End of summer

The end of summer  is also the end of cookouts, garden parties and many other outdoor activities.
 While we can put  away patio furniture, barbecue grill and garden tools at the end of the summer, we can also prepare the house for the new season , specially the dining table for a softer and warmer ambiance.
 This can be done by dressing the table in a warmer color, some fresh flowers and  candles will surely  create a  welcoming air  in the dinning area.
This time of the year pumpkin, eggplant, okra are at their best and at reasonable prices, we can take advantage of this abundance and make  a lot of pumpkin soup, tiaka, joumounade, pigeon pea soup, pumpkin  polanta  and pumpkin  risotto among other things.
In Haiti we eat eggplants year around   in a variety of ways, but  our legumes are the best , with beef or pork or dried cod fish, it's always delicious, as well as our exquisite eggplant with crabs.
Okra is Calalou or Gumbo as it's called in some part of the country is eaten in soups, stews, cooked in rice, with ground corn meal, etc.. but the soul of the southeastern part of Haiti
is  Tom-Tom ; it's a smashed okra stew made with meat, chicken or seafood, while the northern part of the country relishes another dish of okra with chicken and Haitian black mushrooms


Pumpkin soup


For the stock
2-3 lb meat with bones (beef short ribs, chunks, neck)
1 Tab of sour orange juice*
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of ground black pepper
 2 cloves of garlic
1 scallion
1 tab oil
1 medium onion stuck with 5-7 whole cloves
 8 cups of water

In a large bowl, season the meat with the spices and let marinate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
In a soup pot, add the oil and let the meat suet until all the water  evaporates. Add  the 8 cups of water, onion and  bring to a full boil , lower the heat to medium , let cook for about 30 minutes then add the followings.
For the soup
Make a bouquet garni* with 4 sprigs of parsley, 2 sprigs of thyme, 4-5 leaves of sorrel tied up  in a bundle
3 celery starks cut into 1' pieces
3 larges carrots peeled cut into 1" pieces
1-2 small parsnips peeled cut into 1" pieces
3-4 lbs Cuban pumpkin peeled and into 6-8 pieces or
1- 10 oz frozen pumpkin
2 medium leeks cut into 1/2" pieces
2 small turnips peeled and quartered
2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
1 scotch bonnet pepper
10-12 leaves of cabbage split in two


The starches
1 lb white potatoes peeled and cut into 2" pieces
2 malanga* peeled and cut into 2" pieces
1/4 cup macaroni ( ziti type)
1 cup vermicelli
Add  the pumpkin to the  pot  with  all the vegetables  except the cabbage and the hot pepper. Cook for another 30 minutes or until meat is tender.
Remove pumpkin from pot and puree with 1 to 1 1/2 cup of of the cooking broth then return to the cooking pot. Add 1 to 2 cups of water if needed, add the cabbage,  hot pepper,  bouquet garni*, and the bouillon cubes.  Bring to a full boil , add the starches, cook for another 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.

 To finish add 

1 tab of butter
1 Tab of lime, lemon or vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
 1 clove of garlic mashed finely
Simmer for another 10-15 minutes . Turn fire off, let rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve with buttered toast or hot bread.

Enjoy