Shift to Refrigeration for Preservation
As technology evolved with the introduction of in-home refrigeration in the 1920s, Pepper Pot evolved to be a dish prepared for one specific sitting, rather than a kitchen staple that evolved over time.
This is evident in recipes from 100 Jamaica Recipes (1926) and Gwen Tonge's Cooking Antigua's Foods (1973), which remove the preservative cassaripe from the recipe altogether.
Pepperpot Soup
- 1 small bunch Indian Kale
- 1 lb fresh beef
- 1 lb. salt beef
- 1 Coco
- 1 doz. okras
- Seasoning
Put kale, beef, okras, and coco on together to boil. Cook until meat is very tender, then remove the kale and okras, chop very finely, rub through a colander, throw back into the liquid along with beef and coco, and season with 1 red pepper, scallion, onion, thyme, three pimento seeds, salt, and if liked, a few soft flour dumplings may be added.
(“100 Jamaican Recipes.” The Gleaner Co., Ltd., 1926.)
Antigua Pepper Pot
- 4 green (fresh) eddo leaves
- 1 lb antrobers: few ochro buds
- 1 lb. ochroes
- 1/2 lb. pumpkin
- 1 lb. salt beef
- 1 lb pig snout
- 1 lb green pawpaw
- 3 Table squash
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cloves
- Small piece of garlic
- 2 onions
- 4 tbsp. margarine
- 4 tbsp. ketchup or tomato paste
- Chive and thyme
- 1 lb. spinach
- 2 cups fresh green peas
- Any chopped left over meats or skins and bones of meat, Oil to fry
Method: Wash all leaves and vegetables in salted water. Peel vegetables and cut in pieces; cut up an egg plant, squash and leaves with a sharp knife. Soak wash and cut salted meat into neat pieces. Cook meats in water without salt. Remove and drain. Heat oil. Add salt meats. Fry. Add onion and fresh meats. Fry. Add all vegetables except peas. Stir. Add just enough water to cover and cook vegetables till tender. When vegetables and meat are cooked, add peas. Season, taste. Season. Allow to simmer till thick.
Serve with ochro Fungee rolled in butter or margarine.
(Tonge, Gwen. “Cooking Antigua's Foods.” 1973.)