RAGOÛT THIAM
An umami parade of flavors from many countries, the magic of the Jazz Chef’s Ragoût Thiam features complex meatballs, infused with a hint of umami-savory, not sweet, mint, and peanut flour/powder, simmered in a hugely flavorful tomato and okra base, finished with expeller-pressed peanut oil and served on a bed of couscous. It’s a little Italian Sunday Gravy twist, diving into my aromata to grab some assists from my Indian, Turkish and Arabic spice bases.
RAGOÛT 101
North Americans dump Ragoûts, or their Italian cousins, Ragu, largely into the broader category of stews. The term comes from the French verb ragoûter, which means: “To revive the taste.” This is because a lot of the meats that find their way into a ragoût are already cooked, often boiled for stock, or another flavor-sucking form that leaves the meat in need of a little “encouragement.” Bet you thought “ragu” was just a brand of spaghetti sauce!
Truly, even though ground beef, and sometimes smaller stew scraps, are “first pass,” they are so devoid of flavor or character that they too, could use a little ragoût style to their preparation.
A ragoût is all about the seasoning, which, for the improvisational chef, is what a blank canvas was to Matisse. Highly seasoned, and nuanced, they offer waves of taste sensations, textures, and content smiles, when done properly. Ours is going to be rich with umami, peanuts tomato, and the mouthfeel from textures of kale, black-eyed peas, and okra, in my tribute to a chef-hero, Pierre
IMPREGNADA DE UNA PIZCA DE SENEGAL
Este plato rinde homenaje a mi lectura del huracán Irma, el maravilloso libro del chef Pierre Thiam, Senegal: Modern Senaglese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl.
La cocina de África es asombrosamente diversa. Miles de tribus, docenas de pueblos, con acceso a alimentos regionales únicos, abundancia, escasez, crearon una cornucopia culinaria mucho antes de que, junto con la ocupación colonial, llegaran los europeos, imponiendo sus principios de cocina.
Lamentablemente, gran parte de la cocina africana se ha perdido por ese pensamiento de "menos que", de que su forma de entender la comida no es tan elegante ni merece tanto la pena. Sólo en la última década, más o menos, están resurgiendo las tradiciones.
More often than not, both flavors and techniques of preparation that might be seen as “French” or “American,” really draw from Africa, and not vice-versa. Senegalese recipes are infused with a lot of umami flavors, what Chef Thiam likes to call “funk.”
Así que ¡a divertirse!
SAVORY MINT? DON'T BE A HERB HATER.
Antes de que pases a otra receta porque esa voz en el fondo de tu cabeza dice: "¡¿Menta?!! Eso es sólo para postres y mojitos!".
No seas así. No odies las hierbas.
If mint had a theme song, it would be: “Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.” Throughout much of North America and Europe, it is a herb shackled to sweets, bound to beverages. Its savory qualities rival those of basil, thyme, or oregano, and it is the perfect herb for umami cooking.
POLVO DE CACAHUETE ¡PODER!
Likewise peanut flour (powder), which has found its way into North American and European stores for smoothies and as a supplement, is a culinary powerhouse, as long as you have no peanut allergies. The flour/powder gives us big peanut flavor, and a great source of protein, with most of the fat from the oil stripped away. Unlike peanut butter, you can control how much oil, and when it is added, improving both the flavor and the calorie count!
If you’re a Creole/Cajun fan, this Senegal-riffed recipe definitely is a journey back to the roots of your fave Southern American cuisine. Indians, Mediterraneans, and Turks will see some of the commonalities in their cuisines with this root ragoût from the real “old country.”
SERVES
4-6 (Cuatro a Seis) Personas.
LAS COSAS
Albóndigas
- 1/2 taza/60 g. de mantequilla de cacahuete en polvo/harina
- 1/4 taza de pan rallado fresco 1"-2" de una barra de pan o aproximadamente 3 rebanadas de pan.
