Recipes By Yewande Komolafe
156 recipes found
Butternut Squash Soup
With a combination of squash, onion, garlic and a little spice, this soup is as simple as it gets. Roasting the squash helps concentrate its natural flavors and is a step that can be done a day or two ahead. A splash of rice vinegar adds a tangy sparkle and, if you want a touch more sweetness, you can stir in some brown sugar or honey. Taste your soup before adding any — you may find your squash’s natural sugars offer just the right amount of sweetness for you.
Spiced Crème Caramel
This silky, gently set custard with the right amount of warmth from toasted spices and sharpness from caramelized sugar is a perfect way to welcome the cooling weather of fall. In this recipe, a fragrant combination of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger and nutmeg known as sweet hawaij adds an autumnal aroma. Sweet hawaij, which is found in cooking across North Africa and the Middle East, is commonly added to hot coffee, and is also used in desserts and sweets. Trusting your senses will give you the best results here: Notice the aroma of the spices as they gently toast; watch the sugar deepen to a golden amber as it caramelizes; and see how the custard slowly jiggles in its water bath once it is set. Pay attention! The reward is a treat to end a meal or a perfect bite to enjoy with a cup of black coffee.
Spicy Peanut and Pumpkin Soup
This recipe is a promise of warmth on those cool autumn nights. Habanero chiles and peanuts both feature heavily in Nigerian cuisine, and this soup is an adaptation of a long-simmered stew common to much of West Africa. Don’t be afraid of a chile with seeds: The fragrant oils from these peppers are worth every bite. The peanut butter and coconut milk mellow the warmth of the chile to a gentle, lingering heat, but you can also take the chile out before the soup is puréed. An optional spoon of honey to the soup will round out the flavors, and a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt will further temper the heat. Serve with a baguette or sourdough bread for dipping.
Roasted Mushroom Laab
Earthy mushrooms replace meat in this take on laab. A dish popular in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand, laab (also spelled larb) is often a lively combination of cooked minced meat, fresh herbs and a punchy dressing. In this recipe, mushrooms are roasted until golden brown and crispy around the edges, and, once cooled, tossed with a mix of cilantro, mint, basil and aromatics, including sliced scallions. Lime juice and soy sauce keep the dressing tangy and savory. A subtle, nutty crunch from toasted ground rice is an essential element of the salad, so don’t skip this step. Serve the dish with steamed rice and additional lime wedges for squeezing. To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, sign up for The Veggie newsletter.
Chicken and Herb Salad With Nuoc Cham
Nuoc cham, a Vietnamese sauce bright with lime juice and chile, is tossed into this simple, satisfying salad to give it a salty-sweet finish. Thinly sliced bell pepper and shaved cabbage provide crunch, while meat pulled from a store-bought rotisserie chicken — or any leftover chicken — soaks up the dressing. Serve this by itself, or alongside steamed rice or room-temperature cooked rice vermicelli.
Simple Whipped Cream
Whipping cream in the summertime, or in a hot kitchen, doesn't require a background in thermodynamics. Still, this recipe features tricks that might be skipped in colder seasons, but are essential for airy, silky whipped cream in warmer temperatures. Feel free to customize the flavor of this whipped cream: A drop of peppermint or almond oil or a dash of your favorite spices will work well here. But add sparingly: Too much of anything other than the heavy whipping cream will keep you from achieving peaks of perfection.
Coconut Fish and Tomato Bake
A coconut-milk dressing infused with garlic, ginger, turmeric and lime coats fish fillets in this sheet-pan dinner. Accompanying the fish are bright bursts of tomatoes which turn jammy under the broiler and relinquish some of their juices to the pan sauce. This sauce is silky enough to coat a spoon and packed with flavor. It pairs well with anything from snapper to flounder and even salmon, so choose the fillets that look best at the market. You’ll want to sop up the sauce with thick slices of grilled or toasted baguette, or spoon it over steamed rice.
Malt Chocolate and Marshmallow Sandwiches
These cookies contain three distinct textures in each bite: a chocolate malt shortbread cookie, a soft marshmallow center, and a smooth dark chocolate ganache topping. They are sophisticated cookies, but the flavors are inspired by a favorite childhood treat: malted milk balls. The secret ingredient is malted chocolate drink powder such as in Ovaltine, Milo or Bournvita powder. The gold leaf or flaky sea salt topping is optional, but don’t hold back if you’re ready to dive into something that looks as exquisite as it tastes.
