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Cream of ‘Irish’ Potato Soup

| Main ingredient: Potato. Vegan. |

In Jamaica, the variety grown on the island is widely known as “Irish” in homage to the Irish immigrants who brought the humble spud to the island. My soup uses every part of the potato both skin and peel. A part of my zero waste ethos.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 4 stalks of escallion, finely sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp minced Jamaican ginger
  • 1 fat sprig thyme
  • 1 whole scotch bonnet
  • 1.2 Kg (approximately 6 medium Irish potatoes), washed and scrubbed of any grit
  • 700 ml vegetable stock
  • 500ml coconut milk
  • Chives, fresh thyme or more scallion to garnish
  • Fried potato peels to garnish

Method

  1. Peel washed potatoes, set aside skins and cut potatoes into chunks.
  2. In a large saucepan, pour in coconut oil over medium heat, add escallion, sauté until soft then add garlic, ginger and thyme.
  3. Add the potatoes, mix to coat and pour in the vegetable stock, add the scotch bonnet, bring to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are almost cooked through.
  4. Pour in the coconut milk, stir and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
  5. Remove the scotch bonnet and thyme sprig and add soup to the blender, puree and return to the pot. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper at this stage.
  6. Pat dry the potato peels and fry in oil until crispy. Drain and season with salt.
  7. When ready to serve, gently reheat the soup and ladle into bowls, top with fried potato peels and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.

JuicyChef’s Caribbean Harvest Recipes

A market’s fresh produce is the primary source of inspiration for many cooks worldwide. Outside of supporting small farmers, produce tends to be fresher and more affordable. Perfect for those of us who are watching our wallets these days. Budget ingredients often transform into elegant and beautiful dishes. Beyond our fantastic traditional cuisine, JuicyChef’s Caribbean Harvest Recipes give a fresh look at Caribbean produce and stimulate ideas of other possibilities for the bounty we have been blessed with.