Montserratian Souse is a traditional Montserratian recipe for a classic dish of boiled and pickled pork served cold with cucumber slices. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Montserratian version of: Montserratian Souse.
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Souse is a light dish that is popular around the Caribbean. It is a clear broth of pickled pig trotters that is flavoured with onion, garlic, lime, hot peppers and other spices. To tenderize the fatty meat, it is first cooked and then marinated with various seasonings so it becomes pickled. As well, other parts of the pig can be added to the soup such as pig’s head or shoulders, but that’s optional.
This delicious soup is generally served cold and makes a great starter. It also goes well with potato salad and all types of crackers. In addition, it is served with steamed pudding or black pudding, a favourite cuisine among locals and a must-try for visitors.
Although the ingredients are quite humble, it is a dish most often sought-after at parties and events. It is similar to ceviche, a popular seafood dish made from fresh raw fish that is cured in citrus. The pig’s feet are cooked until soft and then added to spicy vinegar based sauce with fresh onion, cucumbers and green pepper. You can also add hot scotch bonnets or a habanero; the heat is amazingly mellowed by the soothing cucumber.
Ingredients:
½ pig's head
2 trotters, (also known as pettitoes – the feet of pigs)
Juice of 4 limes
2 tsp salt, (or to taste)
2 cucumbers, sliced
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 tbsp shado beni (or coriander leaves), finely chopped
Method:
Wash the trotters and the pig's head thoroughly with lime.
Place the trotter and the pig head in a pot. Add water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer then cook until soft and tender (about 90 minutes). Take off the heat then set aside to cool. During this time, skim off any scum or excess fat from the surface and discard.
Slice the meat from the heat and trotters or cut into pieces.
Mix the pork with the other ingredients, moistening the mixture with some of the pork stock. Set aside for a short while then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. This allows the flavours to meld and combine together.
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