Joumou soup is an emblematic meal in Haitian cuisine. It is the meal consumed in Haiti and its diaspora every January 1st to commemorate the country’s independence. Since 2021, the joumou soup is registered in the list of intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO.

Recipe for 6 people (because a joumou soup needs to be shared!

Ingredients

• One giraumon (turban squash or pumpkin)- about 1 kg
• 6 pounds of beef (including bones)
• 4 pounds of potatoes
• 2 plantains
• 1 pound of macaroni
• 1 ½ pounds of carrots
• 1 pound of turnips
• 2 sticks of celery (with leaves)
• 1 bell pepper 
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme and parsley)
• 1 small package of sorrel 
• 12 cloves
• 1 poached hot pepper (with 6 cloves)
• 1 organic or homemade chicken bouillon cube
• 1 ½ cups Haitian spice marinade (three garlic cloves + six cloves + one onion + one bell pepper + ½ leek + 4 tablespoons vegetable oil + parsley + 4 tablespoons. vinegar or lemon juice, + pepper and salt or taste)
• 4 lemons
• ½ cup of cooking oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• pepper, salt
• 10 to 12 cups of water

Cooking time: 60 minutes
Total preparation time: 90 minutes

Préparation

• Wash the meat with running water and the juice of two lemons. Marinate with one and a half cups of Haitian spice marinade + the juice of one lemon + 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Leave the meat in this marinade for at least half an hour.
• Cut up and clean the giraumon and boil it with two cloves of garlic, 6 cloves, and 1 tablespoon of table salt for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Boil the macaroni with one tablespoon of salt and one tablespoon of oil for 5 to 6 minutes only.
• Wash and cut celery sticks and coarsely chop leaves.
• Wash, peel, and cut potatoes, turnips, carrots (in slices), and plantains. Soak them in lemon water to prevent discoloration. 
• Use a food processor or blender to puree the giraumon after separating the flesh from the skin. Use the juice from the cooking process to do this, then set it aside. 
• Use a large preheated pot to fry the meat in oil for about 15 minutes, adding the marinade juice from time to time. 
• Remove the meat and set aside for later.
• Add the carrot into the same marinade as the meat and brown for 3 to 4 minutes. 
• Then add the giraumon puree. Once it reaches a boil, add the pieces of potato, plantains, turnip, chopped celery leaves and sticks. Also add the bouquet garni, the poached hot pepper, and the packet of sorrel. 
• Boil 10 cups of water and then add to the preparation. After 15 to 20 minutes of cooking over medium heat, add the macaroni and meat. After another 5 minutes, add the chicken stock cube and pepper. Add salt to taste. Simmer for two minutes and add the juice of half a lemon. Serve and enjoy!

Thanks to the Haitian chef Gaspard Dorélien for the recipe.
You can also follow the execution of this recipe and many others on his Youtube channel https://youtube.com/@GaspardDorelien