Jamaican New Yorker pursuing a PhD in Lisbon.
as a designer, planner, and engineer, I advance safe, sustainable, and equitable urban transport policy and infrastructure design.
as a writer, I focus on othering, whether in fiction, nonfiction, or fantasy. currently working on connected stories inspired by my grandmother's experience in migration, while polishing a time travel urban fantasy novel.
Each week I discuss what I’m cooking, how I make it work, and why these specific dishes fuel me. Lisbon local? Reach out if you want to partake, or just feel free to follow along.
Red kidney beans, stewing beef, carrots and/or pumpkin, potatoes, corn, and a boatload of herbs & spices. stewed a few hours, while you handle the rest of your meals. Done when everything is ready. A little bit of Caribbean living in one bowl.
Best by: Saturday
Stretch it: add carrots, greens (kale!) or a boiled egg
Freeze it: sure. Rat within a month or two
Saturday soup is a tradition in (most of) the Caribbean. You open the fridge, take sick of what's there, and decide what type of soup best serves what you have on hand. Then a trip to the market to stick up on vegetables for the week, and supplement whatever the soup needs. It would simmer on the stove or fire for most of the morning, while groceries were put away or meats were seasoned and other such things. It served as both clean out and prep, a common weekend activity in so many Caribbean homes. Sometimes little me was on prep (in JA) and sometimes it was my job to go to the market (in NY). I love that it made its way into my life during the school year as well as summers in JA. And no matter how hot it is outside, the answer is almost always: soup.
Chicken thighs, olives, capers, prunes/dates/apricots, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, oregano or thyme, stock, wine, & p to taste. The chicken is browned on both sides, then joined by the alliums and aromatics, followed by the dried fruit and the briny olives & capers The stock & white wine then provide some extra flavor and a base for any starch you might add: maftool, freekeh, orzo, or some other short pasta or grain. Top with parsley and a squeeze of lemon before serving.
Best by: Saturday
Stretch it: add extra chicken or chickpeas, serve with extra veg, eg carrots or green beans
Freeze it: if you must. Eat within a month or so.
This isn't traditional, it's just a fast way to get this beautiful combination of sweet & savory that middle eastern cuisines do so well. I'm always looking for ways to put my stamp on this while still keeping the integrity of bold, contrasting flavors. Making it in one pot, solely on the stovetop is one way, because the traditional takes more than an hour in a tagine or oven. I used an NYT Cooking recipe as the base for this, adding apricots, thyme, and pieze I made a veggie version for the first time, so now I can easily say: make this vegan by swapping chickpeas for the chicken (start in evoo) and using veg stock instead of chicken stock. Or just add chickpeas because protein and fiber. Or don't. Just enjoy it as close as possible to the way god and middle eastern families intended.
It's a gallette. And it's summer so the tomatoes are as tasty and juicy as they want to be. Which is very. So roll out some puff pastry, slap some ricotta or whipped feta down, slice um some heirlooms and have at it. Top with parm or grana padano and some blfresh basil or thyme. I've paired it with fresh zucchini and pine nuts but honestly, as you like.
Best by: Friday
Stretch it: add a hunk of bread. or a heartier salad.
Freeze it: I mean, if you must. wrap tightly and reheat on the stovetop like pizza. or in an air fryer.
Bulgur wheat, purple kale, peaches, tomato, red onion, basil, almonds. The bulgur and kale are already dressed with lemon garlic vinaigrette, The peaches are marinated in honey and lemon. The tomato and red onion just have a little salt. Shake to mix, or add a little something extra.
Best by: Thursday
Stretch it: add some steak, or avocado, or sweet potato. or feta.
Freeze it: nope. Please just eat your greens.
OH HEY, FOR BEST VIEWING, YOU'LL NEED TO TURN YOUR PHONE
