If there was a definition of a “hearty soup”, it would be in the dictionary in a bowl featuring this soup. Here is my twist on a local favorite, Red Peas Soup (it’s actually made from red kidney beans)! If you are Crucian, or grew up in the Virgin Islands, you know the comfort of a steaming hot bowl of red bean soup with cornmeal dumplings. Yes, even on a hot day!

This recipe marches almost every single taste good and feel good ingredient into the pot with unapologetic decisiveness. The laundry list of ingredients may seem infinite and intimidating, but it really is as simple as gathering, chopping, stirring, and watching. It is virtually every savory island flavor in a bowl. Orange pumpkin, red-hot peppers, green chives, bay leaf, and celery. It is a true rainbow of color and flavor. The recipe requires a smoked meat of some kind to be its most lovely self. However, if you are vegetarian or vegan, you can still enjoy its flavor components without the smokey backdrop.

At its heart, Crucian food is opportunistic. It is crafted by people whose insular geography mandated that the most was made of the least. A traditional recipe would therefore use smoked or “corned” pork meat of some kind from various parts of the animal. However, more healthier and modern tastes can also be reflected with the substitution of smoked turkey wings or simply no meat at all. Some Vegetable stock could be substituted to offer some deeper flavor that may otherwise be lost without the use of meat.

I find this soup to be the end-all-and-be-all of soups. It immediately conjures childhood and my grandmother’s house. Although at her house, it was served with more than a spoonful of sugar. (Crucian’s love sweets!) It takes a lot of time to complete. I generally start in the morning and prepare to have it for dinner.  It gives the ingredients time to come together.

You could also save a tremendous amount of time watching the pot, if you simply use a crock pot/slow cooker. Soak the beans overnight, throw out that first water, place the beans and all the ingredients in a crock pot/slow cooker and fill with water except the dumplings. Cook until the beans and meat are to desired tenderness. Then add the dumplings until cooked. 

Low and slow are best when working with this soup, and either method is fine. If its possible, it even tastes better the next day warmed up!

Ingredients

1 -16 ounce package of dried red beans

1 Bell pepper

Salt to taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste (I use lots of it!)

1 medium carrot

1 Celery Stalk

1 1/2 teaspoon of thyme

1/2 teaspoon cumin

A whisper of grated fresh nutmeg

1/2 seeded habanero or hot seasoning pepper (If you prefer very spicy go for it!)

1 diced sweet seasoning pepper (I haven’t seen these in the States. So it is an optional ingredient)

1 medium onion

10 cloves of garlic ( Reduce or increase to your taste. I love the taste of  garlic)

1/4 to 1/2 pound of any smoked meat including –turkey or pork

3 green onions

2-3 bay leaves

1/2 an inch knob of fresh grated ginger (again to taste, use less or more)

4 stalks recaito or  2 tablespoons of cilantro

1 cup coconut milk (For fresh coconut milk see Coconut Milk recipe) 

12 Ounces fresh pumpkin (no canned substitutions)

Enough water to cover and replenish the beans

DIRECTIONS

Wash a 16 ounce package of dried red kidney beans just to remove any possible debris during packaging.

In a large pot, pour enough water to cover the beans by approximately four to five inches. Bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat to a gentle simmer for about an hour, or until the skin on the beans wrinkle and some of the color is lost.

Throw out this first set of water and replace with fresh new water to sufficiently cover the beans for a long boil. I think about this recipe in one hour stages. The soup can literally slow simmer for five to six hours. I usually start this soup in the morning in anticipation of having it for dinner.

During the second hour of simmering, add the following: smoked meat, onion, garlic, ginger, half the cilantro, pumpkin, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, cumin, celery, black pepper, bell pepper, sweet seasoning pepper, and hot pepper/habanero. Stir the pot occasionally to make sure it does not stick, and let it simmer for another two hours. Be sure to replenish the water as needed to ensure the beans do not stick to the bottom of the pan or burn. Also moderating the temperature between medium and medium low helps.

Make the dumplings at this time, and let it rest for about an hour. (Recipe to follow)

The soup should start to thicken during the third and fourth hour, as the beans pop open and release their starchy content. Add the scallions, and remaining recaito or cilantro. The pumpkin will have broken down by this time in the soup and also thickened it and lightened it into a golden-reddish brown hue. If that doesn’t happen, just keep boiling. It will.

Add the coconut milk, and continue to let simmer.

Add the dumplings in the final hour to forty-five minutes or so of simmering. They will swell and increase in size somewhat. If the soup becomes too thick, feel free to add a little more water until it has reached your desired consistency!

Grab a huge bowl, and enjoy!

 Contessa Dumplings Recipe

Crucian dumplings are dense morsels made largely of flour and water. Simple food. It is unlike dumplings found in American or European cooking which are incredibly light and airy. These are made from a very stiff dough. My husband, who is not Crucian and was unaccustomed to Crucian-style dumplings did not like the contrast from what his anticipation of a dumpling should be. If you are unfamiliar with the texture, and don’t feel adventurous, no problem! The soup will be just as tasty without this addition. Unlike the traditional dumpling, I added just a hint of finely shredded unsweetened coconut to compliment the fresh coconut milk in the soup.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer using unbleached flour)

2 Tablespoons of fine ground semolina flour (or more traditionally Corn Meal).

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon sugar

1/4 Teaspoon black pepper

1/2 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon finely ground unsweetened coconut (use remnants from the coconut milk mash, or any finely ground coconut)

2 Tablespoons cold butter

Directions:

Using a Kitchen Scale or  the “Dip and Sweep Method” (see: Contessa Tip#4), measure the dry ingredients (Flour, Semolina, Salt, Black Pepper, Baking Powder, ground coconut),  and place in a large bowl.

Using a small balloon whisk, whisk the dry ingredients to make sure that it is evenly distributed. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until finely distributed throughout the flour but not melted.

Then add enough water to make a very stiff dough.

Add water slowly in small batches. Knead, and if necessary add a bit more until it reaches its desired consistency. I usually add a bit less than 3/4 cup water.

Let the dough rest for about one hour to relax the gluten.

Then pinch off a small golf ball-sized portion of the dough.  There are several shapes that dumplings traditionally come in; either a small round ball, a short elongated cigar shape, or square-ish, as seen below. At the appropriate time, place the dumplings in the soup to cook and absorb the flavor.

Don’t you feel yourself becoming just a bit more Crucian with each bite?! Enjoy!