Chef Boy-Ga-Damn

Curry Chicken. Savory, mouth-watering, hardy, spicy, mind blowing. All of these words, I could in-arguably use to describe what is one of my favorite dishes to cook, and your new favorite dish to eat! But before I tell you how to prepare it… a little history about where Curry Chicken comes from.

Curry, the spice, has origins in India. A blend of at least 14 different aromatic herbs and spices is what makes curry uniquely different and easily distinguishable from any other flavor in the world. Curry is a household name in America. When the British colonizers took over 500,000 Indian people as indentured servants to the carribean islands, Curry was then introduced to the west. When West Africans were taken as enslaved people to the carribean islands, they brought their agricultural techniques and different plant species, such as plantains, combining to develop what most americans know as carribean food. Their cultures and cuisines were so beautifully fused, and from that, Trini Curry Chicken was born.

I learned this recipe from watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown where he traveled to Trinidad & Tobago. He was hosted by a West Indian family where they prepared him fresh Curry Duck in the same way I describe below. Season 9, Episode 7 if you're lucky enough to have access to those pure gems of episodes. My version of it is more of a stew, however, and pairs very well with white rice and fried plantains. In this recipe, I'm going to list a bunch of ingredients to use in your curry, but don’t feel stressed! Only if you have them readily available, should you feel inclined to repeat this recipe exactly the same way. Curry Chicken can be made many different ways, as far as seasonings and techniques.  Nevertheless, there are only 3 major steps to this recipe, and I don't think you will find it difficult to put this all together and make some absolutely enchanting Curry Chicken in your own home. Have at it!

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 LBS Cut up CHicken legs

3 Tomatoes (of any kind) cut up

3-4 Scallions (Green Onions)

1 Yellow Onion (sliced thin)

1 Habanero or Scotch Bonnet Pepper

(optional) Dried Chillies de Arbol

4-5 Cloves of Garlic

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbsp Garam Masala

2 Tbsp Curry

¼ Cup Cooking Oil (Olive Oil is best in this situation)

1 Tbsp Knorr Chicken Bouillon

1 Can (medium sized) of Coconut Milk

½ Bunch of Cilantro to Garnish

PROCEDURE:

Toast your fennel seeds and chillies in a dried pan with no oil over a low heat, moving around occasionally. You can tell they are ready when you can smell them from the pan. They will be very aromatic. Add them to the bowl with your chicken.

Marinate your chicken with all of the ingredients listed above besides Tomatoes, Cilantro, Coconut Milk, and Chicken Bouillon. Make sure that every crevice of your chicken is coated in the mixture with the olive oil. Adding a cooking oil to your marinade helps to seal in the flavors.

Add your marinated curry chicken mixture to a hot pot with a little oil at the bottom. You want to try and let the curry chicken get a pre-cooking, a slight browning on the edges, and THEN you add your tomatoes and the coconut milk.

If you are using a dutch oven like me, now would be a good time to place your oven at 350 F.

After stirring in the coconut milk, you can add a Tbsp of Chicken Bouillon. If you want to cook this completely on the stove, you can simply turn the heat down to a simmer at this point, and continue checking on the pot every 10 min or so for the next hr, just to stir it. When the chicken is Tender and Falling off the bone, your Trinidadian Curry Chicken is ready to serve! ENJOY

Ceviche is one of my favorite appetizer/lunch/brunch types of Dishes! For those who don’t know what it is, or those who DO know BUT have never tried it, Ceviche is fresh raw fish that has been cured by the juice of citrus fruits and salt. The word Ceviche has many different spellings but is said to stem from the word “Escabeche” which has an arabic root meaning “Fish cooked in vinegar”. The dish has origins that stem from the Incas of Peru, where they used fish such as Grouper, Flounder, Giant Tuna, Prawns, Octopus, and Squid. Mexican Ceviche is typically prepared with Shrimp. The influx of prawns caught in the Gulf makes it always readily available. For my Ceviche, I used some Red Snapper from the Gulf.

Some people may be opposed to the idea of eating raw fish, but to their relief, they should know that after 30 minutes to an hour of soaking in lime juice, the texture of the fish is equal to that of one that's been cooked through with fire. Not to mention the flavor is fire as well (heart eyes). In Peru, they see it as a crime to marinate the fish in the citrus juice for any longer than 10 minutes after it’s been cut. The best Ceviche in the world is served Fresh as can be, with fish caught the day of, and any connoisseur will be able to tell just by the taste!

