Recipes By Kayla Stewart
17 recipes found
Strawberry Basil Key Lime Pie
A night of cocktails inspired Maya-Camille Broussard’s strawberry basil Key lime pie, a signature pie at her Chicago pastry shop, Justice of the Pies. After tasting a vodka cocktail with puréed basil, lime and bell pepper crafted by her cousin Peter, the pastry chef recreated the mixture as a pie filling, nixing the bell pepper, adding juice from Key limes and balancing the sublimely sour taste with the creamy sweetness of condensed milk. If strawberries are out of season, you may top the pie with macerated strawberries for an additional dose of sweetness.
Nasi Goreng Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Fried Rice)
Nasi goreng, which translates to “fried rice,” is one of Indonesia's best-known dishes, and it’s prepared in numerous ways around the world. Like many other fried rice recipes, this version, from the chef Lara Lee’s “Coconut & Sambal,” blends crunchy vegetables with piquant rice, but the addition of ginger and white pepper offer spice and aroma, while kecap manis, a velvety sauce, adds a slightly sweet balance to the dish. Don’t skimp on the fried egg or the fried shallots; both add essential crunch and texture. This is an ideal for a dinner for two.
Fried Okra With Rémoulade
“Fresh, never frozen” — that’s Joseph J. Boudreaux III’s motto when it comes to making the best fried okra. The Tipping Point Coffee co-owner and Houston home cook believes fried okra relies on fresh okra pods and a righteous cornmeal breading. Paired with a creamy rémoulade that’s infused with a bit of heat, Mr. Boudreaux’s fried okra recipe pays homage to his father, who grows the flowering plant right in his backyard in Texas. It captures all that the South adores about the quintessential summer side: simplicity, ease and plenty of flavor. If you'd rather not deep-fry, you also can pan-fry okra or stir-fry it.
Pan-Fried Okra
As one of the most respected cooks in America’s Lowcountry region, Emily Meggett knows a thing or two about taking humble ingredients and transforming them into an irresistible plate of food. Such is the case for the matriarch’s pan-fried okra, from her cookbook “Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes From the Matriarch of Edisto Island” (Abrams, 2022), a book that I co-wrote. Her recipe is constructed around the use of fresh, seasonal okra pods. Mrs. Meggett dismisses what she views as the excessive use of dairy-based cornmeal batters in restaurant versions of fried okra; instead, she lightly coats her okra, allowing the beauty and taste of the vegetable to shine in each mouthful.
Hoppin' John
In her cookbook, “Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking,” Toni Tipton-Martin writes about the Carolina lowcountry tradition of the dish Hoppin’ John, as recorded in the “Penn School & Sea Islands Heritage Cookbook.” The dish was described as brown field peas cooked with rice to be eaten for good luck throughout the year. In African American communities, the tradition of eating rice and cowpeas dates to a celebration on Dec. 31, 1862, Freedom’s Eve. On that day, enslaved Africans congregated in churches in the south, eager to hear the news that the Emancipation Proclamation had set them free. The tradition of eating peas and rice for the new year is now deeply held across cultures throughout the United States and ties to centuries-old folklore that might just lead to better health, prosperity and maybe, just maybe, a bit more luck.
Collard Greens and Cornmeal Dumplings
Collard greens are a common dish in many African American households, and are especially important during New Year’s celebrations. In folklore, the greens represent dollar bills, and the more you eat, the more money you’ll have in the new year. In this version, adapted from “Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking,” by Toni Tipton-Martin, cornmeal dumplings simmer with the greens in a smoky stock. The dough is made using that rich potlikker and then added towards the end of cooking so the dumplings don’t become soggy. This combination of greens and dumplings parallels the West African pairing of soups and stews with fufu, an accompaniment traditionally made from pounded yam, cassava or other starch. This is delicious on its own, but even better with black-eyed peas and rice.
Honey-Glazed Carrots
These sweet, citrusy carrots are an ideal accompaniment to savory, hearty main dishes, like Ebony’s stewed chicken and dumplings from the magazine’s first food editor, Freda DeKnight. This adaptation streamlines the usage of a pot and baking dish in the original and requires only a single ovenproof skillet. The dish tastes just the same and reflects Ms. DeKnight’s commitment to fresh ingredients and vibrants flavors in her cooking.
Matzo-Meal Fried Chicken
Michael W. Twitty’s use of matzo meal to coat his fried chicken is an ode to the innovative Black women of the American South, including his own ancestors. Marrying the traditions of Black southern cooking with Southern Ashkenazi Jewish culinary ones, Black women in cities like Savannah, Ga., Charleston, S.C., New Orleans and Nashville preserved their African heritage and local Jewish customs through this fried chicken. The fragrant spice mixture is enough to gather droves of people around the table, and the dish’s Southern charm is evident with the first crispy, tender and juicy bite.
Caramelized Apple King Cake
Though there are many versions of king cake — the pastry eaten from Twelfth Night through Mardi Gras — many New Orleanians trace their best memories back to their local bakery. Such is the case for the Creole chef and New Orleans native Dominick Lee. His recipe was inspired by childhood memories of king cakes with apple filling served in the city’s Gentilly neighborhood. Mr. Lee retains that filling in his cake and takes inspiration from global influences, adding a fragrant orange blossom cream-cheese frosting. True to tradition, a plastic baby is hidden within the cake. The person who finds and eats the slice with the baby is promised luck and prosperity, and — fair warning — is also responsible for providing the next cake.
