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Chicken Shrimp Palau
Black Eyed Peas (vegetarian, no pork)
Accra (blackeyed pea fritter)
Apple/Mango chutney
Martini
Tom Collins
I woke up in Lakeland, Georgia, hanging out with one of my sons this year. (My eldest, TaShant, is in Fresno, California, and my daughter is in Baltimore, Maryland.) This is his second year back in the States after seven years overseas, and the first time we brought in the New Year or spent the holidays together since Kwanzaa in 2007, in Stockton, California, at his Raney Family-Annual Kwanzaa Party. I thought I'd make the healthiest dishes to start the New Year. "Imani" "Faith"Peleau-
I learned how to make one of my favorite dishes by visiting the Breadfruit Tree in Stockton. The dish is from St. Thomas, and Chef Louis Bynoe attributes his passion and inspiration for cooking to his dear grandmother and his cherished Caribbean islands.
Rice stir-fried with fresh mixed vegetables and a myriad of spices to enhance your palate.
- Chicken
- Seafood
- Ital (vegetarian)
- Combo(seafood & chicken)
Rice stir-fried with fresh mixed vegetables and a myriad of spices to enhance your palate. Cabbage, onion, garlic, chicken breast, shelled shrimp, Turmeric, Caribbean seasoning, Lemon-black pepper, and salt to taste.
Accara
I learned how to make Accara from Oluwatunji, an African Studies Professor at Fresno City College, in the '70s. We were preparing the dish for my first Kwanzaa Celebration, which was to be held at Ivy Community Center in West Fresno. Needless to say, over the years, I have only made this dish during the holidays, as it is time-consuming to shell green peas, remove the skin, and turn them into a meal.
Accara is crispy black-eyed pea fritters, a popular street food in West Africa. This recipe comes courtesy of Marie-Claude Mendy, a former Top Chef winner and owner of Teranga, the fabulous Senegalese restaurant in Boston. It is best served with Kanni, a zesty tomato sauce by Chef Mendy.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
1 pound dried black-eyed peas
4 cups water, or enough to cover the beans to soak overnight
¾ cup chopped shallots or onion
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (optional)
Salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
Instructions:
Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in enough water to cover them (as they will absorb the water), then cover. The next day, drain them and remove their outer skins by rubbing them together with the palms of your hands. (The faster way to do this is to put the peas into a food processor, cover them with water, and pulse for a few seconds. Add a little bit more water and pulse it again. Then transfer the peas to a bowl. Add enough water to cover the peas; they should be foaming.) Rub the skins off the peas and discard the skins. This is done quickly by filling the bowl with water and pouring the water and the skins out.
Put the skinless peas in a food processor or good blender. Puree to a fine paste—not too runny, not too thick. Remember to keep adding water slowly while the processor is running. Add the shallots, onion, and garlic; pulse until they become part of the paste.
Season to taste with salt and a pinch of black pepper.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat until hot. Spoon the accurate mixture into lemon-sized balls and cook in the oil, flipping the fritter once or twice until golden brown on both sides. (It usually takes 5-7 minutes on medium heat.)
Fry the accara in small batches until golden brown, turning once. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve at room temperature with accara sauce.
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| Sunday Dinner at the Bronzeville Artist Lofts, 2014 "Mango Chutney" |
MANGO CHUTNEY
3 cups distilled white vinegar
6 cups white sugar
6 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
5 small red hot chile peppers, seeded and chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup raisins
16 cups sliced, semi-ripe mangos
1 apple cored, diced
