Haitian Independence Day - Jan.1st

Jan.1st was Haitian Independence Day. We celebrated in our house by making Traditional Haitian Pumpkin Soup. It is considered good luck if it is the first thing you eat on Jan.1st. So before breakfast, we all took a bite, and my brother in-law thought it was so good that he ate a bowl for breaky!

I have tried this once before, but I totally destroyed it and it was disgusting. This year I found this delicious and easy recipe:

Ingredients:

Servings:

4 4

4

Servings Size

Units: US | Metric

• 1 lb corned beef or 1 lb beef stew meat
• water
• 1 1/2 lbs pumpkin , peeled & diced
• 2 turnips , diced
• 1 small onion , finely chopped
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 sprig thyme
• 3 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup rice , washed (uncooked, not instant)
• salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 -4 teaspoons butter

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, cover beef generously with water and boil over medium low heat, partially covered for 1 hour.
2. Drain and chop beef into bite-sized pieces.
3. In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil; add pumpkin, turnips, beef, onions, parsley, thyme, and 2 cloves garlic.
4. Simmer until pumpkin is tender (15 minutes).
5. Discard parsley and thyme.
6. Transfer pumpkin to food processor with 1/4 cup stock and puree.
7. Return to saucepan and heat through.
8. Add milk, nutmeg, butter, and rice; cook until rice is tender (15-20 minutes).
9. Season with salt and pepper, and mix in remaining garlic.
10. Serve hot with a little butter in each bowl.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/haitian-pumpkin-soup-soup-joumou-soupe-giraumon-117705#ixzz1krWWR9HW

Even better than the soup was the reason for it. Before Haiti won their independence, Pumpkin was considered a delicacy and the slaves were forbidden from eating it. So every year they eat pumpkin soup to celebrate their victory. Read more here:

http://silverinternational.mbhs.edu/v162/V16.2.04a.Independence.htm