From Dish Danielle:
I’m not one to keep track of high-profile chefs and the hippest new restaurants. I love food and I love to cook. For me it’s usually that simple. But alas….I do admit that there’s one professional chef whose recipes make me swoon, and those are the culinary delights of mister Marcus Samuelsson. His Ethiopian and Sweedish roots inspire unique flavor combinations that somehow fuse African and Scandinavian cuisine in an incredibly exciting and balanced way. The food he creates reflects his distinct heritage exquisitely and I’m inspired every time I try a new recipe of his.
Samuelsson’s second cookbook, ‘The Soul of a New Cuisine,’ is one of my all time favorites, and it’s not for a home cook who’s faint at heart. His dishes often have 3-4 parts, as each recipe requires the completion of a spice rub, infused oil, or special sauce – instructions for all of which can be found in the beginning pages of his book.
Let’s get to it. M. Samuelsson’s Jerk Chicken (slightly tweaked):
1. Compose his ‘Jerk’ Mix:
Place 2 tbsp olive oil in pan over med heat. Add 6 minced garlic cloves and 2 seeded & chopped jalepenos and cook for 3 minutes. Add 1 tbsp allspice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cayenne, and 2 tbsp brown sugar. Stir constantly. Remove from heat when mixture starts to clump. Transfer mix to blender. Add 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp dry thyme, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground ginger, 4 chopped scallions, 1/3c fresh lime juice and ½c red vinegar. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Prep the chicken:
3-4lb chicken
½ c Jerk Mix
a few thyme springs
½ head garlic, top third cut off and papery skin removed
2 potatoes, peeled & cut into 1’’ cubes
1 sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1’’ cubes
1 parsnip, peeled & cut into 1’’ cubes
1 onion, cut into 1’’ cubes
1 pear, cut into 1’’ cubes
1 quince, cut into 1’’ cubes
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly salt & pepper the bird. Generously rub ½ jerk mix under the skin & all over it. Stuff some thyme under skin. Place garlic in cavity, (I also stuck ½ a lemon in there as well). Set aside. Toss potatoes & parsnips with remaining jerk mix. Spread on bottom of roasting pan in an even layer. Scatter few thyme springs atop. Place chicken on roasting rack above veggies and roast for 45 minutes.
3. Make his ‘Yogurt Dip’ accompaniment:
Place 2 tbsp olive oil in pan over med heat. Add 2 peeled garlic cloves, a 2’’ piece of minced ginger, and a seeded & minced jalapeno chili. Sauté for 5 min. Add ½ tsp fresh ground coriander (if you have seeds to grind yourself), ½ tsp cumin and sauté for 2 more mins. Let cool briefly. Transfer to blender. Add 2 limes worth of juice and 2c thick greek yogurt. Blend until smooth. Fold in 2 tsp fresh chopped cilantro and 2tsp fresh chopped parsley. Store in fridge until dinnertime.
4. Add pear/quince to roasting pan:
Pull chicken out of oven and remove chicken from roasting pan. Add pear & quince to veggies. Increase oven temp to 375. Return chicken to roasting pan and bake for additional 30-40 minutes, until juices run clear. Let cool for 10min before serving.
5. Do as Samuelsson says and ‘Cook with Love.’ Then, EAT!
