PEPPERPOT SOUP
SERVES 8 (5 MG THC PER SERVING)
SOUP IS A GREAT WAY TO BRING HERB INTO A MEAL. Since it is usually served as the first course, it will bring the feeling of fineness on in a mellow way so that by the time dessert is served, you’re feeling quite nice. This soup is loaded with all kinds of vegetables from yam to bell peppers and a full pound of spinach that gives the soup broth its creamy green color. Traditionally in Jamaica the soup is made with callaloo (here), but spinach is an absolutely fine substitute (Swiss chard works too). Jamaican yellow yams (here) are quite starchy and need to be peeled and handled with care—I wear gloves—as the juices from the yam can cause your hands to itch like crazy. If you don’t have access to a Caribbean market to buy yellow yams, substitute a Japanese sweet potato instead. These are maroon-skinned white sweet potatoes that are starchy and a little sweet, but not as sweet as the American sweet potatoes that come from the South.
2 tablespoons coconut oil
6 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
5 cups vegetable broth, homemade or store-bought
1¼ pounds Jamaican yellow yams or Japanese sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pricked a few times with a fork
1 pound spinach, root ends trimmed
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon CannaOil
12 okra pods, stemmed and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the scallions, carrots, bell pepper, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the thyme. Add 3 cups of the vegetable broth and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the yams and Scotch bonnet and cook until the yam is about halfway tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 cups broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the broth is simmering, add a handful of the spinach. Once the spinach wilts, add another handful. Continue to add the spinach, stirring after each addition, until all of the spinach is added and wilted. Transfer the spinach and broth to a blender and puree until mostly smooth (some small pieces are nice and add texture).
- Pour the spinach mixture into the soup pot. Add the coconut milk and CannaOil and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Add the okra and cook until it is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and discard the Scotch bonnet before serving.
