African-Inspired Menu | Tante Marie's Kitchen

Here is my version of African foods inspired by my trip to Tanzania and THE SOUL OF A NEW CUISINE by Marcus Samuelsson (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2006).

Carrot-Ginger Soup

This is an amazingly delicious quick and easy soup made with store-bought carrot juice. It can be the start to my African-inspired menu of Chicken Legs, Grits, and Vegetable Skewers, followed by fresh tropical fruit such as mango and/or pineapple.

Ingredients

2 firm ripe Califfornia avocados
3 cups fresh carrot juice
3/4 tsp. salt
5 tsp. fresh lime juice
2-1/4 tsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
a few drops of pressed garlic
a few cilantro leaves

Directions

To make the soup, quarter one avocado, then pit and peel it. Puree it with the carrot juice, salt, 4 tsp. lime juice, and 2 tsp. ginger, and garlic in a blender or cuisinart until smooth. Add salt to taste. Cut the remaining avocado into 1/4-inch dice. Gently toss with the remaining tsp. lime juice, 1/4 tsp. ginger and a pinch of salt. Serve the soup garnished with the seasoned avocado dice and a few cilantro leaves.

Serves 4.

Grits

This is a staple food of the Maasai.

Ingredients

1 qt. water or 2 cups each water and milk
1 cup stone-ground grits
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
butter to taste

Directions

Bring the water to a boil in the top of a double boiler, then stir in the grits and add half a teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring constantly until the grits thicken, about 5 minutes, then set them over simmering water. Cover and cook until they’re tender, about an hour. If you’re not using a double boiler, cook the grits over very low heat, stirring frequently, for at least 35 to 40 minutes. Stir in as much butter as you like and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

Dark Spiced Chicken Legs

What I did was adapt this recipe from one of Marcus Samuelsson. His love of Africa is clear in his book called THE SOUL OF A NEW CUISINE.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. salt
4 cups orange juice
4 whole chicken legs and thighs, plus 4 thighs
3 Tbs. Dark Spice Mix
4 sprigs thyme, chopped
1 cup peanut oil
1 cup butter
one-3 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated

Directions

Combine the salt with 2 cups of the orange juice in a large bowl and stir to dissolve the salt. Immerse the chicken legs, cover, and chill for at least 2 hours, but not more than 8 hours.

Drain the chicken legs and pat dry. Combine the spice mixture, thyme, and half the ginger, and rub generously over the legs and thighs.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the peanut oil in a Dutch oven or other deep pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken legs in batches on all sides for about 4 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to very low, pour in the remaining 2 cups orange juice, the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. oil, the butter, and remaining ginger, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Remove the chicken from the liquid with a slotted spoon (discarding the liquid), and serve with some of the sauce. (This dish can be made up to 6 days ahead and reheated.)

Serves 6.

Dark Spice Mixture

Ingredients

1 Tbs. cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. fennel seeds
6 cloves
1 tsp. cardamom seeds
1 tsp. black peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed into small pieces
1 dried red chilies, seeds, removed, chopped
1/2 cup peanut oil

Directions

Heat a small saute pan over low heat. Add the cumin, poppy seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, and chilies and toss until fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 30 seconds.

Transfer to a blender and puree. With the blender running, pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream and blend to a coarse puree. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Makes about 1 cup.

Vegetables Skewers

We were served high in the hills of Tanzania.

Ingredients

6 small white potatoes
6 Asian eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
6 green zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
12 small round firm tomatoes
butter or peanut oil for coating
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Put the potatoes in a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add a sprinkling of salt, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Arrange the vegetables, alternating colors, on skewers, ending with a potato. Coat these with butter or peanut oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill or broil until soft, about 5 minutes.

Serves 6.

Chunky Mashed Vegetables

Here is a do-ahead recipe that is definitely not quick and easy; but it is really really good to eat. I recommend serving it with the Dark Spice Chicken Legs rather than the Grits and Vegetable Skewers or you can make all the recipes for a African inspired party!

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup peanut oil
1 lbs. green beans, trimmed and cut into quarters
1/2 cup Spiced Butter (or 1 stick unsalted butter)
one 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeno chilies, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups water
1 Tbs. (or less) good quality chili powder
1 Tbs. chopped chives
1 tsp. coarse salt
2 Tbs. olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the garlic and sweet potatoes with the peanut oil in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the garlic is tender. Remove and reserve the garlic. Continue roasting the sweet potatoes until tender, about 25 minutes.

While the sweet potatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water. Add the beans to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain the beans and plunge them into the ice bath to stop the cooking and set the color. Drain and set aside.

When the sweet potatoes are done, transfer them to a large bowl, add the mashed garlic, and mash with a fork to a chunky consistency.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, carrots, onion, and jalapenos and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir int he water and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer gently until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder and mashed sweet potatoes, then add the blanched green beans and cook, stirring, until heated through. Stir in the chives and salt and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and serve.

Serves 4.

Marcus Samuelsson’s Spiced Butter

In his book on African cuisine, Marcus Samuelsson uses this spiced butter in so many recipes. Although it seems like extra work, it is worth the effort. You can use it with any root vegetables or grilled foods.

Ingredients

1 lbs. butter
1/2 medium-sized red onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
one 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. cardamom seeds
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

Directions

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. As foam rises to the top, skim and discard it. Continue cooking, without letting the butter brown, until no more foam appears. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cumin, cardamom, oregano, turmeric, and basil and continue cooking gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and let stand until the spices settle. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve before using. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to 3 weeks.

Makes 1-1/2 cups.