The best way to make ceviche in my opinion is to first dice it into small ¼ inch cubes. Make sure your knife is sharp! The smaller pieces, the faster the cure, the quicker you can enjoy the flavor.

You want to use Freshly squeezed Lime Juice from fragrant limes, Orange Juice, and/or Passionfruit. The most important thing is Lime. In my Ceviche, I used Lime and a little bit of store-bought Orange juice. The flavor was crazy good.  

You’ve got to have Pico De Gallo on deck! That mixture of diced Tomato, Red Onion, Jalapeno, and Cilantro is what makes a good Ceviche, into a phenomenal Ceviche.

If you have some that are ready, Fresh Avocado would be nice to top your ceviche. The creamy texture of it adds a remarkable mouth feel... and not to mention, all of Guacamole's best friends are already here! Why not invite some Avocado to the party!

When it comes to plating, you have some options. In Peru, they sometimes serve Ceviche with Plantain Chips or Fried Green Plantain, Chunks of Sweet Potato or with Corn. In Mexico, ceviche is typically served with or on a Tostada (Corn Tortilla Chip) with Tapatillo or your choice of hot sauce. For my Ceviche I fried a whole Corn Tortilla. If you don’t have the means, Tortilla chips will work just fine. Scoop some of your finished Ceviche into a bowl and go at it!

Try this EASY 3 step recipe out!

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 LBS RED SNAPPER FISH

- 10 LIMES (The more fragrant, the better)

- 1 CUP ORANGE JUICE

- 2 JALAPENOS

- 1 RED ONION

- 1 BUNCH CILANTRO

- 1 LARGE TOMATO

- 2 AVOCADOS

- SALT & PEPPER

PROCEDURE:

Cut your fish into small pieces using a very sharp knife.

Juice your limes and combine juice with diced fish and Salt & Pepper

Dice your onions, peppers, tomato and cilantro and then add it to the fish Mix.

Serve as is and enjoy! This fresh and fragrant combination of ingredients will be one you can definitely enjoy for days to come!

If this recipe was helpful at all to you, Please feel free to share it with friends and family!

Thanks for Reading!

- Chef Khalieb Rufael

If you know me, and I have cooked for you before, you will know that I love to cook CARIBBEAN FOOD. This recipe has so much relevance to me because of my Grenadian neighbors who Inspired me to make it. I was blessed enough to be friends with a woman named Ms. June whom I met after I began catering lunch to the doctors office where she worked in 2018. There, she became accustomed to my cooking. She praised me about my curry chicken, Jerk Salmon, RICE N’ PEAS, STEAMED CABBAGE, & FESTIVAL BREAD among other Jamaican and carribean dishes that I enjoyed cooking. Her seal of approval, as a Grenadian woman, gave me the confidence I needed early on in the beginning stages of my cooking career. She began to tell her friends about me which led to various other opportunities to showcase my talent and passion for ISLAND CUISINE. Every year since then I've been cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for her family. I couldn't be more grateful to have met Ms. June and her lovely Family. 

One of the dishes she loved me to prepare for her was Brown Chicken Stew. This stew Pairs really well with any rice dish, any vegetable side, and Sweet Plantain. I recommend RICE N’ PEAS, but any rice will do fine (better believe I'm coming with that REAL CARIBBEAN Rice n’ Peas Recipe soon!). Here’s my version of BROWN CHICKEN STEW. It’s VERY easy to put together and cook, so I hope you all GIVE IT A TRY.

PREP TIME: 10 MIN

COOKTIME: 1 HR

TOTAL TIME: 1:10 MIN

INGREDIENTS:

~2.5 LBS Cut up Whole Chicken

~1 Yellow Onion

~1 Red Onion

~3-4 Scallions

~5 Cloves Garlic (2 Tbsp minced)

~1 thumb Ginger

~1 Sweet Red Bell Pepper

~1/2 Bunch of Cilantro

~2-3 Habanero or Scotch Bonnet Peppers

~3-4 Sprigs of Thyme

~2 Tbsp Browning

~2 Tbsp Ketchup

~1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

~2-3 Tbsp of Hot Sauce (optional)

~1 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke (optional)

~3 Tbsp Olive Oil

~1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

~1 Cup Chicken Stock

PROCEDURE:

First things first, Marinade your chicken. Season the chicken liberally with Salt. In a separate bowl, combine all of your wet ingredients on the list from Browning, to Brown Sugar and whisk together until all one homogenous sauce and toss the chicken in it.

