Legend has it that the Soup Joumou tradition was started by Marie Claire Heureuse. She was the wife of the General Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who successfully defeated the French Army on November 18, 1803 and declared Haiti independent from France on January 1, 1804. On that day, Marie Claire Heureuse asked everyone to prepare the soup in celebration of their new found freedom and independence since prior to this signi cant event, it is believed that enslaved Africans were forbidden from partaking in the soup. 

Recipe for Soup Joumou provided courtesy: Chef Nadege Fleurimond.
For more authentic Haitian recipes please see: HAITI UNCOVERED at www.nadege eurimond.com

Total time 1h25
prep time 25 min
cook time 60 min
Yield 10 servings
Ingredients
1 lb. cubed beef
1 lb. beef shank
1 lb beef bones
1/cup Epis(Haitian spice blend)
1 ½ cups rigatoni
1 giraumon, (calabaza squash) peeled and cut (or 2 lbs. frozen)
1 small cabbage, leaves
3 large potatoes, diced
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 turnip, diced
4 cups beef broth or water
3 carrots, sliced
1 turnip, cut into 4
1 leek, cut
1 green scotch bonnet pepper whole
3 cloves
Salt, pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 lime
1 tablespoon butter
sprig of thyme
sprig of parsley
1 tablespoon of seasoned salt
4 cups of water

Preparation

Wash meat with lime and water then season meat with epis (Haitian spice blend) and seasoned salt, let marinade for 15 min.

In a large saucepan add 4 cups of water to seasoned meat, boil until meat is tender.

Add the squash or giraumon, when the squash is cooked, puree it in a blender and return to pot with meat.

Add potatoes, vegetables, pepper, salt, and cayenne to taste, cloves and rigatoni.

Pour beef broth or water to cover everything

Add whole green scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and parsley

cook until rigatoni and vegetables are tender

Add oil, vinegar and butter, simmer 20 minutes over medium heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired

Take off the heat and serve hot

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