Son of a Southern Chef: Cook with Soul: A Cookbook

THE ROCKSTAR KITCHEN

The right kitchen swag gives me rockstar vibes. By that I mean, when I have the basics on lock, the possibilities of what I can create are enormous. Every cook and kitchen is different, but having the fundamentals down makes you a freakin’ rockstar in the kitchen! Leggo.

KOSHER SALT

I use Morton’s kosher salt in my kitchen and for most of these recipes. It’s an easy salt to pick up and sprinkle like @Nuser_et#Saltbae (okay, but why is he so famous tho, lmbo . . . goals). Diamond brand is good, too, though teaspoon for teaspoon it is less salty than Morton. If you use Diamond salt, you may need a pinch more to season. All the recipes provide my suggested amounts of salt and pepper, though you should taste and adjust seasonings to your personal preferences, mmkay.

FLAKY OR FINE SEA SALT

I love to use a fat pinch of flaky sea salt when finishing dishes like fried chicken or as a topping on chocolate ice cream. I like using fine sea salt when I’m baking because of its pure salt flavor. I prefer any type of coarse salt like flaky Maldon or Morton’s sea salt. Please don’t use table salt! It’s treated with iodine, which tastes metallic when cooked, and I’m just not a fan of it.

FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

You will notice that all my recipes that use black pepper call for "freshly ground black pepper" because that pre-ground stuff at the grocery store has lost all its kick. The fresher the grind, the better the taste.

JAMAICAN-STYLE YELLOW CURRY POWDER

I say later in the book that we curry everything in my household, and it’s so true. There are as many types of curry powders in the world as there are weirdos. We must live with this reality, people. Whenever I call for curry powder, I am specifically calling for Jamaican-style yellow curry powder. I’ve tried so many different brands over the years and still have no favorites (sorry). If you cannot find Jamaican-style, use a sweet curry powder instead; it’s a great rich and balanced substitute. If curry stains your pots, fill the pot with cold water and boil the water until the curry releases from the pot and the water turns yellow. Wash the pot with hot soapy water.

HOT SAUCE

Bring on the heat, baby! In my household, we usually have at least five different kinds of hot sauces ranging from Caribbean hot pepper sauce to Sriracha. In the recipes where I call for hot sauce, use whatever brand of vinegar-based hot sauce you love the most, unless otherwise specified.

BROWNING SAUCE

Some of my Caribbean-inspired dishes call for browning sauce, which is a dark sauce made of cane sugar, caramel, and salt—not to be confused with Worcestershire sauce, made from vinegar, anchovies, molasses, and tamarind. Browning sauce is really good for adding dark color to stews, sauces, and meats. I use Grace brand, which is just labeled as Browning. Kitchen Bouquet is an acceptable substitute (if you must).

SCOTCH BONNET PEPPER

The Scotch bonnet pepper is widely used in Jamaican and Caribbean cooking, and I love it for its blast of heat. Trust me, a little goes a long way. If you can’t find Scotch bonnet peppers, use habaneros. If you can’t find habaneros, use jalapeños. If you can’t find jalapeños, you should probably move (just kidding)! As with all hot peppers, don’t touch your eyes or sensitive areas after handling. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching the peppers, or just wear gloves as an extra precaution.

MAPLE SYRUP

I use maple syrup a lot, like it’s going out of style, but it ain’t cheap. There are two main types of maple: Grade A, which is lighter in color, and grade B, which is darker in color. Honestly, they’re all the same to me. I don’t care which one you use, unless one is on sale, in which case, choose what’s best for your wallet.

BUTTER

Butter is one of those things I’m very particular about. First of all, it must be real—made from cream—never margarine. The reason I use unsalted butter in baking is because each brand of salted butter has a different amount of salt in it, which will result in flavor inconsistencies on your end. However, I LOVE salted butter on my toast or on top of sweet potatoes!

UNBLEACHED ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

I go for unbleached all-purpose flour, because I feel it is purer.

EGGS

As a standard, I use large eggs, unless otherwise specified in the recipe. Using a different size egg than the one called for can change the entire liquid ratio in a recipe, so stick with large and all will go well for you.

