The Lechasseurs' Recipes

Only the "keepers"

Trinidad Corn Soup

Ingredients: 

1 large onion
3 garlic cloves
1 celery stalk
1 cup corn kernels
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/3 cup yellow split peas
Scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
4 tbsp salted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 sprigs parsley
1 sprig thyme
3 cups water (for base)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
4 cups water (for use after pureeing base)
1 tsp salt or 1 small bouillon cube
1 tsp black pepper
2 green plantains
1/4 cup diced carrots
Corn kernels
6-8 ears of corn

Dumplings:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup whole milk

Method: 

1. Finely chop onion, garlic, celery stalk, carrot, red pepper and green pepper, set aside. Melt butter in a deep pot, add all finely chopped vegetables and corn. Add salt, black pepper, parsley, and thyme, saute for 1-2 minutes then add 3 cups water, bring to a low boil for 35-40 minutes. Add more water 1/2 cup at a time if split peas still need to cook more.

2. Once split peas are completely soft, use a blender to puree soup.

3. Add coconut milk, 4 cups water, salt or bouillon cube, black pepper, and scotch bonnet if using. Stir and bring to a low boil, about 20-25 minutes.

4. Make dumplings, set aside.

5. While soup boils, peel and chop plantains into 2 inches. If using fresh corn on the cob, chop into 4 inch pieces. Add corn kernels, corn ears, diced carrots, and plantains to soup. Break dumpling dough into pieces and drop into soup. Let vegetables and dumplings cook until plantains are cooked through.

6. Remove from heat and adjust salt and black pepper to taste.

Tips

* Spinach, potatoes, cassava, edoes, or ochroes can all be added to this soup based on your preference.
* If soup is too thick the next day, add a little bit of water and reheat on stove top.
* Buy and immersion blender, it will make your soup making feats so much easier! You don't have to break the bank for one of these, here is a good one at a decent price. This is the one I own, which was a gift.