Cut your onions, Garlic, Ginger, Peppers into bite sized pieces. The Thyme you can leave on the stem and the Scotch bonnet peppers you can leave whole. But be aware that there may be stems and very spicy whole peppers in the stew.

In a nice sized pot, over medium high heat, cook your marinated chicken pieces until they brown on all sides and get a nice caramelized look. 

Once the chicken is browned on all sides, add your chopped veggies into the pot and continue cooking until the onions and peppers have wilted and become slightly translucent.

When the vegetables have wilted, add in your chicken stock liquid, add in your thyme sprigs and hot peppers, and allow your pot to come to a simmer over Medium-low heat. This would be a great time to cover that pot with a lid that’s slightly tilted, crack open a cold Red Stripe beer or whatever you have in the fridge, and sit back & relax, while your stew simmers away.

30-45 minutes later, you should be smelling intoxicating aromas of Sweet and Spicy Caribbean Chicken Stew. Scoop out yourself a nice helping and pour it over some jasmine rice or mashed plantain and enjoy!

Muslim Bean Soup

This Recipe for White Bean soup also known as Navy Beans (for being served in rations to US Navy sailors in the late 19th century) is a family staple that has been being passed down for generations. Slow cooked beans that will just melt in your mouth, flavored by smoked turkey or ham hocks, traditionally accompanied by buttery cornbread and stewed collard greens. My mother grew up eating bowls of White Bean Soup, or Muslim Beans as they will refer to it, in a small one-story house with her 6 siblings in Louisville.

Like my Southern Lentil Stew, this is a recipe involving legumes (beans), so the recommended method of cooking will involve SOAKING your legumes at least 8 hrs before cooking (This is for your own good). In one vegan restaurant I worked at, we were so behind on the daily schedule that we cooked the beans without pre-soaking them. The effect that this had on the finished beans was not visible to the eye. But after a full bowl, or even a cup, your digestive system will let you know what you did wrong. They called it the Miles Davis effect.You don’t need a trumpet to make musical sounds, the beans will help you toot your own horn! You don’t want to make that same mistake we made and serve unsoaked beans to loved ones, especially not when you’re all quarantined in the same house. An easy alternative would be to buy and use canned beans. If you choose to do that, more power to you! I’m definitely not judging you by the way.

Take your time with these beans! Greatness takes patience and I guarantee you won’t be upset with your results!

Prep time: 8 hours (only if using dry beans)

Cook time: Close to 2 hours

Yield: 10-12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups dried White Beans (Navy Beans)

4 stocks Celery

1 Large carrot

1 Onion

1 Bell Pepper

1 Jalapeno (more if you like it spicy)

4-5 cloves Garlic

1 Smoked Turkey Leg

Salt & Pepper

2 Tsp Smoked Paprika

1 tbsp Knorr or 2-3 Bouillon Cubes

DIRECTIONS:

Add soaked beans into a large pot with about twice as much water as there are beans. If you started with 2 cups of dried beans, which is 4 cups after soaking (they double in size), I’d say use about 8 cups of water to boil. Bring to a boil and then simmer over a medium heat with the top slightly ajar for about 45min - 1hr or until tender to the spoon-press-test. As they cook, the majority of the water will evaporate from the pot so make sure there is an ample amount of water. If you’re using canned beans, you don’t need to add as much water. Fill the empty can up with water twice and that should be enough to start cooking.

In a separate Pot, boil your Smoked Turkey Leg. Once the meat is tender, remove from the pot and shred with a fork. SAVE the WATER! This can be used to add to the beans if the water is evaporating fast, or if you just want the extra flavor!

In a frying pan, sweat the celery, onion, carrot, bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic. Use salt and try to caramelize these. Cook until onions are golden brown for maximum flavor.

When the beans are tender, add your seasonings and Knorr or bouillon, or whatever stock seasoning you have and simmer for 5 more minutes. Check your water level, do you want these beans to be more soupy? Add a little more water. Do you want them to have a more creamy thick consistency? Let the beans cook down a little more.

Finally, after your beans have reached your desired consistency, add in your sauteed vegetables, and turkey meat. Taste for salt, and you’re finished.

