Injera joy - dinner party Africa styles

Written by Jessica Thompson on Monday, 27 February 2012.

When visiting Harlem recently to see the sights and eat some soul food we checked out the Studio Museum, which had an awesome little shop attached to it.

We found a cookbook on African food, which turned out to be by Marcus Samuelsson, chef and owner of Red Rooster, where we had been trying to eat all week (unsuccessfully, as it seems to be booked out well in advance). So we decided to recreate some of his dishes at our own dinner table.

soulcuisine

Tight squeeze: cooking in a Soho kitchen...

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We dined on:

Olives
Spicy fried cauliflower
Chickpea-eggplant dip
Beef & beetroot stew
Vegetable tagine
Beetroot-ginger chutney
Injera
Pomegranate rice
Served with: Cucumber raita, banana coconut sambal, harissa

We listened to:

African Riddims by Thebookerycook on Mixcloud

Chickpea-Eggplant dip
(from 'The Soul of a New Kitchen', by Marcus Samuelsson)

2 x 400g tinned chickpeas
1 carrot, peeled & roughly chopped
1 medium Spanish onion, cut in half
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 eggplant, cut lengthwise in half
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 birds eye chillies, cut in half, seeds and ribs removed
1 teaspoon harissa
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Toss the garlic and eggplant with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and arrange on a roasting pan, eggplant cut side down. roast for 40 minutes. add the chilies to the roasting pan, cut side down, and roast for another 10 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Steam carrot until soft. Scoop the flesh from the eggplant and transfer to a blender. Add the carrot, roasted garlic and chilies, chickpeas, harissa, cumin and remaining 2 tablespoon oil. Add a few tablespoons of water as necessary to make the mixture smooth and creamy.

Beef & caramelised beet stew
(adapted from 'The Soul of a New Kitchen', by Marcus Samuelsson)

1/4 cup butter
1 cup thinly sliced red onions
3 pounds chuck steak
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 x 400g tins tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2 jalapeno chilies, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced
1/2 quantity beetroot ginger chutney (see recipe below), cooked for an extra 10 minutes until caramelised

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to color around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add the meat, sprinkle with the salt, and stir-fry until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes on each side.

Stir in the chili powder, ginger, cumin, cloves, allspice, pepper and garlic and fry until fragrangt, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and jalapenos. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2-3 hours, until meat is tender (if you want a faster cooking time buy a more tender cut of meat). Season with salt if necessary.

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Vegetable tagine
(from 'The Soul of a New Kitchen', by Marcus Samuelsson)

"No dish typifies the cooking of the Maghreb - Morocco, Algeria and tunisia - more than tanginess. These sweet and savoury stews made of any combination of ingredients are cooked in earthenware pots with a distinctively shaped conical lid and typically served with cous cous. This vegetarian version features a hearty mix of vegetables. Since most American kitchens aren't equipped with a tagine, it's made in a large skillet."

2 parsnips, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes
2 bakingpotatoes, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes
2 beets, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes (did we leave these out?)
(we used pumpkin and cauliflower and celery/fennel?)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggplant (skin on), cut into 2-inch cubes (did we use these?)
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olives, halved & pitted (we used kalamata)
2 jalapeño chilies, seeds & ribs removed, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup raisins

Combine the parsnips, potatoes and beets in a Dutch oven or other large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce th wheat and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the eggplants, onion, garlic, olives and jalapeños and sauté until th eggplants are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, stock and the parsnips, potatoes and beets, add the salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley and raisins. Taste and adjust th seasoning before serving.

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Beetroot Ginger Chutney
(from 'The Soul of a New Kitchen', by Marcus Samuelsson)

"Indian traders traveled back and forth between India and the coast of East Africa for centuries, so it's no surprise that their spices and dishes were introduced and took root. Today, chutneys are served up and down the eastern coast, where the indian practice of cooling down a spicy dish with a sweet relish has taken hold."

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallotes, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
two 3-inch pieces ginger, peeled & sliced
4 beets, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons honey
4 cardamom pods
2 thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a large deep sauté pan over high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and beets, reduce the heat to low and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the honey, cardamom, thyme, sugar and butter and stir per low heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer until beets are tender, 45-50 minutes.

Remove the cardamom, thyme, and ginger from the chutney and stir in the salt. Allow to cool.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes 2 cups.

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Injera
(from 'The Soul of a New Kitchen', by Marcus Samuelsson)

"This sour, spongy bread is a staple of Ethiopian cooking and is served at nearly ever meal. In Ethiopia, injera dough is made from a sourdough starter and a teff (a grain that is often available at health food and organic stores in the United States) and is allowed to ferment for three days. This version maintains the nature of injera but streamlines it to be doable in American kitchens by offering the option to substitute whole-wheat flour for teff flour, adding baking soda for leavening in place of the traditional starter, and using yoghurt to add the characteristic sourness."

makes 12 flatbreads

2 cups teff flour or whole-wheat flour (don't use stone-ground flour)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
3 cups club soda
2 tablespoons clarified butter

Whisk together the teff, flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the yoghurt into the club soda, then stir into the flour mixture to make a smooth, thin batter. Strain through a sieve or strainer to remove any lumps.

Grease a large skillet with clarified butter and heat over medium-high heat. Pour 1/2 cup of batter into the pan in a spiral, starting at the centre, and cook for 20 seconds. Put a lid on the pan and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and cover with a cloth to keep warm while you cook the remaining ingera.

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Pomegranate & pumpkin seed rice
(from 'The Soul of a New Kitchen', by Marcus Samuelsson)

2 tablespooons unsalted butter
2 cups jasmine or long-grain white rice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
one 2-inch piece ginger, peeled & grated
1 cinnamon stick
3 cpus chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup pistachio nuts or pepitas
seeds from 2 pomegranates

Melt butter in a medium saute pan over very low heat. Add 1/2 cup rice, stirring to coat. Cook for 30 minutes occasionally, until the rice is a nut-brown colour. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots, ginger, cinnamon and the remaining 1 1/2 cups rice and saute, stirring frequently, until the rice is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 14 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Mis together the rices in a bowl, and fold in the pistachios/pepitas and pomegranate seeds.

Remove the bay leaf. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Harissa
(from 'The Soul of a New Kitchen', by Marcus Samuelsson)

"Typical North African flavors don't feature the spiciness you see throughout the rest of the continent. The exception is harissa, a fiery red past that can be found in virtually every Tunisian kitchen. It's the hottest spice mix in the region - much sharper than the more floral blends typical of North African cooking - and it is usually served as an accompaniment to cous cous or as a flavoring for soups and stews. When making harissa, it is preferable to freshly grind the spices for the strongest flavor.

3/4 up olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground caraway
1 cup mild chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped mint

Heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add garlic and saute until golden, about 4 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the caraway, chili powder, coriander, salt, and mint and stir to combine. Let cool.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

1 medium Lebanese cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthways & seeds removed, thinly sliced
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate until reqired.

2 ripe bananas
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Combine bananas and coconut and mix well.

natural yoghurt
tahini

Combine these in pleasing proportions (everyone has a different tahini tolerance). We work to about 2:1 yoghurt:tahini. Add a little lemon juice if you like.

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup dark rum
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.

Combine the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir until melted then remove from heat. Stir in the coffee, rum and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Transfer to a large bowl and beat in the eggs, then stir in the flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder and baking soda. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick or cake tested inserted in teh center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 20 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool. Slice and serve with the whipped cream.

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum

Toast the cinnamon in a small saute pan over medium heat until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat to semi-stiff peaks. Fold in cinnamon and run.

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