A few years ago my family got invited to the premiere of the movie "The Hundred-Foot Journey," which is a movie produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey about an Indian family seeking asylum in France. The son becomes a famous chef introducing the French to Indian spices and cooking techniques. I remember thinking at the time how similar Indian cooking was to "soul food" in terms of the use of spices and seasonings to take humble ingredients to extraordinary. I was reminded again during our Thanksgiving trip to Dubai when we ate a Masala based fried cabbage dish which was very similar to the southern fried cabbage I grew up. I bought a lot of spices from the local Souk including the garam masala I used in this dish. This dish tastes as great as it smells so be prepared.
Modern Soul Food
Change up your gameday menu and find a way to get some smoked ham hocks in your life via these pork nachos. Don't fret, just start your New Year's resolutions after the bowl season or just reward yourself with a cheat day.
Celery Root is definitely not the prettiest vegetable at the market, but what it lacks in good looks it more than compensates with inner beauty, dynamite taste and ease of prep/cooking. If you're not familiar with celery root or celeriac as it's known, it's beyond worthy of your consideration. This celery root steak recipe is a great introduction. We enjoy it in our house as one of our many meatless nights. It also presents well enough to be on your holiday menu. Don't worry it's tastes nothing like celery, is easier to handle than it looks, and is low calorie and low carb.
Sundays mean meal prep for me, which pretty much always means making 2-3 sauces for the week. As I tend to keep things on the simple end during my always busy week, having reliable, delicious and versatile sauce on hand allow me to elevate any basic dish whether its pasta, grilled chicken, or roasted potatoes. This collard green salsa verde qualifies as one of those do it all type sauces. It definitely skews on the healthier side, but in no way skimps on flavor. Besides the taste and versatility I find it's an easy way to get the nutritional benefits provided by collard greens on a daily basis without the labor of cooking up a big ole pot of collards. JUST keep things simple with the recipe and you'll love it as a condiment/meal enhancer.
For a nice change-up to sweet potato Thanksgiving recipes try this simple, low prep hasselback sweet potatoes dish. This doesn't have to be a special occasion dish, as it easily works for a weeknight side. I've been experimenting more with ghee (claried butter) lately in some of my dishes. Ghee is a great cooking oil that I jokingly refer to as super butter since its both lactose and casein free, has a high smoke point (aka you can cook it at high heat levels without it browning/burning), and is rich and complex in flavor. Celebrate the life of the great Roy Hargrove with me by cooking to my favorite track "Strasbourg/St. Denis" which is my favorite song by his quintet.
Indulge your taste buds in a culinary masterpiece with our Creamy and Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. A harmonious blend of velvety texture and bold smokiness, this sauce elevates any dish to gourmet heights. Versatile and irresistible – a true flavor enhancer in every spoonful! Related Sauce Posts This balanced vegan roasted red pepper sauce …
A big green salad just in time for Thanksgiving side dish plans. It's a unique salad featuring an unlikely mix of ingredients that work magic together. Collard greens, baby lima beans, smashed cucumbers, and lemongrass-coconut pickled celery make for soul food meets Asian cuisine mash-up. Requires little cooking to free you up to focus on other things. The recipe is powered by a soulful hip hop track "Greeny Green" from Atlanta's finest Goodie Mob featuring Ceelo Green.
