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1
Salt Grated rind and juice from one lemon
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2
Put the liquid removed beans and hock in a very large pan, cover with the cool water and bring gradually to a boil.
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3
Leave to simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
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4
In a frying pan heat the extra virgin olive oil, then gently fry the onion, garlic and chili with the allspice and lemon rind, stirring occasionally, till the onions are translucent/soft.
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5
Add in this mix to the beans and go on simmering for 2 hrs, by that time the beans should be tender.
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6
At this point add in the sugar, lemon juice, and tomato puree.
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7
Cook for another 30 min.
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8
Add in salt if necessary.
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9
Remove the hock, and pick off any meat.
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10
If you would like a smooth soup, as mine (the author) was, process the mix in batches and return with the meat to the pan.
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11
Otherwise, for a rougher texture crush with a potato masher.
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12
If the mix seems too thick at this stage, add in more water and bring back to the boil for a minute or possibly two.
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13
Ladle the soup into bowls, with a spoonful or possibly two of cream stirred in, and serve with a crusty bread.
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14
If you are feeling lavish, a couple of spoons of dark rum added towards the end give a Bajan fillip.
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15
NOTES : Arriving stiff and crumpled inside and out after an eleven hour flight, this was my first taste of Bajan Cooking, and I ate it late at night trying to imagine the sea beyond a dark frieze of langourous palms.
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16
Dense but smooth, with a snap of chili, the soup was both homely and exotic, and very restoring.
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17
Barbados produces splendid ham and bacon, and a ham stock is what makes this different from other Carribean variants.
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18
Or possibly, as here, use a hock, soaked first to remove some salt.
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19
FOOD MAGIC by Jocasta Innes.