MEASURING INGREDIENTS

When I was a high school intern at the Food Network, they taught me the right way to measure ingredients. For dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, rice, etc.), use dry measuring cups, the kind that (usually) look like scoops and come in ¼-, ⅓-, ½-, and 1-cup sizes. For accuracy, use a spoon to scoop the dry ingredient into the measuring cup and level off the top with the back of a knife. Don’t tap the cup on the counter or you’ll knock air out and compress the ingredient, which can affect the measurement and, in cases like baked goods where exact measures are important, the end result. For wet ingredients (milk, buttermilk, etc.), use a liquid measuring cup, the kind that (usually) has a spout for pouring—Pyrex is a common brand.

Sometimes the same quantity of an ingredient can be expressed in two (or more—hey, butter!) different ways. This can be helpful if you’re dividing the ingredient to use at different points in a recipe. Here are some basic equivalents for you:

Measurement Equivalents

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon

4 tablespoons = ¼ cup

2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce

1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

2 cups = 1 pint

1 stick butter = 8 tablespoons or ½ cup or 4 ounces or ¼ pound

1 large onion, chopped = about 2 cups

1 medium onion, chopped = about 1 cup

2 garlic cloves, minced = about 1 tablespoon

TOASTING NUTS

I toast a lot of nuts in this book. Rather than giving you instructions in every recipe, here’s all you need to know about toasting nuts:

Oven Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts over a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally and checking to make sure the nuts aren’t burning. Use your nose.

Skillet Method

In a dry skillet (meaning no oil or water in it), toast the nuts over medium heat, shaking the pan or stirring occasionally, until the nuts are warmed and smell . . . well, nutty, 2 to 3 minutes.

EQUIPMENT

Wooden spoon

Flexible rubber spatula (for scrambling eggs)

Metal spatula (for flipping stuff)

Metal whisk

Tongs

Strainer

Pepper grinder

Vegetable peeler

Large pot (for boiling water and frying)

Large sauté pan

Potato masher

Dry measuring cups (for dry ingredients like flour)

Liquid measuring cups (for wet ingredients like milk)

Measuring spoons

Microplane grater

Candy thermometer (for deep-frying)

Digital thermometer (for birds and meats)

Oven thermometer (to make sure your oven isn’t spazzing)

Cooling rack

BONUS EQUIPMENT

Salad spinner

Food processor

Blender

Immersion blender

Stand mixer

Blow torch

Electric hand mixer

MORE ON NUTS . . .

If you happen to live with someone with nut allergies, use a separate cutting board or piece of parchment paper to chop nuts. Some of the recipes in this book that call for nuts can be made without them, in which case I’ve labeled them (optional). In addition, if a recipe calls for peanut oil, canola or vegetable oil are good substitutes.

A GOOD CHEF’S KNIFE

I emphasize good. Knives come in all shapes and sizes, and some cost more than others. In general, knives are an investment. A good-quality chef’s knife will cut through anything with very little effort. You want a chef’s knife that you feel comfortable holding in your hand; comfort is key. I like having a chef’s knife, boning knife (for trimming meats, poultry, or fish), paring knife (for peeling and trimming small fruits and vegetables), and a serrated knife (aka a bread knife). Keep your knives protected by storing them on a magnetic knife stip (instead of a knife block), and keep them sharp with a benchstone and butcher steels. (Consult with Google for more info.)

CAST-IRON SKILLET

If you don’t have one, put down this book right now and go buy one; they’re super-affordable! Always clean your cast-iron skillet with warm water, no soap, and use coarse salt to scrub off any grit. Dry the skillet on the stove and rub with a thin layer of canola or vegetable oil. I recommend a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet, which is like $22 USD and lasts forever!

In General . . .

SAFETY FIRST

Put a damp cloth underneath your cutting board to keep it from sliding when you’re slicing and dicing.

CROSS CONTAMINATION

Use separate cutting boards for meats and vegetables. Rinse all fresh produce, herbs, and protein before using (rinsing with cold water and lemon is good).

REUSE YOUR WASTE

Don’t throw away your onion, garlic, and carrot peels. Keep them, along with leftover bones, and use them to make stock. Waste not, want not.

TASTE EVERYTHING

Not only will your taste buds appreciate it, but so will others you’re serving. You can always underseason and add more salt, but taking out salt is much harder.