Baked Whole Black Sea Bass Recipe with Beet Greens Salsa - an easy and delicious baked fish recipe with step by step instructions for choosing and cooking whole fish. I eat a lot of beets including smoked beets, roasted beets, and even lightly pickled beets. Because of this and the fact that I hate wasting …
Vegan pozole - Mexican meets soul food in this fusion soup recipe featuring cabbage poblano, and collard greens. It's a delicious and warming soup that comes together fast and can be included as part of your 30-minute meals repertoire. I've heard all the chatter about a cabbage soup diet being this miracle weight loss regimen. …
A vibrant, and refreshing main dish option that can be added to your 30 minute meals arsenal. Quinoa is easy to cook and requires little effort to impart flavor. Given this, it's a staple in our house as a busy weeknight go-to. Plus it offers so many other beneficial qualities that I recommend you get …
Super tender, flavor that's fire, and visually stunning this whole roasted cauliflower is perfect as a rut breaking main dish or a show-stopping appetizer at a dinner party. Cauliflower recipes don't have to be boring and basic. I like a nice mashed cauliflower, but cauliflower is destined for so much more. Roast it and enjoy …
Related Scallop Recipes: Today, we gather to celebrate the marriage of delicate, buttery pan-seared scallops and the bold awakening of a robust coffee vinaigrette. In this divine union of land and sea, a harmonious blend of textures, aromas, and tastes awaits, promising an unforgettable soulful experience that will leave you yearning for more. Many people …
For those who want to enjoy Summer's best fruit beyond a cold slice or fruity drink, this is a great alternative. With the appearance of Ahi Tuna, the texture and mouthfeel of a medium rare ribeye, this finished roasted watermelon steak is a great fancy appetizer and main ingredient for a summer salad. Summertime doesn't …
Are some of your favorite recipes the most minimalist? This whole roasted cauliflower recipe fits the bill and is probably the best simple recipe you'll ever have. The cauliflower is seasoned extremely well both inside and out. In most cauliflower recipes, cauliflower plays a supporting role. For this one, it's actually the star in a …
The beauty of tacos is you can make them with any ingredient including oxtails. These braised beef oxtail tacos are da bomb! Slow-cooked in a smoky, complex and mildly spicy sauce made from dried Mexican chilis. I made these tacos with leftover oxtails from a Mexican braised oxtail recipe. MOOD MUSIC OXTAIL TACOS INGREDIENTS COOKING …
Delicious 10 minute take on a soul food staple featuring no slime okra and tomatoes prepared with one of the most simple cooking methods to allow the okra's natural flavor to shine augmented with lime and fresh mint. We eat okra in so many different ways in my house. But I understand not everyone is …
Crispy smashed sweet potato recipe featuring crispy, rich exterior with a sweet soft, and moist tender center for a perfect way to enjoy one of my favorite vegetables. MOOD MUSIC Duck fat and sweet potatoes are a perfect pairing. I buy duck fat from my local farmers' market from time to time, and then promptly …
Simple and easy raw shaved fennel salad with basic vinaigrette, radishes, fresh herbs and Parmesan. Do you ever find yourself wanting a simple side or salad to complement your main dish? If so this shaved fennel salad is your dish. You can devote all your time and effort to your main dish while having a …
Baby Kale Pesto Pasta with spicy shrimp - Simple recipe that can be pulled together quickly for busy weeknights. Shrimp obviously requires little time, and this homemade kale pesto is as basic, yet flavorful as it gets. It's another manic Monday, and I'm already so tired like it's humpday. I have an abundance of herbs …
Badass collards shouldn't be reserved for just Sunday soul food dinners and holidays. These silky-smooth meatless braised collard greens were meant to be enjoyed on weeknights as well. Musical Inspiration for Wine Braised Collard Greens If I could only eat one food, it'd likely be collard greens. My love affair with this dark cruciferous aphrodisiac …
Simple Cucumber Salad that's packed with flavor and super easy to pull together. The salad is a refreshing, pick me up, but I also use it when I need to quickly take the edge off and prevent hangry man from showing up. However, because it presents so well and packs a lot of flavor it …
Purple vegetables make for a silky smooth cauliflower potato soup in this simple dinner soup recipe. Purple cauliflower and purple potatoes are well seasoned, cooked and pureed into creamy goodness then garnished with purple daikon and crushed pistachios to add a bit of crunch. The purple madness in this recipe is the result of all …
A roasted beet salad is a regular go-to in our house. This version with black kale is the base version, but it's more than good enough to add to your salad rotation. The heart shapes were Valentine's Day inspired around a heart beets theme, but clearly aren't required for the dish. I know many have …
These Mexican sweet potatoes in their rich and complex spiced syrup make for a very indulgent dessert either for a weeknight or special occasions. I had a version of these Mexican sweet potatoes (camote enmielado) some time ago at an old school Mexican restaurant during my Chicago years. At first bite, I knew I was …
These baked kale chips are as good as they look. Crispy and flavorful they satisfy that similar salty crunchy snack fix of a cracker or potato/tortilla chip. MOOD MUSIC My son when he was much younger came home from school one day and asked if we had any kale chips. My first reaction was what …
Brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar - Without a doubt one of the best roasted Brussels sprouts recipes you'll make; a simple, highly flavorful way to enjoy them! The sprouts are both savory and sweet, highly aromatic, and provides a unique mouth experience for the holidays or easy weeknight side. I never had brussels sprouts as …
It's grilling season so I decided to update a family favorite hit - smoked cabbage wedges with an equally delicious pear-lime sauce.
