D.M.R. Fine Foods: Black History

Friday, January 31, 2020

I Can't Believe It's Vegetarian Chili + BHM Virtual Potluck

Am I alone in amazement that we are literally saying goodbye to January already?! Nonetheless here we are heading into February with no signs of time slowing down to allow for anything other. Be that as it may, I'm inviting us to slow down as often as possible, release "hurry mode", and intentionally embrace the simple and grand moments that make up life.

As you might have guessed by now, hearty, comfort food is one of my favorite ways to settle in and take a load off. And when you're talking good for you x good to you fare, it doesn't get much better than this. Enter one of my favorite dishes, chili--with a vegetarian twist. For this dish, I'm not referring to my Spicy Three Bean Chili. Instead, I'm talking about a meatless version that mimics all the heartiness, texture and um-um goodness and flavor of your favorite turkey or beef chili. Are you excited yet?

If I hadn't made it myself, I would have been hard pressed to believe that this was a truly meatless dish, because it gives off the exact texture and look of the chili of my childhood (grandmama's beef chili) and my favorite turkey chili I make most often these days. I don't know about you, but I call that a win-win, especially for those of us currently working on our summer bodies. ;)

With the ease of nothing more than adding meatless crumbles to my typical chili base, it was quicker, easier--and just as delicious--as my original recipe. Finish with a garnish of creamy avocado slices, peppery jalapenos, bright and fragrant cilantro, a generous splash of citrus, and whatever else you please, to take it over the top. And don't just take my word for it. I want you to make. it. and then tell me you're as thrilled as I am to add this to the vegetarian repertoire you never knew you wanted.

And because chili has always been a staple in my food story--from childhood until now--I'm excited to be sharing this recipe as a part of the Black History Month Virtual Potluck, now in its fourth year. In case you're wondering, it's a wonderful collection of recipes, stories, and heritage, that showcase black culture through the lenses of cuisine and storytelling, as shared by black food bloggers throughout Black History Month (translation: it's really something special.) *Grab the full list of BHM Potluck 2020 recipes and bloggers following the recipe below.

Enjoy... and Happy Eating!

I Can't Believe It's Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bell peppers, diced

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

12 oz. water

1 ½ tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 15oz. can chili beans

1 package of Meatless Crumbles (I used Gardein's)

Several splashes of Tabasco sauce (optional)

Sliced avocados, limes, jalapenos, and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Method:

Preheat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot under medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for another minute.

Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, spices and seasonings, 1 teaspoon salt and Tabasco, if using. Stir until mixed thoroughly and bring to a slight boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in meatless crumbles and beans and cook for an additional five to ten minutes. Garnish, serve and enjoy!

Black History Month Virtual Potluck, 2020

Beautiful Eats & Things | Honey Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes | vegetarian

D.M.R. Fine Foods |Vegetarian Chili | vegetarian

Dash of Jazz |Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits with Spiced Pear Compote | vegan

Dish it with Tisha | Mushroom and Okra Po' Boy |vegetarian

Domestic Dee |Dirty Rice |vegan

Food Fidelity |Vegan Curry Cauliflower | vegan

Kenneth Temple |Wakanda Cake | vegan

Marisa Moore Nutrition |Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Fritters | vegan

Meiko and the Dish | Cajun Shrooms & Grits | vegetarian

Rosalynn Daniels | Vegan Bread Pudding | vegan

Savory Thoughts | Haitian Black Rice (Diri Djon Djon) | vegan

The Hungry Hutch | Vegetarian Southern-Style Collard Greens | Vegan

Whisk it Real Gud | Vegan Jollof Rice | vegan

A Little Food | Southern Sweet Fried Corn | vegan

AGirlCalledAdri | Pound Cake | vegetarian

Baum Ass Foods | Slow Cooked Black-eyed Peas + Greens | vegan

Collards Are the Old Kale | Red Beans and Tri-Color Quinoa | vegetarian

FoodLoveTog | Black-Eyed Pea Hummus | vegetarian

Her Mise En Place | Rice Pudding | vegetarian

Kalisha Blair | Yeasted Cornmeal Dinner Rolls | vegetarian

Kenya Rae | Sweet potato Biscuits | vegetarian

On Ty’s Plate | Collard Greens Salad with Orange Vinaigrette | vegetarian

Orchids + Sweet Tea | Banana Cake + Cinnamon Browned Butter Buttercream | vegan

Razzle Dazzle Life | Roasted Garlic White Veggie Lasagna | vegetarian

Sweet Tea and Thyme Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar Topping | vegetarian

Orchids + Sweet Tea | Southerner's Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bites | vegetarian

Marisa Moore Nutrition | Crispy Roasted Okra with Peanut Sauce | vegan

Kenneth Temple | Vegan File Gumbo | vegan

Meiko and the Dish | Sweet Potato Pancakes | vegetarian

Spice Roasted Chicken x BHM Potluck

One of the very first dishes I "mastered" when I began my culinary journey in earnest was the classic, beloved, roasted chicken. Growing up, you'd be hard pressed to find a kitchen that didn't have some variation and ode to this home-cooking staple. But what I set out to perfect was not your grandmother's roasted chicken.

