Senegales recipes

Ceebu-Djen

Satisfy a big appetite with this Senegalese fish and rice meal-for-one; there should even be enough for leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
• ½ small cabbage, sliced
• small bunch fresh curly parsley, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 small chicken or vegetable stock cube
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 x 200g/7oz piece grouper, or other firm-fleshed white fish such as pollack
• 250ml/9fl oz sunflower oil
• 2 medium white onions, chopped
• 4 tsp tomato purée
• 1 small scotch bonnet chilli
• 150g/5oz steamed basmati rice (cooked weight)
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

 

 Preparation method

1. Steam the sweet potato and carrot for 12-15 minutes, or until tender. Steam the cabbage for 5-6 minutes, or until tender.
   
2. Meanwhile, using a pestle and mortar (or blender) crush the parsley, garlic, spring onion, stock cube and salt and freshly ground black pepper to a coarse paste. Prick the flesh of the fish in a few places with a skewer or sharp knife then rub the paste all over the fish and into the incisions.
   
3. Pour the sunflower oil into a deep, heavy-based pan over a medium heat until a cube of bread dropped in sizzles gently and turns golden-brown in 30 seconds (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended). Fry the fish for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until lightly golden, then remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
   
4. Carefully pour most of the oil into a cup and set aside to cool completely.
   
5. Fry the onions in the same pan used to cook the fish for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the tomato purée and fry for 2-3 minutes. Return the fish to the pan with 150ml/5fl oz of water and bring to the boil. Add the chilli and the steamed potato, carrot and cabbage and cook for five minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish, vegetables and chilli from the tomato sauce and set aside on a warm plate, discarding the chilli.
   
6. Add the rice to the tomato sauce, cover and cook for 5 minutes until all the excess liquid has been absorbed by the rice and it's steaming hot.
   
7. To serve, place the rice onto a warm serving plate, top with the fish and vegetables and garnish with wedges of lime.

Recipe: Peanut Stew With Lamb (Mafe)

 Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

2 pounds lamb stew meat (leg or shoulder, cut into 1 1/4-inch dice)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup peanut butter, preferably unsweetened
6 ounces tomato paste (1 small can)
2 cans (14 ounces) chicken broth
1 scotch bonnet or habanero chili, split but left whole
1/2 teaspoon sugar (if using unsweetened peanut butter)
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 6 large pieces
1 large baking potato, peeled, cut into 6 large pieces
1 head of cabbage or cauliflower, cored, cut into 6 large pieces
12 small pods fresh okra
Cooked white rice for serving.

1. Season lamb with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Pour oil into a wide, heavy-bottomed 8-quart pot over high heat. When oil shimmers, sear lamb in batches, taking care not to crowd pan, until browned all over. Reserve.
2. Add onions and garlic to pan and sauté, stirring, until onions just begin to brown. Add tomatoes. Whisk peanut butter with 1 1/2 cups hot water and reserve; whisk tomato paste with 1 cup water and reserve. When fresh tomatoes have nearly broken down (about 5 minutes), add diluted peanut butter, diluted tomato paste, chicken broth, chili, sugar (if using) and remaining salt, and cover.
3. When stew begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and add lamb. Let simmer, partially covered, 35 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes, and let simmer 25 minutes more, then add cabbage or cauliflower and okra. Continue to cook until vegetables are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Discard chili. Let stew rest 5 minutes, then ladle over hot, cooked white rice.

Sengalese Chicken Yassa

Total Time: 1 hr 5 min - Prep:20 min - Cook:45 min

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 large onions, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon minced fresh habanero chile, or to taste
• 5 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 frying chicken (2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut into serving pieces
• 1 habanero chile, pricked with a fork
• 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed olives
• 4 carrots, scraped and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1/2 cup water
• Plain White Rice, recipe follows

Directions

In a large non-reactive bowl, prepare marinade by mixing the lemon juice, onions, salt, pepper, minced chile, and 4 tablespoons of oil. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, making sure that they are all well covered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the chicken to marinate for at least 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the broiler. Remove the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade and onions, and place the chicken in a shallow pan. Broil the chicken until it is lightly browned on both sides. Remove the onions from the marinade. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a flameproof 5-quart casserole or Dutch oven and cook the onions slowly until tender and translucent. Add the reserved marinade. When the liquid is thoroughly heated, add the chicken pieces, pricked chile, olives, carrots, mustard, and water. When the dish has reached the desired degree of hotness, remove the chile and reserve (it can be served separately to the chile heads). Stir to mix well, then bring the yassa slowly to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve over Plain White Rice.

Plain White Rice:

• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter

Bring the water to a boil in medium saucepan. Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and allow it to stand for 5 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve hot.

AVOCAT AUX CREVETTES SENEGALAISES

Avocado Stuffed with Shrimp

Yield: 8 portions

This appetizer is really astonishing. It may seem like a lot of work, but it is well worth the effort. The blending of mashed avocado and chick peas combined with shrimp and garnishes makes an intriguing combination of flavors that is unusual and delicious.
In a 2-quart bowl:
Mash: 2 large AVOCADOS, peeled (or 3 small) with

4 Tbs. LEMON JUICE and

4 Tbs. PLAIN YOGURT (or sour cream) Shred 1 head LETTUCE and place in a 1-quart bowl.
For individual serving:
Place 1 cup SHREDDED LETTUCE on a salad plate.
Arrange 1/2 cup COOKED CHICK PEAS or BLACK-EYED PEAS, seasoned lightly with salt, in center of lettuce.
Cover peas with 3 to 4 Tbs. AVOCADO MIXTURE (above).
Arrange: 2 slices TOMATO, cut thickly and topped with

1 Tbs. CHOPPED SPANISH ONION at one side of avocado. Place 2 quarters HARD-BOILED EGG, one each at opposite sides.
Spread 1 slice PIMIENTO across egg as a garnish.
Arrange 3 large COOKED SHRIMP in a row on top of avocado.
Garnish with 1 or 2 sprigs PARSLEY or WATERCRESS.