By Sidonie Maroon, Culinary Educator for the Food Co-op

Once a quarter I’m taking you into my kitchen for a look at what I’m learning, and how it adds to a kitchen life.

New Cuisine—Africa

I’m developing recipes for the Food Coop’s Summer “Community Cook” recipe pamphlet— “A Taste of Africa”. I like to choose places to cook from where I’ll have lots to learn, but I think I overdid it this time! For weeks, I didn’t know how to organize the recipes, because Africa is so diverse with so many influences and traditions.  Finally, I settled on an Ethiopian feast menu; a series of West African mains, and North African salads and sauces. It cheered up our late winter kitchen and pulled me out of the doldrums to work with exciting flavor combinations. Sneak previews of a few of the African recipes I mention are available on the Food Coop’s blog “The Beet”

Community Cook Recipes

I started cooking from my own books! I was so uninspired last winter that I pulled my recipe packets and worked them into our weekly meals. “Community Cooks” booklets are available free for download on the Food Coop’s website. I write the recipes, and at this point we have booklets featuring Vegetarian Indian, Greek, Italian, Vietnamese and The Caucasus. I love this work, and take it seriously by honoring the places, and what they have to teach us—bringing new flavor combinations and highlighting real food made with seasonal produce.   

Leaning Into Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are now a regulars at dinner—we eat them several times a week. They’ve become my starch of choice for ease, flavor and nutrition. I’m learning ways to disguise their skins so my husband will eat them. Last week, I made a sweet potato and kale salad with a lemon and fennel dressing. Blend together: 1 clove garlic, minced/ Juice and zest of one lemon/ ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil / ¼ teaspoon cayenne or red chili flakes / 1 teaspoon fennel seed / 2 teaspoons paprika/ 

½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste.  

Garlic Oil

With so much African style cooking, heavy on the garlic, my digestion was suffering. I found a work around that works wonders. I found the technique on a Fodmap site, it eliminates the fructans but with the robust roasted garlic flavor. Roughly crush 4 cloves of garlic. Bring it to a low simmer in

1 cup of olive oil. Simmer for 20 minutes, let it sit and infuse for another 20 minutes. Strain the oil. Refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze. Garlic oil left out is susceptible to botulism, but under the conditions I've mentioned is safe and delicious. 

Chicken Thighs

There are so many extraordinary African chicken recipes from Yassa de Poulet, a rich Senegalese dish made with caramelized onions, West African chicken and peanut stew, Ethiopian Doro Wat (spicy chicken stew). Chicken thighs are perfect for making sheet pan or Instant Pot versions of these recipes. Adding roasted sweet potato fries and some of the garlic oil—Yum! And so affordable and easy!          

Greens Jam and Mild Harissa

I’m ecstatic about the flavors in the greens jam recipe. What’s a greens jam? It’s a chunky spread made with anytype of greens, especially overwintered greens or nettles. I used black Italian kale in mine. The kicker is the lemon, and smoky spices. It’s incredible on toast with avocado, or just by the spoonful.

I made some harissa, a Tunisian chili sauce, using dried ancho chilies, and only a little heat. Harissa is usually scaldingly hot, which isn’t so useful in my kitchen, but ooh la la this mild version is divine.    

Herb Jam with Olives and Lemon

Baqqala, Moroccan  

Makes 1 ½ cups

What could be better, but a thick puree of greens, herbs, olives and lemon to spread on toasty bread?  

4 cups greens like spinach, mustards, kale, nettles or a mix, chopped with tender stems included

1 cup parsley, chopped

½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped

½ cup celery leaves, chopped

½ teaspoon sea salt, for blanching water

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

4 large cloves garlic, halved

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup pitted black olives, chopped

Fresh lemon to taste  

Sea salt to taste

1. Before preparing the ingredients, fill a pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt once it’s boiling.

2. Once the water is boiling, add the greens and garlic. Bring it back to a boil before timing 3-5 minutes. After 3-5 minutes, or when tender, use a skimmer/strainer to remove the greens from the water.

3. Squeeze the excess water off of the greens and add to a food processor with the other ingredients except the olives. Pulse until smooth. Add olives and pulse briefly. Taste and add salt and lemon.. It should be chunky-smooth.

4. Serve or refrigerate and use within a few days. 

Harissa

Here’s my mild version of the fiery and aromatic chili paste that is a staple in North African cooking. It's versatile and can be used in everything from marinades to soups and stews.

Makes about 1½ cups

4 dried ancho chilies

1 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoons coriander seeds

¾ teaspoon caraway seeds

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon cayenne or to taste

⅔ cup garlic infused olive oil (recipe follows)

A few tablespoons chili soaking water 

1)    Cover the chilies with boiling water and allow them to soften for 30 minutes. Remove the stems and seeds. You’ll use some of the water when you blend the sauce

2)    Toast the whole spices and grind them in a spice grinder.

3)    Add all of the ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. 

Chicken and Cashew Stew

Instant Pot

Serves 4

Inspired by a West African Peanut and Chicken Stew 

1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

14-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

2 cups water or stock

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, or to taste

1 cup cashews or peanuts (roasted or raw)

1 bunch kale or collards, finely chopped, include the stems if sweet

1 large sweet potato large diced with skin

Salt, black pepper and lemon to taste

1. Combine in the Instant Pot: the chicken, tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, apple cider vinegar, Sriracha sauce, peanuts or cashews and 2 cups of water or stock. Set to high pressure for 20 minutes with a natural release.

2. When done, remove the chicken thighs with tongs. Strain the remaining solids from the stock. You will puree the solids in a moment. Return the stock to the inner pot.

3. Add the kale/collards to the stock in the inner pot. Set the sweet potatoes in a steamer basket on top. (If you don’t have a steamer basket, it’s ok! Just add the sweet potatoes on top of the kale.) Set to 3 minutes with an instant release.

4. In a food processor or blender, puree the solids until smooth.

5. Shred the chicken into the pot with the kale, stock, and sweet potatoes. Stir in the pureed sauce. Taste and add about ¾ teaspoon salt, big pinch black pepper, and about 2 teaspoons more vinegar or lemon juice. Serve warm.

Sweet Potato and Kale Salad with Lemon and Fennel Sauce

1 large sweet potato, diced with skins

1 bunch Italian kale, finely cut

½ cup chopped parsley 

Sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice and zest of one lemon

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon cayenne or red chili flakes

1 teaspoon fennel seed

2 teaspoons paprika 

½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste 

1)    Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a teaspoon of sea salt. Add the sweet potato, bring back to the boil and time 5 to 7 minutes or until fork tender. Skim out with a strainer or spider, and add to a large shallow salad bowl. Add the kale to the boiling water and time, when it returns to a boil, about 6 minutes, or until tender. Remove in the same way. Cool and squeeze any excess water out. Add it to the salad bowl.

2)    Meanwhile, grind the fennel, cayenne, salt and paprika together in a spice grinder. Blend, in a small food processor, the ground spices, garlic, lemon juice, zest, and olive oil.

3)    Pour the sauce over the vegetables, and add salt if needed.

4)    Serve with protein of choice