Greetings to all and welcome to the FOOLOG. My name is Khalieb Rufael, aka Cheff Truffle, and I am here to take you on a journey through the culinary industry through the wide eyes of a young, black, aspiring Chef de Cuisine and journalist. I am 23 years old and have been working in restaurants for the past 7 years. Before you ask, I don’t specialize in any specific genre of cuisine. Even though I have made strong efforts to learn the basics of French cuisine, it’s not all I care about. After living and working in France for several months last year in an attempt to gain experience in a classical restaurant setting, I realized something. While France does stand as the home of classic culinary arts, it is not the home of the best dishes, and I am here to prove that by displaying delicious example after example.

Before I send you off to dive into this plethora of recipes, I want to give credit to those who came before and paved the road for me to cook and teach about the food we all love. So I will start with some of the classic recipes of the region of the world I call home. This includes my humble origin in the rural south of Louisville, Kentucky, to where I grew up, in the incredibly diverse metropolis of Houston, Texas. I will talk about experiences and recipes I learned in working in the restaurant industry as well as recipes I learned traveling abroad to Africa, Europe and beyond. I pray for many more travels to come, and with that, many more experiences, as well as many more recipes to make sense of it all. Without further ado, welcome to the blog of a traveling chef.

SOUTHERN LENTIL STEW

First, This is the Recipe for a Simple Lentil Stew. My mother taught me how to make a vegetarian version of this amazing dish. I love my mother for many reasons and one of those is introducing me to vegan and vegetarian food. Oftentimes, people (non-vegan) have mixed perceptions about vegan food, believing that, for some reason, it will be somewhat lacking in substance or be missing essential  flavors than its animal based counterpart. I think it’s best to leave those people to believe what they want, in the end, more food for us! After trying this recipe, you too will understand why I say that.

With that being said, I also learned an incredible lentil stew recipe while staying on a farm in the Aix-en-Provence of France, this recipe contained Lardon. Lardon is smoked pork belly (Bacon) cut into little match sticks, rather than long thick strips like american Bacon. The smoky flavor of the meat adds an incredible bite to the stew, and not to mention, a captivat Hiing aroma as well. If you’re not comfortable eating pork, for whatever reason you may have, and  you still want the same effect, I recommend using smoked turkey pieces  instead.

It was taught to me by both my Mother and my host in Aix-en-Provence to soak the lentils in cold water, at least 4 hrs before cooking. This is done because  the outer shell of the lentils may contain anti-nutrients that can interfere with or slow down digestion. You can avoid that by buying canned lentils, but I must point out that they don’t have equal nutritional value, plus, you would be missing out on all the fun of waiting and anticipating such an incredible dish.

This recipe should yield about 10 servings of Stew. I always recommend seasoning to taste and taste as you go! Don’t be afraid to dip a clean spoon into the pot and taste what the process is like, it may be uncomfortable at first but over time it will help improve all of your cooking ten fold!

INGREDIENTS:

Okay! Let us begin. You will need before we start:

1 cup of Green (or Red) Lentils

2-3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes (1 tbsp of Norr Chicken Flavoring) & 3 cups of Water or 3 cups of Chicken Stock

3 Stalks of Celery

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Yellow Onion

1 Large Carrot

3 Sweet or Russet Potatoes

4 Cloves of Garlic

1 Smoked Turkey Tail (Optional)

A few leaves of fresh Sage

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Cayenne Pepper

1 tbsp Curry or Garam Masala

PROCEDURE:

Start by adding your pre soaked lentils into your 3 cups of water or chicken broth and bring to a boil. These should boil until soft which may take around 30-40 min with occasional  stirring..

At this time, if you choose to use smoked meat such as turkey tails or a turkey leg, I recommend pre boiling it in a separate pot, before adding it to the lentils. It gives you a chance to pick through it for any bones and/or cut into ideal sized pieces, however this part is not necessary, seeing that if you cook the meat long enough, it will break down into smaller pieces itself.

In another pan, sauté your Holy Trifecta (celery, bell pepper, and onion) until brown while seasoning with salt, then add your garlic & sage and sauté for around 5 minutes.

Prepare your carrots and potatoes by cutting into relatively small but equal sized pieces.

Try and press a few lentils against the side of the pot with your stirring spoon. When they smash easily, you’ll know it's time to add in your sauteed veggies and carrots and potatoes (as well as turkey meat). Now is a great time to add season and then taste.

15-20 minutes later, when your carrots and potatoes reach the proper level of doneness, have a quick taste for salt, and your stew is ready to eat.

I hope you enjoy cooking these lentils and add different spices and veggies as you like. Its important that after making it, you share it with your family and loved ones so it will continue to get passed down.

Stay tuned for many more recipes to come.

Love,