Antiguan Pepper Pot
This Caribbean pepper is famous for being the hottest chile pepper in the world. They come in a variety of shapes and colors(yellow, orange,green, red,chocolate). Not only are they extremely hot, but they also have a unique,distinctively fruity flavor.
It is the key ingredient in the popular Jamaican Jerk sauce. The habanero is also widely used in many different types of hot sauces. The popularity of this chile pepper continues to grow and is becoming easier to find on the grocery shelf.
Ingredients:
1 cup (1/2pound) dried pigeon peas (gandules), rinsed and picked over
1 pound corned beef, cut into 1″ pieces
1 smoked ham hock, cut in half crosswise
2 quarts water
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 fresh hot chile pepper, such as Scotch bonnet, seeded and minced
1 (14 oz.) can peeled tomatoes in juice, drained
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives, or 1 tsp. dried
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1″ pieces
1 pound calabaza or acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1
1/2 pound white yam, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces
1/4 pound fresh spinach, stemmed, well washed, and coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste.
Instructions:
Combine the pigeon peas and enough water to cover the peas by 1″ in a saucepan. Bring them to a boil over high heat and boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cover tightly. Let the peas stand for 1 hour. (Alternately, you can soak the beans overnight in a large bowl with enough cold water to cover by 1″.)
Drain the peas and return them to the medium saucepan with enough fresh water to cover by 1″, then bring the pan to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the peas are tender, about 1 hour, then drain the peas again.
Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or soup kettle, bring the corned beef, ham hock and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
Drain the meat, reserving both the meat and the cooking liquid. Remove the meat from the ham hock and chop it coarsely, then discard the bones.
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or soup kettle, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, scallions, garlic, and chile pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, chives and thyme. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the eggplant, calabaza and white yam, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the reserved meat cooking liquid and the meat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Let the pot simmer, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the cooked pigeon peas and the spinach, then cook until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes.
Season with the pepper, to your taste depending on the hotness of the chile pepper and serve immediately. Yields 6-8 servings.
Recipe from Holistic Living.