Annual Food & Drink Issue 2025

Haitian Legumes Recipe

Heirloom Eats

heir·loom (noun): a valuable object that has belonged to a family for several generations

From furniture and faith to collectibles and character traits, there are a lot of things that get passed down over the course of a family’s history, and recipes are no exception. But a recipe nurtured by generations of love and care is so much more than the food it creates. It’s also a reminder of the laughter and light that can happen when a family comes together.

Photography by Rich Smith

“Saying I came from ‘humble beginnings’ is a tremendous understatement. I was born and raised in the small town of Jean-Rabel, about 160 miles from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. Haiti is a beautiful place with wonderful people and a vibrant culture, but with that comes intense hardships. When I was younger, I’d go get unwanted scraps from the local fisherman and bring it home for my family to have a meal. My sister Illosena taught me how to cook, and little did she know, that sparked a fire that’s now a roaring flame. Since migrating to the United States of America 22 years ago, it’s been a bittersweet journey of ebbs and flows, hard work, and sacrifice. I’ve worked myself into a position to bring Haitian food like griot, pwason fri, and riz et pois to the people of Chattanooga with either a food truck or full-fledged brick and mortar.” – Maxéne Thomas

 

Thomas family

LaShondra & Maxéne Thomas and Ke’Juan Thomas

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Haitian Legumes with Crab, beans, and rice

Haitian Legumes

Maxéne Thomas
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine Haitian
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs. beef neckbones (fat trimmed)
  • 1 lb. rock crab or crab of choice (optional)
  • Fresh lime juice or vinegar, for rinsing
  • 2-3 large spoonfuls green seasoning such as Walkerswood
  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose seasoning + 1 tsp.
  • 1 tsp. Maggi chicken bouillon seasoning or 1 chicken bouillon cube + 1½ tsp. or ½ cube
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 sour oranges
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 5 large spoonfuls tomato paste divided
  • ½ cup Ragú Traditional Pasta Sauce
  • 2 large eggplants chopped
  • 3 large carrots chopped
  • 2 chayote sliced
  • ½ head of cabbage chopped
  • 1 lb. watercress or a bushel
  • 1 lb. spinach chopped
  • 2 cups lima beans
  • White rice for serving
  • Sós pwa for serving

Instructions
 

  • First, prep the beef and crab. Rinse your beef and crab with fresh lime juice or vinegar and pat dry.
  • Add your green seasoning, 1 tablespoon all-purpose seasoning, 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  • Next, squeeze the juice of 2 sour oranges onto the beef and crab and massage in the seasoning.
  • Heat a large pot for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 3 minutes.
  • Next, add 3 large spoonfuls of tomato paste and Ragú pasta sauce. Add the beef to the pot. Stir so that all pieces of beef are evenly coated.
  • Cover the pot and cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Occasionally stir to ensure all pieces of the beef are adequately cooked.
  • After 30 minutes of cooking your beef, grab another pot. Add the eggplants, carrots, chayote, cabbage, watercress, spinach, and lima beans. Add 1 cup of water. The vegetables should fill the entire pot to the brim. As it steams, they will shrink and make room for the beef and crab. Steam the vegetables for approximately 45 minutes on medium-low.
  • Once the vegetables are soft, using a potato masher or pilón, mash the vegetables. Take care not to mash the carrots too much.
  • Lower the heat and return to the pot that contains the beef. Add the crab to the pot, stir, and steam for 10 minutes.
  • Once the beef and crab are done, add them to the pot that contains the mashed vegetables. Stir.
  • At this point, add 2 large spoonfuls of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of all purpose seasoning, 1½ teaspoons of Maggi chicken seasoning or half of a chicken bouillon cube. We are seasoning to taste at this stage so you can add as much or as little seasoning as you like.
  • Steam for another 15 minutes and enjoy! Serve with white rice and sòs pwa.

Notes

Note: Eggplant must be peeled and chopped into large slices, and carrots must be peeled and chopped into large coins. Chayote must be peeled and cut into slices that resemble apple slices. The cabbage should be chopped large as well. You can peel and chop your vegetables prior to cooking or while the beef is cooking.
Keyword beef neckbones, carrots, Crab, Eggplant, haitian legumes recipe
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