Flaky Andouille and Callaloo Hand Pies with Red Pepper Sambal, excerpted from THE RISE by Marcus Samuelsson with Osayi Endolyn. Recipes with Yewande Komolafe and Tamie Cook. Copyright © 2020 by Marcus Samuelsson. Photographs by Angie Mosier.
It is long past time to recognize Black excellence in the culinary world the same way it has been celebrated in the worlds of music, sports, literature, film, and the arts. Black cooks and creators have led American culture forward with indelible contributions of artistry and ingenuity from the start, but Black authorship has been consistently erased from the story of American food.
Now, in The Rise, chef, author, and television star Marcus Samuelsson gathers together an unforgettable feast of food, culture, and history to highlight the diverse deliciousness of Black cooking today. Driven by a desire to fight against bias, reclaim Black culinary traditions, and energize a new generation of cooks, Marcus shares his own journey alongside 150 recipes in honour of dozens of top chefs, writers, and activists—with stories exploring their creativity and influence.
Black cooking has always been more than “soul food,” with flavours tracing to the African continent, to the Caribbean, all over the United States, and beyond. Featuring a mix of everyday food and celebration cooking, this book also includes an introduction to the pantry of the African diaspora, alongside recipes such as:
- Chilled corn and tomato soup in honour of chef Mashama Bailey
- Grilled short ribs with a piri-piri marinade and saffron tapioca pudding in homage to authors Michael Twitty and Jessica B. Harris
- Crab curry with yams and mustard greens for Nyesha Arrington
- Spiced catfish with pumpkin leche de tigre to celebrate Edouardo Jordan
- Flaky Andouille and Callaloo Hand Pies in honour of Adrian Miller
- Island jollof rice with a shout-out to Eric Adjepong
- Steak frites with plantain chips and green vinaigrette in tribute to Eric Gestel
- Tigernut custard tart with cinnamon poached pears in praise of Toni Tipton-Martin
A stunning work of breadth and beauty, The Rise is more than a cookbook. It’s the celebration of a movement.
The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food: A Cookbook is available at Amazon.com and Indigo.ca.
Flaky Andouille and Callaloo Hand Pies with Red Pepper Sambal
In honour of Adrian Miller
In the Caribbean, callaloo can refer to the leaves of particular plants like the taro or amaranth, and the dish of greens stewed with broth or coconut milk and meat or fish as seasoning in the way many eat collard, mustard, or turnip greens.
These hand pies are flexible. You can fill them with anything you have on hand—sausage, fish, ham, veggies, even ingredients like fresh crab and chopped pumpkin.
ACTIVE TiME: 45 minutes
START TO FINISH: About 1 hour
MAKES ABOUT 24 PIES
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
10 ounces andouille sausage, cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
4 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cups chopped fresh callaloo leaves and tender stems (from 1 bunch, or 3 cups frozen)
¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, lightly beaten
Roasted Red Pepper Sambal (page 288)
Line a cooling rack with paper towels, set inside a baking sheet, and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the andouille and cook until warmed through and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the andouille to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the onion, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the callaloo and cook until softened and wilted, about 5 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and simmer until the greens are softened and the liquid reduces completely, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked greens to the prepared cooling rack and allow to drain until completely cool. Once cooled, combine the greens with the cooked andouille sausage.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out to a rectangle, approximately 12 by 16 inches.
Cut the rectangle into three 4- by 16-inch strips using a sharp knife, then cut each strip into 4-inch squares. Place a heaped tablespoon of the filing a little off-center on each square. Fold each square over to form a triangle and press the edges together to seal tightly. Use a fork to crimp around the edges to further seal. Place the sealed pies on the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat the process of rolling, cutting, filling, and sealing with the remaining puff pastry sheet and callaloo filling.
Brush the tops of the hand pies with the beaten egg and use the fork to poke tiny holes in the top of each. Bake the pies until a deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the pies warm with the red pepper sambal for dipping.
Excerpted from THE RISE by Marcus Samuelsson with Osayi Endolyn. Recipes with Yewande Komolafe and Tamie Cook. Copyright © 2020 by Marcus Samuelsson. Photographs by Angie Mosier. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.