- 10-12 hojas de menta
- 1 chalota (pref.) o cebolla pequeña de 2,5-4 cm (1″/1,5″) y un (1) diente de ajo
- 2 cucharaditas / 12 gr. de copos de pimienta de urfa molida gruesa
- 4 hojas de alholva
- 2 cucharaditas / 7 g. de cebolla en polvo
- 2 cucharaditas de Za'atar
- 2 cucharaditas aprox. de salsa de pescado virgen extra Red Boat
- 450 g Bisonte molido o carne picada magra
- 230 g Carne picada de cerdo o cordero
- 2 cucharaditas / 10 g Sal rosa del Himalaya
- 1 huevo de Vital Farms criado en pastos
- 1 cucharada / 20 ml Aceite de cacahuete de primera presión La Tourangelle
- 1,5 tazas / 350 ml de aceite de aguacate (para freír)
BASE RAGOÛT
- 1 lata (28 oz. / 794 g.) de tomates pelados ecológicos CENTO
- 8 oz. / 225 g. Salsa de tomate POMÍ o tomates colados
- 8 oz de frijoles de ojo negro congelados o enlatados
- 4 oz. / 115 g. - Salsa de tomate Pomi
- 1,5 tazas de col rizada negra o verde picada mediana
- 1/2 taza de hojas de mostaza frescas picadas
- 12 oz de okra fresca o congelada cortada
- 2″ chalota picada
- 10-12 hojas de menta
- 1 cucharada / 15 g. de sal rosa del Himalaya, o al gusto
- 1 hoja de laurel
- 8-10 hojas secas de alholva.
- 1 cucharadita de aceite de mostaza Tez
- 2 cucharaditas aproximadamente de salsa de pescado virgen extra Red Boat
- 1/3 taza de mantequilla de cacahuete en polvo/harina
- 1/4 taza de aceite de cacahuete prensado por presión La Tourangelle, para el acabado
TOPPING
- 1 cucharada de Za'atar
- 1/4 taza de cacahuetes triturados para decorar
EL EQUIPO
- Sartén Viking Everyday6.4 QT
- Sartén Antiadherente SCANPAN Pro IQ - 12.5″
- Tabla de cortar
- Procesador de alimentos con cuchilla estándar
- 3 cuencos de trabajo medianos
- Pinzas
- 2 miniboles de preparación de cristal
ADVERTENCIA SANITARIA
Si eres alérgico a los cacahuetes, o a los frutos secos en general, probablemente sea mejor que pases de esta receta. Depende mucho de los cacahuetes. Puede trabajar con otros frutos secos, como pistachos o anacardos, si usted no es alérgico a todas las carnes de nuez, pero el sabor es diferente.
LOS PASOS
- Corte el pan en trozos que se puedan trabajar en un robot de cocina. Coloque el pan en el procesador con una cuchilla estándar acoplada. Ciérrelo y píquelo a pulsaciones hasta que el pan rallado quede fino y bien aireado. Mida la cantidad de pan rallado y retire el exceso. (Cualquier exceso se puede utilizar para otras recetas simplemente embolsándolo).
2. Add the wet and dry meatball ingredients to the breadcrumbs. Pulse until fully integrated and aerated. Set aside.
3. In a 10-12″ fry pan, heat the avocado oil to 300°F /150°c. Use a digital thermometer to check. Do not use supermarket blend vegetable oils or canola oil as they can affect the taste. Use avocado oil or expeller pressed peanut oil at 280°F / 138°c, if it is unavailable. (Click the link to learn more about why avocado oil should be your go-to oil.). Set out some paper towels to drain the cooked meatballs in a place within easy reach of your range-top.
4. Remove the center stems of your kale and mustard greens and pulse-chop in the food processor until they’re about 1/4″ to 1/2″ (6mm to 1.2 cm). Put in a work bowl and set aside.
5. Bring your work bowl with the meat mix close to the fry pan. To make the meatballs, you may need a bowl with some water, if there isn’t a sink with running water handy. A good idea to wet your hands between meatballs as that’s your “nonstick” coating. Wet your hands, and pull together a meatball from the meat mixture about 2″, a golf-ball and a half. Roll in the palms of your wet hands until it’s solid, with no gaps or breaks. Place into the hot oil and fry, turning with tongs, not applying too much pressure. Cook until browned on all sides of the ball.
6. Drain on paper towels.
7. Add the meatballs and roll them in the sauce. Let the heat come back up. Add the black-eyed peas. Stir gently. Bring back up to a low simmer.
8. Add the frozen okra, and bring back up to a simmer.
9. Add the kale, and simmer for approx 10-12 minutes to let the flavors from the ragout and the meatballs interact, and the kale to soften. Stir to avoid burning, but don’t overdo it. The flavors will find each other!
10. Chop peanuts for the topping. Set aside.
11. Fluff the couscous
12. The ragout is finished when the meatballs have that coated sheen to them. Turn off the heat. Add the expeller (first) pressed peanut oil and stir to kick up the flavor.
13. Plate the couscous. You can spoon it on, but if it’s clumpy after fluffing it, you may want to grab a handful with a clean hand or two and gently rub between them to sprinkle it on to the plate which opens it up and keeps it light. I sprinkle a little extra za’atar on mine.
14. Plate the ragoût on top, starting from the center and working your way to the outside of the couscous.
15. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts and za’atar. Serve.