Caribbean Pepperpot

Submitted by jenny butt

"This pepperpot recipe is the one most used in the Eastern Caribbean, but recipes vary greatly from island to island. In Jamaica it is a soup, in Guyana the basis is chicken or oxtail with sugar, cassareep and chillies added. From Caribbean Cooking For Pleasure by Mary Slater"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 10mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 1 pot
• Serves: 4-5

ingredients

• 8 ounces salt pork
• 8 ounces salt beef
• 500 g fresh meat
• 3 3⁄4 cups cold water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 spinach leaves (or callaloo leaves & stems) or 6 leaves silver beet, leaves & stems chopped (or callaloo leaves & stems)
• 4 aubergines, sliced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 500 g pumpkin, diced
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 6 okra, sliced
• pepper
• 500 g cooked pigeon peas

directions

1. Wash the meat & chop roughly into convenient pieces about 1 1/2 " square.
2. Put into a large heavy saucepan.
3. Cover with some of the water & bring very slowly to the boil.
4. When just beginning to boil, add salt & continue to simmer over a low heat for at least 1 1/2 hours.
5. Skim the scum from the surface.
6. Add a little more cold water, skim again, & repeat the process 3 times.
7. Add all the vegetables & seasonings except the peas.
8. Simmer for a further hour, skimming from time to time if more scum arises.
9. Stir in the peas, cook for a further 5 minutes, and serve very hot with plenty of pepper added.
10. NOTE: split peas can be used instead of pigeon peas.