosen any caramelized bits. Add the chives, thyme, and hot pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour, skimming the surface as needed.
4 Add the black-eyed peas. Simmer for 30 minutes more, or until the oxtails and peas are tender. Add the salt and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove the thyme sprigs and chili pepper. Stir in the sherry just before serving.
Tip: Dried Beans
Dried beans have better flavor and are far more economical than canned, but they are not as convenient. I use the following method to get the benefits of dried with the convenience of canned: Soak dried beans at a ratio of 3 cups of water to 1 cup of beans overnight. Drain and bring three times the amount of water as beans to boil in a large pot. Add beans and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and cool beans. Freeze in one-pound portions in individual ziptop freezer bags.
SERVES: 4 TO 6
Although this soup is called a broth, it’s a far cry from the thin, clear liquid usually bearing that name. Actually a fish soup, it makes a good meal in itself paired with some crusty bread and a glass of white wine. I have seen this prepared in Jamaica, where a whole fish is used and pumpkin puree is added to the broth—it is called “Steamed Fish.”
2 pounds firm-fleshed fish fillets, such as tilapia or catfish
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped habañero pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons green seasoning (page 254)
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large unripe banana, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped, or ½ cup canned stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Hot pepper sauce (optional)
1 Cut the fish into ½-inch-wide slices and toss with the garlic, salt, habañero pepper, lime juice, and green seasoning. Set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2 Place the potato and carrot in a saucepan with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3 Add the fish mixture, banana, onion, tomato, and butter, and simmer for 20 minutes more, until the fish is flaky. Taste and adjust the flavor with salt, hot pepper