Haitian Soup Joumou Recipe

Soup Joumou (Pumpkin Soup)

This recipe serves 6 to 8 people

Ingredients
1. Seasoning and cooking the meat

• 2 lb beef (neck or cubed)
• 2 sour oranges for cleaning the meat
• 1 tbsp Wouushh Épis
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 bouquet garni (parsley and thyme)
• 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper (studded with 4 cloves)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 shallot (sliced)
• 3 tbsp oil (for cooking)

2. Preparing the squash (giraumon)

• 2.5 lb giraumon squash (cubed)
• 1 tbsp Wouushh Épis
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 garlic cloves (whole, peeled)

3. Preparing the soup

• The cooked meat (from step 1)
• The squash purée (from step 2)
• 3 cups cabbage (cut into 1x1 inch squares)
• 2 medium carrots (sliced)
• 2 celery stalks (with leaves if possible, sliced)
• 1 turnip (cubed)
• 1 onion (sliced into half-rounds)
• 2 medium potatoes (cut into pieces)
• Juice of ½ lime or lemon
• 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper (studded with 4 cloves)
• 1 cup pasta (penne, macaroni, broken spaghetti, etc.)
• 1 tbsp Wouushh Épis
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Prepare and cook the meat

• Clean the meat with lime juice, rinse with water, and drain.
• Season with Wouushh Épis, garlic, salt, pepper, bouquet garni, shallot, and bouillon cube.
• Heat the oil in a large pot and sear the meat until golden brown.
• Add water to cover the meat and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour, until tender.

2. Prepare the squash purée

• In a saucepan, cook the squash with Wouushh Épis, garlic, salt, and bouillon cube in a little water until tender (about 20 minutes).
• Purée with the cooking liquid using a blender or potato masher.

3. Prepare the soup

• In the pot with the meat, add the squash purée and mix well.
• Add the cabbage, carrots, celery, turnip, onion, and potatoes.
• Add the lime juice, the clove-studded Scotch Bonnet, and the bouillon cube.
• Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
• Add the pasta and cook another 10–15 minutes, until the vegetables and pasta are tender.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serving

• Remove the Scotch Bonnet pepper before serving.