For your next meatless meal try this sweet potato salad recipe or hockey pucks as my son calls the rounds. Cut them round, square, lengthwise or simply nice and fat. These oven-roasted steaks are enhanced by your choice of toppings. You can be as creative or plain as you want but this recipe strives for …
If you ever want to make a recipe "Southern" just fry it or smoke it. I doubled down in my Southernness for this smoked and fried eggplant recipe. The slow smoking of the eggplant infuses it deeply with smokey magic while leaving flesh moist. And because of the long cooking time in the smoker, the …
Delicious and simple Napa Cabbage Salad with Asian-Caribbean fusion dressing that takes all of about 5 minutes to have a sophisticated and brag-worthy dish on the table. This is a recipe that I adapted from a recipe from Marcus Samuelson's book exploring cuisine from across Africa. The dressing combines Scotch bonnet chilis with peanuts, ginger, …
A mustard greens salad was in order after a recent trip to the farmers market. I hit the jackpot with a medley of mustard greens ranging from the spicy red mustards to the milder peppery mizuna. They make for a beautiful dish with different colors, shapes, and flavors. The apple cider-dijon adds just enough sweetness …
Enjoy this delicious bowl of smoky butter beans, a perfect Fall side dish. Butter beans or Lima beans as they're known in certain parts are a staple crop in Africa and Peru (particularly in the city of Lima after which they're named. When cooked properly, they are smooth and delicious, yet they have a reputation …
Indulge in the rich flavors of creamy vegetarian red beans and rice, a delightful and satisfying twist on the classic dish. Velvety textures, aromatic spices, and a medley of vegetables create a comforting meat-free option. This is soul food, vegetarian style! Related Bean Recipe Posts: Creamy vegetarian red beans and rice offer a delectable twist …
Tailgate with this grilled Corn on the Cob recipe, featuring simply seasoned fresh corn topped with a vegan crema. MOOD MUSIC One of my favorite tailgating songs is "Eye of the Tiger" from the Rocky IV soundtrack, partly because my fondest college football memories are from my days as a player were our intense workout …
Nothing like some raw collard greens chiffonade to get me off that slide! Simply prepared, a tasty way to get collard greens in your life any day of the week. We eat collard greens in one form or another at least once a week in our household. This collard greens recipe made chiffonade style is …
A pan seared scallops recipe that pairs perfectly cooked scallops with a sauce to die for. Perfect for a weeknight splurge or gourmet date night. Full confession, I made these scallops as an excuse to use my leftover pear cream sauce. Pear is mild in flavor, but there is just enough there that provides that …
This turnip greens and quinoa tabbouleh salad is the result of my commitment to get greens into my diet on a daily basis. It's been my routine for years now and this recipe reflects a creative, tasty way to get them in. Turnip greens, mustard, collards, kale, etc. it don't matter. It's just greens by …
This recipe for simple roasted leeks has an intensely deep flavor that makes this weeknight side feel gourmet. I'm a huge fan of roasting vegetables due to their simplicity and the intense flavor that roasting brings out. Roasted leeks are true to this form and are perfectly scented with fresh herbs in this recipe. MOOD …
Stewed Okra and Tomatoes - fresh summer ingredients slowly simmered with a flavorful sofrito sauce for a balanced yet Southern classic stew-like side dish. It's prepared the Southern way, but with a Caribbean twist. The best part about cooking stewed okra is the aroma that is produced via the slow cooking of the ingredients which …