Upon finding my stride with the technique of yielding a crispy skin, coupled with moist, tender white and dark meat, I fell in love with the seeming ease of bringing this dish together with varying flavor profiles. Stuffing the cavity with herbs and aromatics, seasoning abundantly, lathering the skin with compound butters, and more, my roasted chicken earned a place all its own in my cooking repertoire. And my friends and family will attest that it makes its appearance as the star of many a dinner party and holiday meal.

So as I contemplated what I wanted to share for the, now annual, Black History Month Virtual Potluck, roasted chicken was a natural choice. **See the full 2019 BHM Potluck lineup below, following the recipe!

Being the self-proclaimed "Spice Girl" that I am, I decided to bring some of my favorite spices to the flavor profile. I made a chili-spiced compound butter with chipotle chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and kosher salt. The yield was a deep burnished color (like chili!), crispy skin, and tender moist chicken infused with flavor, from the inside- out.

And for an extra special touch, I threw chopped vegetables into the roasting pan to roast alongside the chicken, while absorbing the flavor of the chicken juices. Umm-umm, good and an easy meal-in-one that also happens to be one of my favorite ways to serve this dish.

Make it and prepare to add it to your cooking rotation again and again.

Happy Eating!

Spice Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken (3 to 4 lbs.)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large onion, quartered

1 lemon, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved with skin on
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for additional seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper

Vegetables (sweet potatoes, fennel, and carrots), peeled and chopped

Method:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine butter, spices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small dish. Set aside.

Place chicken in a cast iron skillet or roasting pan and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with onion, lemon, and garlic. Rub the chicken with the spice butter and gently lift the skin over the breast and tuck butter underneath. (Be careful not to tear the skin.) Season the chicken all over with additional salt and black pepper. Tuck the wings under and tie the legs together.

Spread the root vegetables in the roasting pan to form a bed around the chicken. Place chicken in the preheated oven and roast for thirty minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and roast for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature from the thigh reads 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for 10-20 minutes. Carve and serve with the vegetables. Enjoy!

Black History Month Virtual Potluck, 2019

Beautiful Eats & Things | Okra, Corn, & Tomato Chicken Stew

Beyond The Bayou Blog | Mackerel Balls With Biscuits & Cane Syrup

B Sugar Mama | Red Beans and Rice

Butter Be Ready | Caribbean- Curry Goat with Rice and Peas

Cooks with Soul | Boudin balls

D.M.R. Fine Foods | Spice Roasted Chicken

Dash of Jazz | Soul Food Power Bowl

Dish it with Tisha | Jamaican Curry Chicken

Domestic Dee | Chicken Sliders

Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Bourbon + sweet potato pie

First and Full | Homemade Peach Pie

Food Fidelity | Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich

Food is Love Made Edible | Smothered Okra with Chicken and Smoked Sausage

Foodie In New York | Chess Pie

Immaculate Bites | Pimento Cheese

Kaluhi's Kitchen | Pilipili & Rosemary marinated mbuzi choma with Kachumbari

Kenneth Temple | Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Marisa Moore Nutrition | Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cabbage

Meiko And The Dish | Hot Buttered Rum Biscuits

My Life Runs On Food | Southern Style Caesar Salad

Rosalynn Daniels | Osso Bucco

Savory Thoughts | Haitian Patty

Simply LaKita | Fried Okra

Sweet Tea & Thyme | Spiced Peach Shortcakes

That Girl Cooks Healthy | Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce

The Hungry Hutch | Cornbread Dressing

The Seasoning Bottle | Guava Short Ribs

Whisk It Real Gud | Banana Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Glaze

History has it that bread pudding's origins date as far back as the 11th century. And the refusal to waste leftover bread made it into a popular, frugal dish. Fast forward to more modern times, the late 20th century to be exact, and that's where my personal history with bread pudding began.

I vividly remember the first time I tasted bread pudding. I was a college freshman being treated to dinner by a Sorority big sister at a lovely local restaurant in our college town. I'm sure I probably followed her lead in ordering it since I had never had it (and looked up to her immensely). But that's where the following stopped. Once I tasted the warm, perfectly spiced and comforting pudding, I knew we'd have a life long love affair. And if my blog is any indication, you can probably guess how much of a fan I am.

Thinking back to that first taste, Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce, I'm thrilled to be recreating a dish that expanded my food horizons all those years ago and remains as a vivid reminder of the friendship and sisterhood that framed my first encounter.

And if that wasn't enough, bread pudding is the quintessential "bang for the buck", wow appeal, minus the requisite heavy lifting, dish that cooks and bakers everywhere love to bring to life. Not to mention that its roots in frugality still makes it perfect for sharing without breaking the bank.

My version is served warm with a generous drizzle of maple glaze (sorry Bourbon), and perfectly proportioned in individual ramekins hearkening back to that personalized dessert course where we were first introduced. :)

If you're already a fan of this delicacy, then here's more to love. If you're making it for the first time, I'm confident that, like me, you'll never look back.

