Main Courses
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Bengali-Style Fish in Yogurt Curry
Tender pieces of tilapia are marinated with caraway seeds, turmeric, and cayenne pepper and then pan-fried until crisp and golden brown.
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Asian-Style Spareribs
Spareribs from the microwave? In the Cook-Zen pot, it's possible. Ready in less than 15 minutes, these ribs are tender, browned, and in a sauce that will have you licking the pot clean.
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Five-Spice Duck
Tonton Jean's duck marinade—which can be used on other fowl such as goose, guinea hen, or even chicken—is a perfect blend of sweet and savory, typical of my uncle’s heritage, yet new to mine.
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Fish Stew from Casamance (Caldou)
Prepared from simple ingredients, this hearty and pungent dish is a perennial favorite, usually served with white rice and a sorrel-okra condiment called baguedj.
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Ham Hocks, String Beans, and Potatoes
Sandra Lawrence's porcine prescription for the Winter Blues: "I Got the Blues Comfort Pot"—ham hocks, string beans, and potatoes simmered slow and low.
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Shrimp with Lemongrass
Shrimp in a bright lemongrass sauce: serve this dish hot or cold—both ways are delicious.
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Chicken Salad Dougla
In Trinidad, the offspring of Africans and Hindus are called "Dougla." The electrifying ballet Dougla—performed by the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and for which Geoffrey Holder choreographed, costume-designed, and created the music—inspired this meal.
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Pesto Chicken Salad with Bacon, Tomatoes and Garlic Croutons
Chicken coated with creamy pesto is topped with crunchy croutons and crispy crumbled bacon.
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Sunset Jazz Spicy Spareribs
This is one of my favorite ways to prepare pork ribs to ensure that they will be tender but full of spicy flavor. The brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and pineapple give the meat a tangy, delicious taste, and the ginger and hot sauce add just the right touch of spiciness.
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Moushkaki (Somali Barbecue)
Somalis are traditionally a nomadic people, and this recipe reflects that way of life. Moushkaki is easy to prepare and is traditionally cooked over an open fire, making this the perfect recipe for a modern barbecue.
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Bluefish with Red Rice and Vegetables (Theibou Jen)
This unique combination of fish stuffed with vegetables and cooked in a thick tomato sauce is a signature Senegalese dish.
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Soothing Tortellini-Broccolini Soup
Redolent of garlic, this soup is especially comforting when you’re feeling under the weather.
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Sizzling Shrimp with Garlic
A young, well-travelled relative of ours, Margaret Lydecker, fell in love with this classic Spanish tapa, known as gambas al ajilla, while living in Spain. Her technique calls for letting the oil, garlic, and water “get to know one another” before adding the shrimp.
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Seared Tuna with Sweet-Sour Onions
With red onion crowning each tuna steak, this dish looks pretty and makes an especially nice warm-weather dish, served at room temperature—like most sweet-sour dishes, the taste improves once the tuna and onions have had a chance to spend time together.