Recipes By Yewande Komolafe
149 recipes found
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.
Honey-Glazed Chicken and Shallots
The combination of a sweet glaze, tangy shallots and pan-roasted chicken makes this a quick but decadent one-pan meal. Caramelizing shallots first, then tossing them with sherry vinegar gives them a pickled but syrupy bite. A little heat from a spicy chile and some freshness from parsley leaves balance this flavorful dish. Serve right off the stove, over cooked grains or alongside a crisp salad.
Crispy Bean Cakes With Harissa, Lemon and Herbs
This recipe embraces any beans you’ve got in your pantry. Canned beans are easiest, but fresh shelled beans can be ready to go with a quick blanching, and dried beans can be used, too, if they’ve been soaked and cooked in advance. Toss the well-drained beans with harissa (or any red chile paste), scallions, herbs, lemon zest, cornstarch and a lightly whipped egg white. (The egg white and cornstarch give these bean cakes their crispness.) Shape them into patties for frying, and slice some lemon wedges for serving. Eat the patties as a vegetarian main dish, a side to roast chicken or fish, or as a snack with a dash of harissa.
Crispy Tofu With Cashews and Blistered Snap Peas
A ginger and coconut milk reduction can coat pretty much anything that browns nicely on its own. Here, it’s pieces of pan-seared tofu, but small morsels of chicken and pork will work just as well. The soy and the teaspoons of molasses give the sauce a little caramelization, and a little shine and gloss. For a fresh side, add some blistered snap peas, tossed with sliced scallions, a little mint and a splash of rice vinegar. Snow peas, green beans, broccoli or asparagus? If it’s fresh and green, it’ll work just fine.
Glazed Tofu With Chile and Star Anise
This sauce — a dark, star anise-spiced caramel intermingled with rice wine, soy sauce, ginger and scallions — builds sweet, acidic and umami notes as it coats and infuses tofu. Sichuan hui guo rou, or twice-cooked pork, inspired the technique used here with tofu: The blocks are first seared whole, then torn into bite-size pieces and returned to the pan, where the craggy edges absorb the sauce. Additions from your pantry, such as a spoonful of doubanjiang, or fermented broad bean paste, fermented black beans or chile oil can invite deeper, more complex flavors. Serve warm with steamed rice and stir-fried greens.
Spiced Orange Crumble Cookies
Citrus in three forms — fresh zest, juice and preserves — gives buttery baked goods a nice bright flavor. This crisp brown sugar cookie is baked with orange marmalade, then topped with a grating of orange zest after it comes out of the oven for layers of citrus freshness. With a dash of clove and black pepper, it’s reminiscent of the piney, spiced scents of winter fir. You’ll love the aroma that fills your kitchen while they bake, and enjoy them with tea and coffee.
Roasted Squash With Turmeric-Ginger Chickpeas
Custardy, mildly sweet roasted squash holds its own as a main course in this easy weeknight recipe. Although fresh turmeric root is suitable, a high-quality ground turmeric will do a better job of infusing the chickpeas with its earthy, floral notes. Marinating the chickpeas a day or two ahead will allow the turmeric, ginger and other aromatics to intensify in flavor. If you do make this ahead of time, hold off on tossing in the fresh herbs until just before serving. Pomegranate seeds add color and crunch, and a dollop of yogurt would be the last of your obligations, if you want to take this dish out of vegan territory.
Braised Chicken With Rosemary, Chickpeas and Salted Lemon
This stew takes inspiration from long-simmered tagine dishes with many layers of flavors. In this weeknight version, a broth seasoned with salted lemon, rosemary and tomatoes bathes the chicken and chickpeas, making a lovely, hearty stew. For a bold and bright finish, lemon slices quick-pickled in juice and salt are added to the stew. A handful of hearty greens, a scattering of fresh herbs and a spoon of creamy yogurt ensures every bite is rich and flavorful. Serve over steamed couscous or with thick slices of crusty bread for dipping.