Braised Lamb With Squash and Brandied Fruit
Lamb shanks, braised until tender, are coated in a rich sauce of tomatoes, caramelized shallots and brandied dried fruit. The squash roasts as the lamb cooks, which is a time-saving perk, and its sweet custardy flesh rounds out the meal. Bone-in lamb shanks are ideal, but a similar weight of boneless leg of lamb will work just as well. Potatoes, carrots and parsnips will do well in place of the squash. Serve over steamed rice or couscous or with thick slices of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.
Toasted Millet Salad With Cucumber, Avocado and Lemon
Cooked millet has a taste and aroma that’s subtly reminiscent of raw hazelnuts, and as with hazelnuts, toasting millet first really deepens its flavor. If you want to work ahead, toast and cook the millet, set aside and toss in the other ingredients when ready. Sharp mint leaves, creamy avocado, crisp cucumbers and bright lemon really round out this dish, which makes a lovely side dish, an afternoon snack or the base of a protein-focused grain bowl. Millet is marvelous, but a wide variety of grains will work just as well.
Asaro (Yam and Plantain Curry)
This recipe is an adaptation of asaro, the Yoruba word for a dish of starchy root vegetables simmered in a seasoned tomato- and chile-based sauce. Regional versions of asaro are served all year round across the south of Nigeria and in other parts of West Africa. Traditionally, the dish is made with the West African yam, but you can also use white or purple taro root or unripe plantains. Here, firm, green plantains are combined with white yams in a sauce rich with caramelized shallots, garlic and ginger. There is a slight but welcome heat from a single red habanero dropped in whole to infuse the stew. Coconut milk and an optional spoonful of red palm oil — a floral, slightly smoky oil that is pressed from the fruit of oil palm trees — round out the flavors, and hearty greens cut the richness. Serve topped with crunchy shallots, fresh herbs and a wedge of lime.
Ginger-Cauliflower Soup
This simple soup, steeped with ginger and lemongrass, features a bright relish of lime zest, fresh ginger and scallions. The topping offsets the subtle, sensible cauliflower, and the soup is deceptively luxurious thanks to the addition of potato, which adds a natural creaminess. Serve with a crusty sourdough loaf or some thick slices of buttered toast.
Spicy Cucumbers With Yogurt, Lemon and Herbs
This recipe brings together two contrasting components to create a bright summer dish. A simple yogurt sauce is dressed up with herbs and zest, then topped with cucumbers that have marinated in a spicy oil. Coriander, cumin and red-pepper flakes bloom in a neutral oil, and the cucumbers take on the flavors as they sit. For the yogurt, a variety of garden fresh herbs work well, but dill and mint are crucial. Both the yogurt and the cucumbers can be prepared up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated until serving. When you’re ready, spread the yogurt sauce in a wide bowl or plate. Spoon the cucumbers on top evenly so each each bite gets a little yogurt and a little cucumber: One will temper the spiciness of the other. Save a handful of the herbs for a fresh garnish.
Cucumber Agua Fresca With Mint and Ginger
Light and refreshing with a slight bite from fresh ginger, this cooling cucumber drink is perfect on days when the warmth of the sun bakes everything in its path. A simple syrup of bruised mint and sugar adds sweetness. Agua fresca, a chilled nonalcoholic drink popular in Mexico and Central America, is most often made by blending fruit or soaked grains or by steeping plant blossoms in water. The mix is then strained, sweetened and served chilled. Enjoy this cucumber version as is, or add a splash of gin to turn it into a light aperitif or a delightful afternoon cocktail.
Muhammara Chicken Sandwiches
In this picnic-perfect sandwich, sliced chicken breast is enlivened by muhammara, an earthy Middle Eastern spread of roasted red peppers, walnuts and lemon that includes a little pomegranate molasses for sweetness. Poaching is an ideal technique for keeping chicken tender and juicy for these sandwiches, but you can swap in roasted, grilled or rotisserie chicken as well. Baby arugula, or a similar leafy green, adds a peppery bite. Be sure to use bread that can hold up to the sandwich fillings — one with a firm crumb and crunchy crust.
Lane Cake
This version of the classic Southern cake takes all of fruitcake’s best elements — bourbon-soaked dried fruit, toasty pecans and shredded coconut — and weaves them into a rich, custardy filling set between three layers of tender vanilla cake. It’s a special occasion dessert and a nightcap, all rolled into one. Acetate strips (see Tip) are useful for holding the layers in place while assembling, but if finding them is too much of a bother, use parchment or follow the instructions to assemble the cake without the strips. The flavor of this cake improves with time, so allow a few hours — or even a few days — before slicing and enjoying.
