Recipe: Haitian-style Squash Soup

Haitian-style Squash Soup

3 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 lime, sliced
4 (or less) garlic cloves, peeled
2 green onions, including green parts (chop off ends if scraggly), cut into 1-inch pieces
3 to 6 sprigs fresh parsley
1 cube of Knorr Caldo con Sabor de Pollo (chicken bouillon)
1 or 2 tablespoons Maggi seasoning sauce
2 envelopes of Goya Cubitos en Polvo Caldo de Pollo (powdered chicken bouillon)
1 packet of Goya Sazon con culantro y achiote (coriander and annatto)
1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 or 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Soup Vegetables
1 large buttercup squash, peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks
4 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 leek, including green parts (chop off ends if scraggly), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 3/4 or 1-inch pieces
1 head of cabbage, tough outer leaves removed, roughly chopped
Bouquet of 3 fresh parsley sprigs and 3 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/3 to 1/2 pound rigatoni

In a large mixing bowl or well-scrubbed kitchen sink, place beef and rub generously with lime slices. Cover with nearly boiling hot water and let soak. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine garlic, green onions, parsley, chicken bouillon cube and 1 cup water, process until mixture is smooth and evenly colored.

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, place (drained) beef and season with Maggi seasoning sauce, Cubitos en Polvo Caldo de Pollo (powdered chicken bouillon) and Sazon con culantro y achiote. Next, add pureed garlic-green onion mixture from the blender, 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon each of tomato paste and butter. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 45 to 60 minutes or until meat is tender, possibly 1 and a half hours.

Meanwhile, in a large stockpot, place buttercup squash and cover with plenty of water (about 2 or 3 inches above squash). Heat pot over medium-high heat and cook until squash is soft, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Working in batches, puree squash and pot liquid in a blender or food processor until texture is smooth and creamy. Return pureed squash mixture to a clean pot.

Add beef with pot liquid, celery, leek, rutabaga, cabbage and parsley-thyme bouquet. Bring mixture to an active simmer and cook, covered, for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add butter and rigatoni and cook, uncovered, until pasta is al dente and soup has thickened. Remove bouquet and discard. Serve immediately.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.