“SOUP JOUMOU,” HAITIAN PUMPKIN SOUP (Sylvia Shirk)

Story
On January 1, Haitians celebrate a new year and Haiti’s independence. Haiti was the first and only country to have successfully revolted against slavery. Soup joumou was food only the masters ate until Independence Day, January 1, 1804, when everybody could enjoy Freedom Soup! Haitian friends and colleagues introduced me to this soup years ago, and I make it on New Years Day.

Recipe
INGREDIENTS
• 1 lb of beef
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• water as needed
• 1 large scallions, diced
• 1 half medium cabbage, diced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 yams, peeled and chopped
• 2 malangas, peeled and chopped
• 2 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 2 turnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk of celery chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 6 oz. package of spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 4 parsley sprigs

Meat seasoning:
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 tsp seasoning salt
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp epis

DIRECTIONS
For the meat:
STEP 1:
Marinate the meat overnight or for at least 1 hour.
STEP 2:
Place the seasoned meat in a stockpot and cover with water.
STEP 3:
Add oil and let boil over high heat. Keep covered until the water has evaporated.
STEP 4:
Uncover, stir and simmer a few drips of water occasionally to brown the meat.
STEP 5:
Keep stirring and simmer water occasionally until you have a nice browning color to the meat.
STEP 6:
Stir in one tbsp. of tomato paste. Remove meat and set aside the pot for the vegetables.
For the vegetables:
STEP 1:
In a separate bowl, cut into small pieces the large scallions and half medium cabbage.
STEP 2:
Peel & chop the potatoes, yams, malanga, butternut squash, carrots, and turnip.
STEP 3:
Wash the vegetables. In a separate pot, boil water and add the vegetables. Cover and cook over high heat for about an hour.
STEP 4:
Reduce heat and add scotch bonnet pepper.
STEP 5:
Once the squash is fully cooked, remove it from the pot. Use some of the cooking water to blend the squash into a purée.
STEP 6:
Strain the purée through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Press it through with a spoon or rubber spatula.
STEP 7:
For best flavoring, pour the cooked vegetables, the squash purée and cooking liquid into the pot that cooked the meat.
STEP 8:
Add parsley, thyme, and broken spaghetti (or substitute with macaroni).
STEP 9:
Let it all cook, until tender.
STEP 10:
Combine meat into soup. Serve hot.