Memories from Haiti

 

By Widny Joseph

As Haitian, “Soup Joumou” is our best Traditional dish. After we fought against slavery, we sat at our master’s table and feasted on their favorite dish, which we were not allowed to enjoy as slaves.

It’s a victory meal we devour every New Year’s Day as family.

 

HAITIAN PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE (SOUP JOUMOU)

6 Servings | 30 min prep | 2 hours cook time

 

INGREDIENTS

3 Ib beef
2 Cup green onions
5 Ib pumpkin
2 Garlic cloves
3 different color bell pepper (red, yellow, green)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 Ib Carrots
I/2 box of macaroni
I/2 cup lime juice
1 Ib potatoes
1 Ib yam
1 Ib hub
1 Ib plantain
2 Ib cabbage
4 Maggi cubes or 2 tablespoons seasoning powder.
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
3 spicy peepers

 

DIRECTIONS

  • Combine 3 lb of chopped beef and add 4 table spoons of lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Let it sit for 15 min.
  • In a pot, add plenty of water, 1/3 cup of vinegar and 1 spicy pepper. Bring it to a boil and then lower the temperature to medium heat. Then let sit for 5 minutes and keep it warm. This will be your source of liquid to add to the soup in subsequent steps.
  • Separately, prepare the seasoning by combining 1 ½ cups of chopped green onions, 3 chopped bell peppers, two garlic cloves, 3 spicy peppers, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, one cup of extra virgin olive oil, and 3 spoons of lime juice. Blend these ingredients into a puree.
  • Clean the pumpkin and remove the skin and the seeds.
  • Place the beef in dry pot and combine it with the seasoning purée. Then put it on the stove over medium fire, allowing it to marinate slowly. Next, add 2 liters of broiled water and the pumpkin. Cook for 1 hour 15 min (until the beef is cooked), adding broiled water as needed.
  • Clean all the vegetables and place them in a container filled with water.
    When the beef is cooked, lower the heat and separate the pumpkin from the meat. Mash or blend the pumpkin into a puree and bring it back to the soup.
  • At this point, add the rest of the clean vegetables, macaroni, Maggi or Knor seasoning powder, butter, and salt, and hot broiled water if needed. The final product should be a thick, rich, and creamy PUMPKIN SOUP.
    Cook for 30 more minutes or until all vegetables are fully cooked. Let sit for 15 min before serving.