Finally, what could make this even more special than including this recipe in the 2018 edition of the Black History Month Virtual Potluck?! What began as an expose of 28 of the web's top black food bloggers in celebration of Black History Month continues again this year in similar, delicious fashion. Each day of February will present a new recipe for you to explore and add to your personal repertoire. See the full lineup following the recipe and be sure to join in on the fun.

Happy Eating!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Glaze
Ingredients:
1 lb. cinnamon raisin bread, cubed into 1 in. pieces
1 quart half-n-half
4 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for greasing ramekins
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus more for dusting

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease individual ramekins and set aside.
Place cubed bread on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes.
While bread is toasting, whisk together half-n-half, eggs, sugar, melted butter, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a large bowl. Add in toasted bread and push with hands to submerge in custard. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Ladle bread custard into ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked through (a tester inserted into the center should come out clean.)
Meanwhile, for the maple glaze, whisk together maple syrup and powdered sugar to desired consistency. Add a few drops of water to loosen, if needed.
Remove ramekins from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and dust puddings with powdered sugar. Drizzle with maple glaze, serve and enjoy!

Black History Month Potluck 2018

Beautiful Eats & Things | Turkey Sausage Stuffed Collard Green Wraps
Better With Biscuits | Fresh Corn Pudding
Beyond The Bayou Food Blog | Creole Red Snapper Courtbouillon
Brandi’s Diary | Better than Jiffy Cornbread from Scratch
Butter Be Ready | Southern Style Mac and Cheese
Chef Kenneth | Fried Sweet Potato Hand Pie
Chocolate For Basil | Pilau and Kachumbari (Spiced Rice with Pico)
Cooks with Soul | Braised Short Rib Meatloaf
D.M.R. Fine Foods | Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Glaze
Dash of Jazz | Nigerian Jollof Rice
Domestic Dee | Fried Peach Pies
Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Olive Oil Braised Collard Greens
Food Fidelity | Mofongo Relleno (Mashed Plantains with Garlic Shrimp)
Food is Love Made Edible | Buttermilk Biscuits with Fried Chicken and Tabasco Honey
High Heels and Good Meals | Crawfish Etouffee
HomeMadeZagat | Shrimp with Spicy Curry Cream Sauce
Houston Food Fetish | Sweet Almond Tea Cakes
In the Kitchen w/Kmarie | Pineapple Lemonade
Marisa Moore Nutrition | Bourbon Peach Glazed Salmon
Meiko and The Dish | Candied Bourbon Peach Cobbler
My Life Runs On Food | Lentil Soup and Roast Okra
Orchids + Sweet Tea | Carrot and Zucchini Noodles Stir Fry with Shrimp
Raised on Ramen | Orange Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Savory Spicerack | Creamy Seafood Stew
Simply LaKita | Blackberry Cobbler
The Hungry Hutch | Orange Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze
The Kitchenista Diaries | Smothered Turkey Wings
The Seasoning Bottle | Honey Turmeric Skillet Chicken

Curry Chicken Pot Pie + BHM Virtual Potluck

Food, family and memories have always gone hand-in-hand for me. From the earliest age, I can trace the family gatherings, sleepovers, holiday celebrations, and Sundays at my grandparents' home, in particular, to special meals and favorite dishes.

Chicken pot pie was one of those dishes that typically represented a quick weeknight meal (the frozen variety, to be clear) or, even more fun, a sleepover with my cousins at my grandparents, with my grandmother superbly strategizing on how to feed the lot. It was an easy 'go-to' to satiate our hungry little bellies, and we loved it--largely because it represented family and love and shared memories.

Those memories continue to linger all these years later and recently inspired me to make a Curry Chicken Pot Pie (equally as perfect for a weeknight or feeding a crowd) that brings back all the comfort and delight that the little frozen pies, in the mini aluminum pans, provided years before.

In a similar spirit of personal history and tradition, this post is a part of a Black History Month Virtual Potluck among 28 black food bloggers from around the world, celebrating the undeniable place that food has always held within our culture and contributions to American history at large. As Black History Month launches on February 1st, you can anticipate a new recipe from a participating blogger for each day of the month, culminating in a one-of-a-kind (and scrumptious) food journey! See the full list of fellow bloggers below to take in the amazing recipes.

So here's to family, childhood memories, tradition...and Happy Eating!

Curry Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons mild curry
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste as desired
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 egg, beaten
Flaked sea salt (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place chicken and carrots in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 12-13 minutes. Add peas and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan and saute onion over a medium-high heat until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, curry, and cook to combine. Stir in broth and coconut milk and simmer (stirring throughout to avoid sticking) until thickened. Taste for seasoning and adjust, as needed.

Place chicken mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart round dish and pour curry mixture over the top.

Roll out pastry sheet and layer over the top of the baking dish. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with flaked sea salt (if using) and more ground pepper. Make slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape while baking.

Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until pastry is golden brown. Remove, serve hot and enjoy!