Never has there been an island fairer than Helen of the West Indies. From her exquisite natural scenes to her warm and inviting locals, St.Lucia will definitely make your eyes glisten, and your heart melt.
Complementing Fair Helen’s beauty is her rich history. Never has one island had the reigns of control changed this many times. Exactly how many changes are we talking about? A whopping 14! Seven each for the British and French. You certainly understand why now she’s called Fair Helen. Like all things St Lucian, her cuisine is a mouthwatering combination of British, French, Creole, and Indian cultures and traditions.
When it comes to St. Lucians, they prefer to use fresh fruits, vegetables and meats either purchased in the supermarket or at roadside stalls. That’s exactly how locals secure all the ingredients for one of their favorite meals- the delicious St Lucian Pigtail Bouillon.
What’s in a Pigtail Bouillon though? For starters, it’s one of the most beloved one-pot meals on this island paradise. In essence, it’s really a chunky, hearty soup that draws on influences from all the cultures that today make the island’s culture spectacularly unique (East Indian, British, French, African, and Amerindian). Sounds like a yummy melting pot?
Locals will be quick to tell you that Pigtail Bouillon is a cornerstone of the St Lucian culture. Richly flavorful and filled with varying textures that combine perfectly to leave you pleased and sated, you’ll love how the meal offers the right taste of spices and herbs (celery, garlic, onion, pepper, and clove) to complement the floury dumplings, pigtail, ground provisions, and salted beef.
In true melting pot fashion, this delectable dish is often a popular staple in St. Lucia’s Creole Heritage Month that is popularly celebrated in October. On October 28 when locals dedicate a day to their Creole culture called Jounen Kwéyòl (Creole Day), the dish is always a popular choice for lunch. There’s practically never a lunch menu without Pigtail Bouillon or as locals say in Creole (Bouyon Donbwe épi Latjé Kochon). While there are vibrant, expressive, and colorful showcases including music, dance, and language, it is the food that really tugs at patrons’ hearts, appetites and pockets. From as early as 6 am, you can see stalls in the various communities that are joining in the festivities serving up hearty, delicious, and tantalizing meals including this crowd’s favorite bouillon.
Tap into your St. Lucian spirits and make Jounen Kwéyòl any day that you choose. Welcome the warmth, the beauty, the history, and the rich culture of Fair Helen into your kitchen and home. To get your pigtails seasoned to the “T” let Jirie’s Taste of the Islands Caribbean All- Purpose Seasoning help you to get that local St. Lucian flavor. Made with granulated garlic, minced onion, ground allspice, paprika, brown sugar, thyme, this Caribbean All-Purpose Seasoning that’s salt-free, non-GMO, and gluten-free will work wonders to make your bouillon mouthwatering and satisfying. So let’s cruise to St. Lucia with this delicious Pigtail Bouillon recipe:
Delicious St Lucian Pigtail Bouillon
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs salted pigtail
- 1 lb dried red beans soaked overnight
- 1 large carrot sliced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium pepper chopped
- 2 sprigs green onion chopped
- 2 large leaves of broadleaf thyme chopped
- 3 sprigs regular thyme
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 tsp Jirie Caribbean Chicken Seasoning
- 2 medium tannia/ eddoes cut in medium pieces
- 1 small yellow yam/ white yam cut in medium pieces
- 2 medium green plantains cut in round pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 14-16 cups water
Instructions
- Wash the salted pigtails in running water, then cut into 2 inch pieces.
- Place in a bowl and wash with 1/2 a lime and a little bit vinegar
- Drain water.
- Put the pigtails in a pot to boil, submerged in water for about 20 minutes
- Boil them for another 20 minutes in fresh water until tender and have enough salt to your taste
- Put beans in another pot with water and boil until tender.
- After draining the pigtail pieces, place them in a huge pot with the water and red beans.
- Add onion, peppers, green onions, broadleaf and regular thyme, andJirie Caribbean Chicken Seasoning.
- Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Add the tannia, yam, plantains, and carrots.
- Boil for 15 minutes or until the ground provisions are tender.
- In a mixing bowl, put the flour and cornmeal in a bowl. Mix
- Get 1/2 a cup water. Add water little by little to flour mix until it forms a hard dough.
- Roll dough into small balls or any shape dumplings you want in the bouillon.
- Add the dumplings to the bouillon and boil for another 5 minutes.
- Garnish with a sprig of green onions that has been stripped and curled with a kitchen scissors…