Pâté en potMartinique offal soup

• 1 kg2.2 lb mixed mutton or lamb offal: tripe (about 300 g), liver (about 300 g), heart (about 400 g), or beef or goat offal; ask the butcher to clean and cut it
• 3 limes, halved, for washing the offal, plus juice of ½ for finishing
• 3 onions, 1 left whole and studded with 4 cloves, 2 finely chopped
• 2 bois d'Inde (West Indian bay) leaves, or 1 bay leaf and 4 allspice berries
• 5 garlic cloves, 2 crushed for the broth, 3 finely chopped
• 2.5 l10½ cups water, plus about 1 l (4¼ cups) hot water later
• 400 g14 oz carrots
• 300 g (about 2)10.5 oz (about 2) turnips
• 300 g10.5 oz white or green cabbage
• 1 leek, washed
• 2 celery stalks
• 500 g1.1 lb giraumon (West Indian pumpkin), or butternut or kabocha squash; peeled
• 400 g14 oz floury potatoes, peeled
• 1 small bunch cives (Creole spring onions), thyme and parsley, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet or habanero chilli (piment), left whole, not pierced
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 250 ml1 cup dry white wine
• 2 tbsp capers, drained

Method

1. 1

   1. Rub every piece of offal with the cut limes, then rinse it well under cold water.

2. 2

   2. Put the offal in a large pot with 2.5 l of water, the clove-studded onion, the bois d'Inde leaves and the 2 crushed garlic cloves. Bring to the boil, skim off the grey foam, add 1 tsp salt and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   3. Lift out the offal and strain and keep the cooking broth. When the offal is cool enough to handle, chop it very small with a knife, or pulse it in a food processor, starting with the tripe, which is toughest.

4. 4

   4. Peel the vegetables. Chop the carrots, turnips, cabbage, leek and celery finely, by hand or in a processor. Grate or finely chop the pumpkin and potatoes together and keep them apart.

5. 5

   5. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot (at least 6 l / 6 quarts) over medium-high heat. Fry the chopped onions, the chopped garlic and the herbs for 2 minutes, until fragrant.

6. 6

   6. Add the carrot, turnip, cabbage, leek and celery mixture with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until it softens and gives off its juice.

7. 7

   7. Add the chopped offal and cook for 5 minutes more, loosening anything stuck to the bottom with a few spoonfuls of broth.

8. 8

   8. Add the pumpkin and potato, the bay leaf, the whole chilli and all the offal broth. Season with pepper and boil uncovered for 20 minutes.

9. 9

   9. Add about 1 l of hot water, cover and simmer gently for 1–1½ hours, stirring now and then so nothing catches, until the pumpkin and potato have melted into a thick, golden soup.

10. 10

    10. Carefully remove the chilli before it bursts. Stir in the white wine, the capers and the juice of half a lime and simmer for 10–15 minutes.

11. 11

    11. Taste and adjust the salt (the capers are salty) and serve hot in deep bowls.