About this recipe

A beloved Caribbean staple, this Callaloo is a rich, silky stew of leafy greens slow-simmered with coconut milk, okra, scotch bonnet pepper, and salted pork. Deeply savory and fragrant with thyme and allspice, it's the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with island warmth and tastes even better the next day. Serve it over white rice or alongside roti for a complete, soul-satisfying meal.

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the salted pork thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. Place it in a small saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   In a large pot over ^[medium heat], melt the butter. Add the diced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and green onions and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the parboiled salted pork to the pot and stir to coat in the aromatics. Add the chopped callaloo leaves, sliced okra, thyme sprigs, whole scotch bonnet pepper, and ground allspice. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir everything together, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to ^[medium-low]. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens are completely tender and the okra has thickened the stew naturally.

4. 4

   Remove the thyme sprigs and scotch bonnet pepper (discard or mince and stir back in if you want more heat). Use an immersion blender to partially blend the stew — about 4–5 short pulses — leaving some texture. Alternatively, mash with the back of a spoon for a chunkier finish. Season with black pepper and salt to taste.

5. 5

   Ladle the callaloo leaves into bowls and serve hot over steamed white rice, with roti, or alongside fried plantains.