Haitian-Style Pumpkin and Beef Soup (Soup Joumou)
- Makes8 servings
- Cook Time3 1/2 hours
- 2
Our version of Haiti's pumpkin and beef soup, joumou, is rich yet light, with a flavorful pumpkin-based broth and tender pieces of beef, butternut squash and potato. Two Scotch bonnet peppers give this soup a spicy backdrop; we studded ours with cloves, a tip we took from Haiti-born cook Sophia Sanon who now resides in Montreal. If you can't find Scotch bonnets, habaneros work well, too. You should end up with about 2 pounds of meat after trimming a 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast; trim as much visible fat as possible. The beef for the soup can be cooked up to 24 hours ahead of time; cover and refrigerate for up to three days.
Don't use pre-cubed meat sold as “beef for stew;” there's no way to know the cut of meat. And be sure to use canned pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
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