Haitian Cuisine: Soup Joumou (Pumpkin Soup)
A little history lesson:
This is a traditional Haitian soup that is served and made on New Year's Day. It is also customary to serve it with bread and grenadine sherry. This is a time to celebrate Haiti's independence as well, also known as Ancestor's Day (January 2nd). This is a tribute to the ancestors that fought for Haiti's independence. New Year's Day is a day to clean the house, makeup with friends, etc. Haiti gained it's independence on November 18, 1803, but the Declaration of Independence wasn't signed til January 1, 1804. So, it's usually celebrated on the 2nd (Ancestor's Day) with parades, an address from the president, and a huge feast.
Recipe Courtesy of: A Taste of Haiti
Serves 8-10 People
2 lbs calabaza pumpkin (cuban squash) or butternut squash
2 lbs beef neck
1 lime, cut in half
2 scalliions, including the green tops, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 shallot, minced
2 chives, minced
1 green pepper, sliced thin
2 tbsp pikliz
2 tbsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 celery stalks, cut in 1-inch pieces
10 cabbage leaves, cut in 4 pieces each
1 leek stalk, sliced in 1 innch pieces (optional)
2 large carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
4-6 whole cloves
1/2 cup spaghettin (or macaroni or a little of both)
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut in 4 pieces each
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, whole pricked with a fork twice
1 tbsp butter (optional)
Soup dumplings (recipe below)
In medium pot, cook pumpkin over medium heat, in 6 cups water for 30 minutes. Puree pumpkin in water (hand blender or remove from heat and blend then place back in pot and allow to cook). While pumpkin is cooking, clean meat with lime, rinse with cold water, and drain ( • How To Make Oxtails Like a Haitian, Part 1... ). Marinate meat with scallions, onions, garlic, shallot, chives, green pepper, pikliz, salt, and black pepper.
You can marinate meat from 1 hr to 1 day in advance for flavor enhacement.
In stockpot, add the meat with 1 cup water and cook covered, over medium heat for 40 minutes. Add 3 cups water and pureed pumpkin and bring to a boil for 40 minutes.
Add celery, cabbage, leek carrots, and whole cloves. Cook, uncovered for 20 minutes. Add pasta, potatoes, hot pepper, and butter and sppon in dumplings. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Taste it. If it needs more salt and/or pepper, add to taste.
Soup Dumplings
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
In a bowl, mix flour, salt, and 1 cup water, making sure there are no lumps. Using a tablespoon, mold dumplings into desired shape in your hand and add to the boiling soup.
My mom has yet to write down her version of the recipe, so once she does that I will update it below. Please take note that you can leave out ingredients that you are not fond of (i.e. my mom left out the green peppers, as we are not huge fans of it in the soup). Cooking is supposed to be a fun experience and experiment a little.
Comment below or send me a message if you have any questions or need some clarification on something.
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Luv, D