So, I went into the kitchen this morning to prep the ingredients for Stew Peas, (one of my favorite Jamaican culinary delights), which is what I initially intended to cook for dinner. Whilst prepping I boiled some water, grated some turmeric and ginger and added it to the boiling water. I like to sip on herbal teas while preparing dinner and that was supposed to be my herbal tea for the morning. I multitask a lot when I’m in my sanctuary.
I had soaked the black beans overnight, (doing so removes the enzymes that causes gas). I drained the liquid, aded it a pot and filled it with fresh water to cook. If you have been following me on social media or this website for quite some time, you may have realized that I’m a huge fan of chicken feet. Why? I was raised Caribbean and we loves us some chicken feet. Well, I for one, most definitely do, especially when it comes to dishes such as stew peas. I cut the tippy toes off the chicken feet, added it to cold water and placed it in the pot and brought it to a boil. Chicken feet also adds that gelatinousness aka natural collagen to the soup. I added all the aromatics; onions, bay leaf, pimento seeds, garlic, scotch bonnet peppers and waited for it to return to a boil. While that was happening, I prepped butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and all the goodies that was intended for my stew peas (cause still in my head, I was going to make a banging stew peas dinner). I set my root vegetables off the the side.
As a cook, you should be tasting your food and adjusting the flavors as the dish progresses. If that hasn’t been a practice of yours; please by all means, let it be.
Why on earth did I go and taste MY awesome broth? I should have known better. What happened immediately after that taste test was a foodgasm that was so freaking explosive! So explosive to the point where I almost just didn’t bother to go any further and just stop right there. I was in heaven! I went to the cupboard, took out my favorite 16 oz cup and poured out some of the heavenly bone broth. Forget about the turmeric ginger tea, that can wait for another time. This bone broth was da business. Remember the flavors lies in the bones. If you want flavorful soups, you gotta add meat with the bones. The bones and herbs are a magical combination that will have you wanting more…and more! If you have been purchasing chicken broth from the supermarket, hunty chile, you sleeping! You are buying supermarket salt water. Make your own, I swear, you won’t regret it. My black bean soup was spicy, fantabu’luscious and certainly hit the spot. From then on, I simply knew this dish would take a turn. As delicious as Jamaican Stew Peas is, it just wasn’t going to happen today. My body said soup and that was all it took to transform this “Stew Peas” to soup; Black Bean Soup.
The rest is history.
We Caribbean folks love hearty soups.
Have you ever started one recipe and totally revamped it into another masterpiece?