West African-Inspired Brisket
During Passover, this brisket, an American Jewish dish deeply influenced by the food historian Michael W. Twitty’s Black heritage, will entice guests. Made with vibrant ingredients common in the cuisines of West and Central Africa, Mr. Twitty’s brisket gets its culinary power from the fresh flavors of bell peppers, onions and tomatoes, and the aromas of ground chiles, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Bathed in a piquant sauce, this brisket pairs well with rice or fufu (pounded tubers or plantains). According to Mr. Twitty, it may encourage table conversations spoken in Pidgin rather than Yiddish.
Seafood Gumbo
For many African Americans, seafood gumbo is an essential part of New Year’s celebrations. This version, adapted from the chef JJ Johnson, uses celebratory seafood, such as scallops, crab, lobster and shrimp, and includes okra rounds in a nod to his family’s southern roots. Mr. Johnson also pulled inspiration from Gullah Geechee cuisine, Native American and West African flavors and Louisiana's culinary traditions for the ultimate melting pot of gumbo. Be sure to make the gumbo spice mix, which adds heat and depth to this luxurious and comforting stew.
Ebony’s Rose Petal Pudding
Freda DeKnight introduced many signature dishes to Ebony magazine in the mid-20th century. One was her rose petal pudding, which was beloved by Ebony staffers and readers alike. Although its origin story is unclear, it’s likely that Ms. DeKnight, the magazine’s food editor and a frequent traveler, created the dessert from her research and willingness to incorporate international flavors into her cooking. This warm pudding provides a sweet taste of one of the most significant culinary periods in the nation. The rose icing is divine, and the aromatic pudding, which resembles bread pudding, is really lovely. The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of rose water, which will give the pudding a very pronounced floral flavor, so you can choose an amount that is pleasing to you.
Ebony’s Stewed Chicken and Dumplings
This warming dish remains a constant in African American cuisine. Comforting and indulgent, it follows a formula that was familiar to Ebony’s audience. Published in 1962, the original recipe from the food editor Freda DeKnight called for a 4 1/2- to 5-pound stewing hen which, she wrote, could take 2 to 3 1/2 hours to cook “depending on the age and quality of the bird.” Today, smaller, fresh young chickens are readily available in most supermarkets, so the meat becomes tender much more quickly, making it easier to dig into this one-bowl meal even faster.
Kachumbari (Tomato and Onion Relish)
In his book, “Koshersoul,” the food historian Michael W. Twitty explores the varied cuisines of the global Jewish diaspora. Kachumbari, the Swahili word that means “pickle,” can be traced to Kenya and other East African countries where the tomato and onion mix is served as a salad or relish. This dish exemplifies a tradition of hospitality: Appetizers or snacks — salatim in Israel, kemia in North Africa and mezze in the Middle East — are offered to house guests. After tasting the small plates, the visitors then decide if they would like to stay and enjoy the main meal. This deeply flavored kachumbari can be served with nearly any fish or other protein-based dish, and can also be offered alongside plantains, or with hummus and pita.
Iga Babi Bali (Balinese Sticky Glazed Pork Ribs)
The smell of Balinese barbecued pork ribs is a harmonious scent typically associated with trips to the picturesque island, but this recipe from the chef Lara Lee’s book, “Coconut & Sambal,” brings the aroma to your home kitchen. Juicy, tender pork is glazed in sticky kecap manis (a sweet condiment that’s typically made with palm sugar and soy sauce, commonly used throughout Indonesia and found at most Asian markets), yielding ribs that are sweet, smoky and viscid. The garlic and chile marinade packs additional heat. (Look for moderately hot red chiles, such as cayenne, that are the length and width of your index or middle finger.) Ms. Lee loves preparing the dish for dinner parties, as they can easily be made in advance and reheated (cover the ribs with foil and place in a 300 degree oven for 10 minutes). You can serve these with potato wedges or morning glory (water spinach).
Rendang Daging (Beef Rendang)
Rendang is one of the national dishes of Indonesia, and its tender, caramelized meat is usually reserved for special events, such as weddings, dinners with important guests, and Lebaran, the Indonesian name for Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. Bathed in coconut milk and aromatics like galangal and lemongrass then reduced until almost all moisture is evaporated, rendang can be served with turmeric rice. Rendang, a dish designed to keep for hours on a journey, has traditionally fed young Indonesians leaving home for the first time on merantau, a right of passage that teaches them about the bitterness and sweetness of life. Created by the Minangkabau, an ethnic group native to West Sumatra, this version from Lara Lee’s cookbook, “Coconut & Sambal,” is a nod to the multiple iterations of rendang across the nation, culminating in a rich and hearty slow-cooked meal. Rendang keeps in the fridge for several day or frozen for up to three months; to reheat, cover the beef with foil and heat in the oven at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until piping hot, or microwave uncovered for three minutes stirring halfway through.
Louis Armstrong’s Red Beans and Rice
In New Orleans, red beans and rice speaks to the soul of the spirited and storied city. Many native New Orleanians have expounded their own recipes, with some calling for ingredients ranging from jalapeños to mustard. The jazz singer and trumpeter Louis Armstrong loved the dish so much, he would often sign his letters “Red Beans & Ricely Yours,” and had several iterations that he shared with loved ones. In this recipe, adapted from the Southern Food and Beverage Museum booklet “Red Beans and Rice-ly Yours” by Christopher Blake, Mr. Armstrong makes a promising case for his essential red beans and rice ingredient: ketchup, which adds a hint of sweetness and tang. Though it’s not in the original recipe, oil helps brown the pickled ham hock and onion, for maximum depth and body, and keeps the pork from sticking. “As they say in New Orleans, red beans need no thickening because they got it in themselves,” Mr. Armstrong recounted in his recipe. However, if you crave more creaminess, smash a few beans against the side of your pot, just like many cooks do in the Crescent City.