Saute an chopped onion in some butter. To me, a soup recipe should always start with onion in butter, and then add something, anything, it doesn’t really matter. But for this soup, you’re going to add pork. I don’t know how much pork, as much as you have. You would be hard pressed to add too much. Cut the pork into cubes and brown it in the butter with the onion. Then add water to cover, a teaspoon or two of salt, and bring to a boil. Add a can or two of pumpkin. No, I can’t be more specific, you have to see if the stew is thick enough. I suppose it’s better if you have some wonderful pumpkin left over from your carving, but pumpkins good for carving and pumpkins good for cooking don’t always overlap. Besides, one of the messages of Samhain is that life is short, and so we are going to use canned pumpkin.
Add maple syrup, pomegranate juice, and bourbon. If you know your ancestors’ brand of bourbon, get that. The bourbon adds a nice flavor to the stew, but I use it because my ancestors have always liked it and it brings them around. I used about a quarter cup of maple syrup and bourbon and a half cup of pomegranate juice but since I didn’t measure the pork I started off with, that probably doesn’t mean much to you. Use as much as you like. Lower the heat and simmer for an hour or two or three, or until you’re ready to eat. This stew can cook for days. You will see the ancestors gathering around after a while, sniffing the air and gossiping. Just before serving, sprinkle a handful of pomegranate seeds in the bowl so they will still be crisp.
Serve with a side of starch, potatoes or bread or rice. Serve your family, and make sure to leave a big bowl for the rest of your family, the ones who are gone that you usually don’t see. Tell stories about them, and wait for them to break in to correct you. Listen to what they have to tell you. Love them and remember them.
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