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Dibi Hausa (Senegalese Grilled Beef Kebabs)

Pierre Thiam — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 21:18:40 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

This recipe, which appeared in Adrian Miller’s book, Black Smoke, is adapted from beef kebabs made by chef Pierre Thiam, a Senegal native, who is doing much to educate Americans about the food of his native country. It’s also a great way to get a taste of West African barbecue in a short period of time. Though this recipe calls for beef, you can use any other meat or vegetable to achieve delicious results. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for an hour before using. The tankora spice mix will last up to two months stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Featured in “The Real Star Of West African-Style Grilling? This DIY-Friendly Seasoning” by Adrian Miller.

Yield: 4

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the tankora powder:

1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, crushed to a fine powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

For the kebabs:

1 lb. round steak, sliced into strips about 1½ by 2 by ⅜ in.
2 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. finely grated white or yellow onion
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. finely chopped garlic
¼ tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled (optional)
1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Make the tankora powder: In a small bowl, stir together the peanuts, ginger, salt, white pepper, and cayenne; set aside.
Prepare the kebabs: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high. To a large bowl, add the steak, onion, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and bouillon cube (if desired); toss to combine. Add the oil, white pepper, cayenne, and salt and toss to coat the meat evenly in the seasonings. Set aside to marinate for 10–15 minutes.
Thread a few slices of meat onto eight 6-inch skewers. Pour the reserved tankora powder onto a wide plate and roll each skewer in it, evenly coating all sides and shaking off any excess. Using a pastry brush, brush a bit more of the remaining marinade over each skewer. Transfer to the grill and cook, turning occasionally and basting with the marinade, until the meat is seared and browned all over and cooked through, 12–14 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

The post Dibi Hausa (Senegalese Grilled Beef Kebabs) appeared first on Saveur.

Sombi (Senegalese Coconut Rice Pudding)

Pierre Thiam — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 16:30:00 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Rice cultivation is the lifeblood of Casamance, the area of Senegal from which sombi, a coconut rice pudding, originates. At sunset, one feels a special silence around the paddies as the rice shoots sway, captives of the gentle breeze. The tranquility of that scene is one of chef Pierre Thiam’s most vivid memories of home. He finishes the classic Senegalese dessert with caramelized mango for brightness and toasted coconut for texture.

This recipe is adapted with permission from Yolele! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal by Pierre Thiam (Lake Isle Press, 2008).

Yield: 4-6

Time: 35 minutes

½ cup honey
2 mangoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise
2 cups coconut milk
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, divided
¼ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped, or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup cooked white rice, preferably long-grain
1 Tbsp. lime juice
Pinch kosher salt

Instructions

In a skillet set over medium heat, cook the honey until bubbly. Using tongs, dip the mango slices in the honey to coat; cook until golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
To a medium pot set over medium heat, add the coconut milk, 6 tablespoons of the shredded coconut, the sugar, and vanilla and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the sauce and set aside.
To a skillet set over low heat, add the remaining shredded coconut and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Set the pot with the coconut milk mixture over medium-low heat, add the rice, and cook, stirring frequently, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and salt and discard the vanilla pod.
Transfer the rice pudding to serving bowls. Dividing evenly among the bowls, drizzle the reserved sauce around the edges of the pudding, lay the mango slices atop the pudding, and garnish with the toasted shredded coconut. Serve warm.

The post Sombi (Senegalese Coconut Rice Pudding) appeared first on Saveur.

Fonio Pilaf with Dates, Carrots, and Peanuts

Pierre Thiam — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:40:54 +0000

Fonio, a delightfully nutty-tasting type of millet, is a ubiquitous staple in Senegal, and chef Pierre Thiam enjoys using it in his Thanksgiving menu because he finds it lighter than bread-rich stuffings. If you can’t find fonio, substitute an equal amount of couscous or quinoa.

Featured in: A Brooklyn Thanksgiving with the Flavors of Senegal

Yield: serves 6-8

Time: 45 minutes

¹⁄₄ cup red palm oil or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
5 oz. pitted Medjool dates, roughly chopped
¹⁄₂ cup roughly chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
¹⁄₂ tsp. cayenne
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 cup fonio or quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 ¹⁄₂ cups chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Heat the oven to 325°. In a medium saucepan, heat the palm oil over medium. Add the dates, 1⁄4 cup of the peanuts, the cayenne, and the carrots and cook, stirring, until the carrots soften slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the fonio and stir until well-coated with oil and then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook, without stirring, until the fonio absorbs all the stock, about 3 minutes.
Scrape the fonio into an 8-inch square baking dish greased with palm oil and smooth the top. Cover the dish with foil and bake until tender and warmed through, about 20 minutes. Uncover, fluff the fonio with a fork, and season with salt and pepper. Scrape the fonio into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts and the parsley before serving.

