Vickie Frémont

"Eating along is your privilege, but remember,

your pain will be even greater."

Congolese proverb

 

 

These recipes are from Vickie's upcoming cookbook which merges African cooking with New York flavors.

 

 

KEDJENOU (say KaidgJnou)

Inspiration from Cote d’Ivoire –Ivory Coast

 

This recipe is for 6 to 8 people.  No African dish is ever made for less than six.  One must always be ready for the surprise guest, the friend who brings along a sister or brother, the son’s friend who drops in unannounced…

 

(scroll down for the recipe for kedjenou, rice and Vickie's sauce)

 

 KEDJENOU

 

2 pounds smoked turkey, cut into bite-size pieces

1 eggplant, peeled and chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

8 scallions, trimmed and sliced (use the white and the tender part of the green leaves)

3 sprigs fresh thyme

6 stems fresh coriander, snipped finely

1 teaspoon dried coriander

1 pound fresh, washed spinach

8 fresh tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Begin by combining the garlic, 2 chopped tomatoes, a pinch of salt and the dried coriander in a small bowl.  Set aside.

 

All the cooking is done in your Kejenoo, a terra cotta pot, over a very low flame. The bottom will heat quickly but it will take close to an hour for the entire pot to heat.  Start the cooking process immediately, however, by heating the olive oil in the pot for 2 minutes.  Then quickly saute the onions and scallions before adding the turkey, a pinch of salt and some pepper.

 

Shake the pot before incorporating the eggplant and spinach into the mixture.  Kejenou in the Baule language means “to shake”, so from time to time, before adding other ingredients, take hold of the pot with potholders and shake it back and forth, up and down.

 

Add the rest of the chopped tomatoes and the fresh coriander and another pinch of salt.  Cover the pot and let simmer gently for 1/2 hour.  By then, the pot should be heated through.  Give it a shake and add the tomato, garlic and coriander mixture from the bowl, plus one half-cup of water, the soy sauce and another pinch of salt.

 

Continue cooking slowly for another 1 and 1/2 hours, “shaking” the pot every 15 minutes.

 

Serve in a casserole dish or large platter, accompanied by rice.

 

(scroll below for rice and Vickie's sauce recipe)

 

 

RICE

 

1 pound (2 cups) of long-grain rice, preferably basmati

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt

 

Bring 1 quart of water to the boil.  In a medium-size saucepan, heat the olive oil briefly before adding the rice.  Stir until the rice becomes opaque.  Then, add enough water to cover the rice and one or two pinches of salt.  Let simmer for 5 minutes and add the remaining water.  The rice will be cooked and fluffed in 5 to 10 more minutes.

 

 

VICKIE’S HOT SAUCE, not to be forgotten

 

6 large chili peppers (jalapeno for example) emptied and minced

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

 

Take particular care when preparing the peppers.  Avoid touching the seeds, which are to be discarded, with your hands and do not bring your hands to your face afterwards.

 

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan.  Saute the other ingredients (onions, tomatoes and peppers) for 20 minutes over a low flame.  Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce every 5 minutes.

 

Photos : Yves Leroux