Caramelized Plantains With Beans, Scallions and Lemon
Bright and earthy flavors complement each another in this easy dish in which cooked beans are tossed with lemon zest, olive oil and cayenne, and roasted sweet plantains are coated in a brown sugar, ginger and lemon glaze. Go with ripe plantains for this recipe, yellow and spotted with large black dots. You’ll need your oven's broiler setting to help caramelize the sugary coating on the plantains, and to char the scallion garnish. This dish is the perfect breakfast topped with a jammy egg, a quick lunch over a bed of fresh greens, or a satisfying side to roast chicken.
Baked Tofu With Peanut Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice
A spicy, fragrant peanut sauce reminiscent of the groundnut stews that are popular across West Africa anchors this recipe. Any protein would be lucky to be doused and marinated in it, but tofu soaks up the peanut sauce’s flavors and chars up nicely upon roasting. The tofu’s neutral flavor allows the other flavors in the dish to break through. Red miso and fish sauce provide umami, honey lends a subtle sweetness and the lime zest in the coconut rice brightens it all. Finished with pickled peppers and fresh sliced scallions, this dish comes together to make an exciting but quick weeknight dinner.
Roasted Vegetables With Cashew Romesco
Crisp yet fork-tender roasted vegetables get a spirited lift from a lively romesco sauce made with just a few ingredients. Each plays an important role: Roasted red peppers form the base of the sauce, cashews add creaminess and a bit of crunch, smoked paprika — along with other spices — provide a grounding depth. The sherry vinegar delivers a vibrant sparkle, and you can add more to your taste. Broccoli and cauliflower are the vehicles for the sauce here, but any combination of vegetables will work. The romesco will last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Sheet-Pan Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables
Gochujang, a Korean fermented chile paste, enlivens a straightforward dinner of roast chicken and vegetables with a salty, spicy and umami-rich layer of flavor. Freshly grated ginger, sliced scallions and quick-pickled radishes elevate the flavor even further. This recipe calls for a wintry mix of squash and turnips, but equal amounts of root vegetables like carrots, potatoes and beets, or lighter vegetables like cauliflower, brussels sprouts or broccoli will work well too.
Sheet-Pan Fish With Chard and Spicy Red-Pepper Relish
A relish of sweet red peppers, tomatoes, onions and habanero chile, serves as both a marinade and a dressing in this recipe. Its distinct taste is reminiscent of an essential Nigerian stew known in Yoruba as obè̩ ata and used as a base sauce for braising meats or leafy greens, simmering seafood and ladling over cooked starches. This recipe combines the piquant, fiery relish with a tender white fish and leafy greens for an easy sheet-pan meal. A high-temperature broil in the oven will leave you with a delicious char across the pan, and a cilantro-lime finish adds a layer of brightness to the generous variety of flavors. Make the relish up to a week ahead and marinate the fillets overnight if you can. Serve it with steamed rice, millet or fonio.
Sheet-Pan Chicken With Sweet Potatoes and Fennel
This easy, sheet-pan dinner sings thanks to its zingy vinaigrette of sharp pecorino, warming cracked pepper and bright lemon — which you’ll want to slather on everything. These flavors really get a chance to shine drizzled on top of roast chicken and seasonal vegetables. Don’t be afraid to substitute the sweet potatoes and fennel with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Serve the dish with a handful of leafy greens and a generous amount of the vinaigrette.
Skillet Chicken With Couscous, Lemon and Halloumi
Salty bits of halloumi, toasted walnuts and shallots bathed in lemon will enliven this simple yet elegant roast chicken and couscous recipe. A dash of red-pepper flakes and a few sprigs of oregano make the dish as fragrant as it is flavorful. This recipe works as a lunch or dinner, and although it calls for chicken, the balance of acid and salt could work well with other proteins, such as fish, tofu, or sliced mushrooms, with adjustments to the cooking time, depending on your protein.
Ginger Chicken With Crisp Napa Salad
Ginger, garlic and cilantro form the base of an aromatic marinade for this easy stovetop chicken dish. Lightly pounding the chicken breasts increases their surface area, which helps them soak up the marinade and cook evenly. A refreshing and crunchy salad of napa cabbage, cucumbers and fresh mint rounds out the dish into the perfect light lunch or dinner. To make this for a larger group, simply double the recipe.