This Black History Month, we’re excited to give you a taste of what’s cooking in our kitchens at Bon Appétit Management Company. To celebrate our Black culinarians, we released our Amplifying Black Culinarians digital cookbook, which is a tribute to the diverse culinary heritage of our Black chefs, cooks, and culinary experts.
Inside, you’ll find a range of recipes that reflect our Black employees’ culinary skills, traditions, and creativity. From cherished family favorites to fresh innovations, these recipes offer a glimpse into the diversity of our kitchens and meals. The following recipes are a preview of the cookbook’s contents, and we invite you to download the complete Amplifying Black Culinarians digital cookbook to explore the full breadth of Black culinary excellence at Bon Appétit.
HOT PEPPER SOUP
Chris Ebi
“My mother made this soup for me when I had a cold and when the weather started to get cold outside. After eating this soup, it will clear up your sinuses and throat.”
Makes 6 servings
- 3 ½ pounds chicken
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons parsley
- 1 ½ tablespoons basil
- 1 ½ tablespoons oregano
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons habanero peppers
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried crawfish powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
Add chicken to a large pot and fill with water. Then add onions, ginger, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, paprika, adobo seasoning, and salt.
Bring to a boil and cook the chicken halfway, about 8-10 minutes. Add the habanero, powdered crayfish, and turmeric to the pot and cover with a lid.
Continue to cook the soup until the chicken is fully cooked, about an additional 10 minutes. Then do a taste test to check the salt and seasonings, adding more as desired.
When soup is fully cooked, remove it from the heat and let cool. Serve or store for later use.
JAMAICAN MEAT PATTIES
Cicely Miller
Cicely chose this specific recipe because it’s a dish the whole family can prepare together, reminiscent of the times she enjoyed with relatives as a child.
Makes 12 servings
Pastry Ingredients
- 4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon curry powder, optional
- 6 ounces shortening, divided
- 6 ounces salted butter, divided
- 1 cup ice cold water
- 1 egg, for final egg wash before baking
Filling Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef or turkey
- 1 cup water
- 1 habanero or scotch bonnet chili, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup carrot, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 tablespoon bouillon base, to match chosen protein
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
To make the pastry:
Add flour, sugar, salt, turmeric, curry powder (optional), and 5 ounces of shortening to a stand mixing bowl with hook attachment or a food processor. Mix on low speed until well combined, then add 5 ounces of butter and continue to mix until the mixture resembles crumbles.
Add the ice water a small amount at a time until ingredients are combined and dough slightly forms. Remove dough from mixer, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for a minimum of 30-45 minutes. (It can be chilled overnight.)
To make the filling:
To a large pan on medium low heat, add oil and cook ground meat, chili, garlic, onion, scallions, carrot, and fresh thyme until vegetables are fully cooked. Then add water, salt, and pepper and simmer until meat is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
Then add bouillon, ketchup, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt to taste. Set aside.
Assemble and cook the patties:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
On a floured surface, cut dough in half and set one half aside. Roll out the dough half, adding ½ ounce of shortening and ½ ounce of butter. Fold the dough, roll it out, fold again, and repeat the roll out to fully incorporate the shortening and butter. Then, cut into 5- or 6-inch rounds. Repeat this step with the remaining half of the dough, shortening, and butter.
To make the patties, fill each round with the cooked meat and vegetable filling, leaving about ½ inch border of dough. Brush the edges with water, fold over and press with the tines of a fork to seal. Then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and brush the whisked egg over the top of each patty.
Bake the patties until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 20–25 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to cool before serving.
Patties may be cooked up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator before reheating. They may be frozen up to 1 month ahead of time. Reheat patties at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
BRAISED PIGS FEET
Micial Sullivan
“It’s a dish my grandma cooked, and I like to eat it.”
Makes 6 servings
- 4 pounds pig feet
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 6 ounces onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- ½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup celery, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch black pepper
To prep pigs’ feet, wash in salt water and rinse. Then set aside.
To a large pot over medium heat, add oil and sauté onion, garlic, and thyme for a few minutes until the onions begin to cook and become translucent. Then add green and red bell peppers and celery and sauté for another few minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add pigs’ feet, bay leaves, chicken stock, paprika, and white wine vinegar to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 3 hours, stirring periodically. Serve pigs’ feet strained or with seasoned broth.
BANANA PUDDING CHEESECAKE
Xavier Wilkes
“The initial recipe is a family recipe that I’ve tweaked for all to enjoy. But you can’t have the original family recipe!”
Makes 2 whole cheesecakes (8-inch pans)
Crust Ingredients
- 10 ounces Pepperidge Farms Chessmen Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar
Filling Ingredients
- 32 ounces cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 7 ounces ripe bananas, mashed
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
Bananas Foster Glaze Ingredients
- 3 ounces banana, diced
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup bourbon
- ¾ cup orange juice
Whipped Cream Ingredients
- 64 ounces heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sugar
To make crust:
In a large bowl, crush cookies into crumbs. Then add sugar and melted butter to the bowl and mix until well incorporated. The mixture should feel and look like sand.
Press crust mixture into 8-inch pie pans and set aside.
To make filling and bake cheesecake:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, vanilla, cream, and sugar until smooth. Add in mashed bananas and flour and then one egg at a time, until well combined.
Fill the pie crusts with the filling, then bake for at 400 degrees for 4 minutes before dropping the temperature to 250 degrees and baking an additional 30-40 minutes. When done baking, remove from oven and let cool completely.
To make glaze:
In a medium mixing bowl, mix diced banana, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until combined.
In a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon butter until melted and then add banana mixture and stir to combine with butter. Add bourbon and flambé until the alcohol has cooked off. Add orange juice and cook until the bananas are glazed and the liquid in the pan is a syrup consistency.
Add bananas foster glaze to the top of the cooled cheesecake.
To finish with toppings:
In a large stand mixer, mix heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Fold in vanilla extract and sugar until well blended to form whipping cream.
Top cheesecake with whipped cream and additional halved cookie pieces and Bananas Foster syrup.