Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post
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After defeating Napoleon's army in 1803, the formerly enslaved Africans in Saint-Domingue declared their independence on Jan. 1, 1804, and founded the world's first Black republic: Haiti.
The dehumanizing characteristics of French bondage had forbidden the enslaved Africans from having the sumptuous squash soup they were forced to prepare and serve to their captors. To assert their humanity, the new citizens of Haiti celebrated their freedom by enjoying soupe joumou themselves. Every Jan. 1, millions of Haitians in Haiti and throughout the Haitian diaspora delight in soupe joumou with family and friends as an act of perpetual restoration, communion and hope.
In his 2019 book, "Capital and Ideology," French economist Thomas Piketty explained how France forced Haiti to indemnify French enslavers the modern equivalent of 40 billion euros (about $49 billion). Haitians paid France for their freedom from 1825 to 1950, thereby incurring a public debt. Piketty further argued that Haiti's forced payments to France is the cause of contemporary Haitian poverty.
The ensuing political instability in Haiti has led to approximately 2 million Haitian people living abroad in the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, France and elsewhere as compared with 11 million in Haiti. I am one of those expatriates, living in New York.
Most Haitian immigrants find work as home health aides, taxi drivers, nurses, bus drivers, mechanics, housekeepers, nannies and in a host of other service positions. We take care of children, elderly parents, homes and communities everywhere we go. Yet, no matter where we find ourselves in the world on New Year's Day, soupe joumou is one of the ways we heal and take care of ourselves and our own homes.
As a child growing up in Brooklyn, I was unaware of Haitian Independence Day. All I knew was that my mother made soupe joumou every Sunday. Before gentrification unleashed the Brooklyn brunch explosion, soupe joumou was the only Sunday brunch I had ever experienced. Always savory, piping hot and served with buttered toast or crusty bread, it filled the soul.
My mother would wake up early to peel and chop root vegetables. I remember my grandmother making hers with chicken, while my mother varied the soup's protein between beef chunks, pork ribs and my parents' all-time favorite: cow's feet. My siblings and I hated cow's feet and would stage silent strikes by eating Cap'n Crunch or Apple Jacks. We had to draw the line and let our mother know that cow's feet were not to be tolerated in the soupe joumou. Thirty years later, whenever my mother serves us from her cherished tureen, we still tacitly agree that soup joumou served with stewed beef chunks tastes best.
Americans talk about comfort food and its ability to make people feel good. Haitians believe food should be eaten to kenbe nou, or to hold us through.
Soupe joumou, with its deep historic symbolism, is the holy grail of Haitian food, encouraging people to remember the past while also welcoming the future. As we wave the heartbreak and chaos of 2020 goodbye, I'd like to invite everyone to make soupe joumou on Jan. 1, 2021, as one way to help hold us all through.
SOUPE JOUMOU
SERVINGS: Active time: 1 hour | Total time: 2 hours; 10 to 12 servings; makes about 6 quarts
Flavorful and comforting, soupe joumou takes some time to prepare and carries enormous symbolism for Haitians. It is a traditional dish served in festive tureens on Jan. 1 to commemorate Haitian Independence Day. It is also a regular meal in Haitian homes on Sunday mornings, and appears on brunch menus at Haitian restaurants.
Whatever onions and potatoes you have on hand will work for this recipe, so long as they are at least medium in size. Be sure to leave the Scotch bonnet pepper uncut, otherwise the soup can easily become too hot to eat. The pasta thickens the soup and will soften the longer it sits (if the soup is frozen the pasta will soften even more). Some Haitians relish the opportunity to suck out the marrow from the bones; while others avoid the bones entirely.
Serve with buttered toast or crusty bread.
STORAGE NOTES: Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 4 days and frozen for up to 3 months. (The pasta in the soup may thicken the broth and make it cloudy, but it does not affect the flavor.)
INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound beef stew meat
• 1 pound beef bones
• Juice of 3 limes (about 6 tablespoons), divided
• 1 medium onion (7 ounces, any type), chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 1 head garlic, peeled and cloves separated
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 cups plus 1 tablespoon water, divided, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons Creole or Cajun seasoning
• One (2 1/2- to 3-pound) kabocha squash
• 3 medium potatoes (1 pound 8 ounces), diced large
• 3 medium carrots (10 ounces), chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 turnip (12 ounces), diced large
• 1 large leek (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise and sliced thinly, then rinsed clean of sand and dirt
• 1 whole green Scotch bonnet pepper, left uncut (optional)
• 1 extra-large chicken bouillon cube (1/3 ounce/12 grams), such as Maggi or Knorr brand
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with twine, plus more for garnish
• 1 small head green cabbage (1 pound), cut into 1- to 2-inch ribbons
• 3/4 cup penne pasta or other similar pasta
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the meat and bones with two-thirds (about 4 tablespoons) of the lime juice and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse the meat and bones thoroughly.
In a blender or food processor, combine the onion, bell pepper, scallions, garlic, parsley, olive oil, 1 tablespoon of water and salt and process until the mixture resembles a paste.
In an 8-quart or larger stockpot, combine the meat, bones and the herb paste. Add the Creole or Cajun seasoning, stir to combine and let marinate for at least 10 minutes and up to 24 hours for richer flavor (if marinating for longer than 1 hour, cover and refrigerate).
Without peeling, cut the squash in half, then scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the flesh into wedges to get a total of 4 to 6 large wedges. Place the squash wedges on top of the meat and add 6 cups of water. Set the stockpot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and cook until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out the squash flesh and transfer it to a blender or food processor. Add 2 cups of water and blend until smooth. Pour the squash puree into the stockpot and stir to combine.
Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, turnip, leek and the Scotch bonnet pepper, if using, followed by 4 cups of water and the bouillon cube. Add the thyme bouquet and stir to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low so the soup is at a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining lime juice. Taste, and season with additional salt, if desired. If the soup gets too thick, add more water, 1/4 cup at a time, until it's the desired consistency.
Add the cabbage and pasta, stir to combine and simmer until the pasta is cooked and the cabbage is tender, another 15 to 20 minutes.
Discard the thyme bouquet and the Scotch bonnet pepper, if using, and ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh thyme, if using and serve hot.
Nutrition | Nutritional analysis not possible due to variable ingredients
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