Deliciously Diverse | Haitian Recipes from Sarah Myers

Food – the great connection

Specific dishes, ingredients, and preparation styles have significant cultural impacts. With smell and taste being senses closely tied to memory, it’s no wonder why food plays an important role in traveling/tourism.

Our favorite recipes and foods tell a story. We’d like to get to know you and the recipes that are important to you and your culture.

Deliciously Diverse will be a monthly recipe-sharing post by the Diversity & Inclusion Committee. We are asking for your participation by providing recipes for dishes that are significant to your culture, or recipes that you’ve tried/would like to try from differing cultures.

Ultimately we’d like to collect as many recipes as possible and host a cross-location potluck to celebrate all the cultures that make us who we are.

This month’s recipe: Haitian Poul Nan Sos and Diri Ak Pwa from Sarah Myers

Poul Nan Sos

(Haitian Chicken in Sauce)

Prep Time: 12 hrs | Cook Time: 45 mins | Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

For the Marinade

• 3 pounds mixed bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, patted dry
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 juicy orange, halved
• 1 juicy lime, halved
• 1 juicy lemon, halved
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 8 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chiles, cut in half and sliced thin
• ¼ cup fresh thyme leaves

For the Stew

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and deveined, cut into long, thin slices
• 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and deveined, cut into long, thin slices
• 2 cups chicken stock, salted homemade or store-bought
• Small handful roughly chopped parsley sprigs

Directions

1. Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl and season with the salt. Squeeze the citrus halves over the chicken, then spend a minute or so rubbing the cut sides of the citrus against the chicken. Add the onions, garlic, chile, and thyme and toss well, rubbing the chicken as you do. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours or up to 48 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 375F. Remove the chicken from the marinade, guiding any stuck-on aromatics back into the bowl. Set a strainer over a small mixing bowl. Pour the marinade through the strainer, reserving the solids and liquid. Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels.
3. Heat the oil in a wide heavy, ovenproof pot (such as a 3 1/2-quart braiser) over medium-high heat just until shimmery. Cook the chicken, skin-side down, occasionally turning the drumsticks but not the thighs, until the skin is deep brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the tomato paste and salt, and cook, stirring often, until it turns several shades darker, about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and the reserved solids from the marinade, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers soften slightly and take on a little color, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up and in a single layer, then take a minute to pile the peppers, onions, and other aromatics on top of the chicken. Then evenly pour in the reserved liquid from the marinade along with the stock. Cook in the oven, basting every 15 minutes to coat the chicken with the peppers and sauce, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the meat pulls off the bone with a gentle tug from a fork, about 1 hour. Garnish with parsley and serve.

From the book, Everyone’s Table by Gregory Gourdet and JJ Goode.

Diri Ak Pwa

(Haitian Red Beans and Rice)

Instant Pot Recipe

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• kidney beans
• garlic
• oil
• Haitian Epis
• parboiled brown rice (Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice is my favorite brand) or jasmine rice
• cloves
• bouillon powder (or 1 bouillon cube)
• Salt
• coconut milk (optional)
• Scotch Bonnet pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Although not required, it is suggested to soak the beans for at least 1 hour to avoid gastro intestinal problems.
2. Combine beans, garlic cloves (if using) and 4 cups of water in the Instant Pot.
3. Cook on Pressure Cooking mode for 10 minutes if you soaked beans at least 2 hours. 20 minutes for beans soaked less than 2 hours. 30 minutes for beans without any pre soaking.
4. Wait for natural release.
5. Remove beans and cooking liquid from the Instant Pot. Strain beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
6. On Sauté mode, add the oil.
7. Add epis (or chopped onion and garlic). Sauté for a few minutes to cook the epis, about 3 minutes.
8. Add rice and sauté another 2-3 minutes to thoroughly coat the rice with the seasoning.
9. Add cloves and bouillon powder.
10. Add rice and 3 cups of the reserved cooking liquid.
11. Add cooked beans and stir to combine.
12. Cover and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
13. Wait for natural release.
14. Fluff with a fork and adjust salt, if necessary.

Notes

• It is VERY IMPORTANT to clean the rice first in a few exchanges of water.
• You can choose to soak the beans or not, but it will affect the cooking time. If you do not soak the beans, they will take about 30 minutes to cook.

From Global Kitchen Travels by Chef Mireille