The post Fonio Pilaf with Dates, Carrots, and Peanuts appeared first on Saveur.

Creamed Collard Greens with Peanut Butter and Chile

Pierre Thiam — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:42:23 +0000

Ryan Liebe

Collard greens laced with peanut butter and fermented seafood is a common one-pot dish in West Africa. This version comes from Senegal-born chef Pierre Thiam who grinds his own roasted peanuts. If you don’t make your own, use a natural brand, as nut butters made with added sugar and stabilizers will change the flavor of the dish. Almond, cashew, and other nut butters also add an interesting, albeit untraditional, flavor to greens prepared in this manner. Pro tip: wear disposable prep gloves when chopping chiles.

Featured in: “A Brooklyn Thanksgiving with the Flavors of Senegal.”

Yield: serves 6-8

Time: 45 minutes

2 lb. collard or turnip green leaves, roughly chopped (12 cups)
1 cup dried shrimp
4 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 ¹⁄₂ medium yellow onions (1 roughly chopped, 1/2 sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings)
1 vine-ripe tomato, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
4 tbsp. red palm oil or vegetable oil
2 tbsp. tomato paste
¹⁄₂ cup natural peanut butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan and season with salt. Add the collard greens, cover, and cook until the leaves are tender and wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain the leaves in a colander set over a bowl and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Place the leaves and reserved liquid in a blender, purée until smooth, and scrape the paste into a bowl.
Clean the blender and return it to its base. In the blender, combine the dried shrimp with three-quarters of the chiles, half the chopped onion, and the fresh tomato and purée until smooth. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons palm oil over medium-high. Add the remaining half of the chopped onion and the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are soft and lightly caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes. Scrape the shrimp and tomato paste into the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the puréed collard greens and peanut butter, and mash until evenly combined. Season the greens with salt and pepper and scrape into a serving dish.
In a 10-inch skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons palm oil over high, add the onion rings, and cook, stirring, until soft and slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Arrange the onion rings over the collards and garnish with the remaining chile.

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A Brooklyn Thanksgiving with the Flavors of Senegal

Pierre Thiam — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:37:54 +0000

The flavors of Senegal—sour tamarind, fiery scotch bonnets, and pungent fish sauce—add umami-rich depth to this unexpected Thanksgiving bird. Ryan Liebe

Chef Pierre Thiam Walter Smith

Eat as much as you possibly can. Gorge. Help yourself to another plate of turkey. Pack in that extra slice of pie.

Sounds like Thanksgiving, right?

That way, you’ll weigh so much, the Angel of Death won’t be able to lift you away at the end of the night!

Wait, what!? Can you imagine telling that to a kid? Well, we do, on Tamxarit, the Muslim New Year: Of all the holidays in my native Senegal, it’s the one that reminds me the most of Thanksgiving. As a kid, I remember thanking God that my mom’s food was delicious, otherwise I’d have had to force it down anyway.

Every Senegalese holiday has its signature dish, and special moments are linked to special food starting at birth. When you get your name, people celebrate at the ceremony by eating a lakh, a dish of millet that is perfumed with orange water and vanilla. At Tamxarit, we eat an elaborate millet couscous with bean and lamb stew. At my Thanksgiving now, I use American dishes as jumping-off points to pack in African flavor, creating new signature dishes for my family’s table.

For example, instead of a plain butternut squash soup, I add Scotch bonnet peppers for heat to make a riff on a popular West African chile chowder called pepe (or pepper) soup. There are as many pepe soup recipes as there are regions in West Africa, but wherever you go, the soup is believed to prevent hangovers. You’ll see people selling steaming bowls on the streets in West Africa at nighttime near nightclubs and bars. It’s nice to have a little bowl at Thanksgiving, just in case. I make a raw collard green salad topped with roasted sweet potato, and a light stuffing made of fonio, an ancient grain that used to be considered fit only for royalty. We have a saying in Senegal, “Fonio never embarrasses the cook.” That’s how easy it is to make.

And the centerpiece is a tamarind-glazed turkey, similar to the ones my mother, who inspired much of my cooking, used to cook for us around Christmas. Dakar, the name of the city where I grew up, is the Wolof word for tamarind, so it feels appropriate to serve such a bird for our Senegalese Thanksgiving. While my mother is no longer with us, I like to think that having the bird on our table is a little mark of her presence.

Right before people come over—there’s usually 25 in all, family and friends from Africa, Europe, the States, many of whom don’t have family here in New York—I pop the pumpkin-mango cake in the oven, so that they are greeted with that scent of cinnamon and ginger, everything warm and fresh.

We have this belief in Senegal that you have to share food with whoever visits, because then your bowl will always be full. By sharing our food, we say, you bring a blessing.

