Haiti, once the richest country in the Caribbean, gained their independence after a years-long slave revolt, only to be crippled by indemnity payments to France, political instability, US involvement, dictators, a devastating earthquake in 2010, hurricanes, and continued gang violence and political unrest.

The history of Haiti is so complex and often so violent that I couldn’t begin to explain it. Suffice to say that many food traditions survive the turmoil. Haitian food is a flavorful fusion of African, French, Indigenous Taíno, and Spanish influences, characterized by bold spices, hearty ingredients, and vibrant flavors.

Soup Joumou is one such dish. It is traditionally consumed on New Year’s Day, as a historical tribute to Haitian Independence Day in 1804 where newly freed slaves consumed the soup, a meal forbidden to them by their French masters. Ingredients in the soup tend to vary and is usually driven by the cook and what they have on hand – something I definitely found out by reading a dozen different recipes.

One unifying ingredient in the various recipes I saw was Haitian Epis – a sofrito-like blend of onions, peppers, herbs, and spices – although even these ingredients varied.

The one I made was my take on several…

 

Haitian Epis

  • 10 Sprigs parsley
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 1 red and 1 green bell pepper
  • 5 scallions
  • 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Place in jar and refrigerate until ready to use. It will keep refrigerated up to six weeks.

And then there was the actual soup.

Ingredients ranged from beef bones and shanks to stew meat, pumpkin, casaba, or butternut squash. Some had leeks, others rutabagas. Every one used a different sort of pasta – some rigatoni, others broken spaghetti, another used orzo.

It becomes more the spirit of the dish rather than a chiseled in stone recipe with exact ingredients and exact amounts. Folks follow a basic guideline – epis seasoning, meat, potatoes, squash, cabbage – but make it with what they have. And they’re all Soup Joumou.

Soup Joumou

from various online sources

  • 1 pound beef stew meat
  • 2 pounds butternut squash, cubed
  • 12 cups beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 lb green cabbage, shredded
  • 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 fresh parsley sprigs
  • 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, whole (used for flavor, not heat)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 5 thyme sprigs
  • fresh parsley sprigs, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup small pasta
  • S&P to taste

Prepare the epis seasoning.

Place beef in bowl and add 1 cup epis seasoning. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Heat 8 cups broth in large stock pot. Add marinated beef, cover, and simmer about 45 minutes.

Add squash to pot on top of beef. Cover and return to a simmer. Cook until squash is tender – about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer squash to a blender. Add some of the cooking broth and purée until smooth. Return to pot and bring to a simmer.

Add potatoes, carrots, peppers, cabbage, onion, green onions, celery, leek, whole Scotch bonnet pepper, cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of cayenne, parsley, and thyme.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove and discard the Scotch bonnet pepper. Stir in the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.

 

It was extremely flavorful! Just a bit of heat – probably could have used more ‘cuz we do like our spice – but it had a great flavor. I thought it would be thicker, but I guess 12 cups of broth may have been a bit more than necessary. I had seen a couple of recipes that called for 15 cups and more. I also saw recipes that called for a lot more pasta.

But… It was really good and I could see some more variations on a theme… It’s the type of recipe that just begs for personal touches.

So… H is done and it’s on to I… there are 8 contenders…