I live in Brooklyn. If you find yourself near, stop by. We’ll eat until we burst—even though there’s no angel lurking, waiting to snatch us away at the end of the night.

The Menu

Black-Eyed Pea Hummus with West African Chile Paste

Butternut Squash Pepe Soup

Flaming Scotch bonnet chiles lend an invigorating jolt to this African version of the ubiquitous fall soup. Get the recipe for Butternut Squash Pepe Soup

SHREDDED COLLARD GREEN SALAD WITH ROASTED SWEET POTATOES AND CASHEWS

Tamarind-Glazed Roast Turkey

The flavors of Senegal—sour tamarind, fiery scotch bonnets, and pungent fish sauce—add umami-rich depth to this unexpected Thanksgiving bird.

“Creamed” Collard Greens with Peanut Butter and Chile

Freshly ground or natural peanut butter adds a vegan creaminess and earthy, warm nuttiness to this African side dish. Get the recipe for “Creamed” Collard Greens with Peanut Butter and Chile

Mango and Pumpkin Spice Cake

The post A Brooklyn Thanksgiving with the Flavors of Senegal appeared first on Saveur.

Tamarind and Honey-Glazed Roast Turkey

Pierre Thiam — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 20:51:30 +0000

Ryan Liebe

Sweet and sour tamarind pulp is a prized ingredient in Senegal, where it’s formed into candies, mixed into a cooling drink, or slathered over grilled fish. Chef Pierre Thiam transforms the iconic Thanksgiving bird with his own glaze made with tamarind, Scotch bonnet chiles, and fish sauce, which lends the turkey skin a pleasantly sticky texture and the meat an umami-rich flavor. Be sure to use fresh, or “wet,” tamarind pulp, which is packed in blocks with the seeds mixed throughout, and not tamarind concentrate or syrup; they are too sweet.

Featured in: A Brooklyn Thanksgiving with the Flavors of Senegal

What You Will Need

Yield: serves 6-8

Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

6 oz. tamarind pulp, coarsely chopped
³⁄₄ cup honey
¹⁄₄ cup Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
One 12-lb. turkey, rinsed and dried thoroughly
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions

In a small bowl, cover the tamarind pulp with 1⁄2 cup boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes to soften. Using your fingers, break the tamarind apart and then let stand for another 5 minutes. Pour the tamarind through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl and, using a rubber spatula or spoon, press the tamarind through the sieve, discarding the solids. Add the honey, fish sauce, garlic, and chile to the tamarind liquid and stir into a smooth glaze; you should have 1 1⁄2 cups.
Heat the oven to 450°. Place the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan and season the cavity and outside liberally with salt and pepper. Pour the stock into the pan and roast the turkey until golden brown, about 1 hour. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°, cover the turkey with foil, and roast until almost cooked through, 1 hour more. Uncover the turkey and roast, basting with 12 cup of the tamarind glaze every 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh of the turkey reads 160°, 30 minutes more.
Transfer the turkey on its rack to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the pan juices into a small saucepan. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, and then stir the cornstarch slurry into the pan juices. Place the pan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, until thickened into a gravy, about 5 minutes. Pour the gravy through a fine sieve into a bowl and serve alongside the turkey.

Watch How to Carve a Turkey

The post Tamarind and Honey-Glazed Roast Turkey appeared first on Saveur.

Mango and Pumpkin Spice Cake

Pierre Thiam — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:50:01 +0000

Fresh mango, mixed into the base and fanned on top of this warmly spiced pumpkin dessert—chef Pierre Thiam's version of his wife's classic pumpkin cake—adds a tropical brightness and dramatic presentation to his Thanksgiving table. Get the recipe for Mango and Pumpkin Spice Cake ». Ryan Liebe

Fresh mango, mixed into the base and fanned on top of this warmly spiced pumpkin dessert—chef Pierre Thiam‘s version of his wife’s classic pumpkin cake—adds a tropical brightness and dramatic presentation to his Thanksgiving table.

Featured in: A Brooklyn Thanksgiving with the Flavors of Senegal

Yield: serves 8-10

Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

Unsalted butter, for greasing
2 ³⁄₄ cups (12 3/8 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups (14 oz.) sugar
1 cup canned or homemade pumpkin purée
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 mangoes, peeled and pitted
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Instructions

Heat the oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform cake pan. In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the sugar with the pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and eggs until smooth. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and whisk just until a smooth batter forms. Cut half of one mango into 1⁄2-inch cubes and stir into the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Cut the remaining 1 1⁄2 mangoes lengthwise into 1⁄4-inch-thick slices and fan the slices over the top of the cake in a circle. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 2 hours. Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool completely. Unmold the cake, transfer to a serving platter, and dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

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