KNIFE CUTS

Rough chop means whatever you want. They can be irregular in size.

Large dice means 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch.

Medium dice means ½ inch by ½ inch by ½ inch.

Small dice means ¼ inch by ¼ inch by ¼ inch.

Mince means fine pieces. Hold down the front of your knife on the cutting board with your hand and move the knife up and down over the ingredient.

Fine mince means super-fine pieces. Lay the knife perpendicular to the cutting board and drag the sharp part of the knife over the ingredient several times to turn it into a paste.

Julienne is a cute name and means cutting into matchsticks.

Chiffonade means thin strips. Roll the ingredient up like a cigar and rock out thin strips.

PREP TIME

This is the total amount of time it takes to measure, chop, and weigh ingredients before you begin the action of cooking. Most cooking times are rounded up, and they are the average time it took me to measure, chop, and weigh everything before I started cooking.

TOTAL TIME

This time includes prep time, active and inactive cooking times, and cooling times. Like the prep times, this time is averaged up to the nearest 5 minutes. For some recipes that give a big range of times (for example, marinate meat for 30 minutes up to 2 hours), the total time will reflect the least amount of time suggested, e.g., 30 minutes. For baking recipes, I round up to the nearest hour.

THE GRAVY

These are my tips! You know, like the scoop? The secrets to all my recipes and being a rockstar kitchen genius are in the gravy.

KEEP IT SIMPLE:

LIVE BOLD AND COOK WITH SOUL. MAKE IT GRAVY!

—Lazarus Lynch

STAY WOKE

Dad’s Salmon Croquettes with Over-Easy Eggs and Avocado Dressing

Guyanese Bake

Mom’s Saltfish

Shrimp and CRAZY Creamy Cheddar Grits

Cornflake-Crusted Fried Green Tomatoes with Chipotle Ranch

You Better Pimiento Poblano Your Corn Cakes

NYC Bagel French Toast Pudding with Blueberry Crumble

Aunt Jemima’s Apple Pie Pancakes

Maple Syrup and Sriracha–Glazed Bacon

Egg-and-Cheese Scramble on a Biscuit

Nutella Bacon Banana Breakfast Grilled Cheese! WHOA!

DAD’S SALMON CROQUETTES WITH OVER-EASY EGGS AND AVOCADO DRESSING

SERVES 6 PREP TIME 10 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 25 MINUTES

We ate a lot of canned foods growing up (and we thought EVERYONE did, so . . . be nice). My dad’s infamous salmon croquettes used canned salmon that he jazzed up. Literally, the croquettes were the size of his hands (which translates to the average size of a human face). They were deep-fried until golden brown and served on sliced bread with tartar sauce—they were so damn good! I figured, How do I transform this recipe into a happy brunch for a bunch of Brooklyn hipsters? Easy—keep the canned salmon, and add some avocado and a runny egg on top! Yup. It’s everything you want for brunch without the hassle of waiting in a crazy-long line or spending your rent money. This classic just went from ninety-nine to a hundred, real quick.

DRESSING

1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted and peeled

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Few dashes of your favorite hot sauce, plus more to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

SALMON CROQUETTES

7 large eggs

1 (14.75-ounce) can Alaskan pink salmon, bones and skin removed

½ cup minced red or green bell peppers, or a mix

½ cup plain breadcrumbs

2 scallions, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

3 teaspoons garlic powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornmeal

Vegetable oil, for frying

3 cups baby watercress or other peppery greens, such as arugula

Cracked black pepper, for garnish

Make the dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine the avocado, mayo, vinegar, cilantro, hot sauce, and 2 tablespoons water and blend until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and additional hot sauce as desired.

Make the croquettes: In a small bowl, beat 1 egg with a fork.

In a large bowl, use a spoon to mix together the beaten egg, salmon, bell peppers, breadcrumbs, scallions, 1½ teaspoons of the garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Form the mixture into six ¼-cup-size patties and set aside.

In a shallow baking dish or bowl, use a fork to mix together the flour, cornmeal, remaining 1½ teaspoons garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Dredge the croquette patties in the flour mixture.

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat ¼ cup oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 3 minutes. Gently lay the croquettes in the skillet and fry until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a metal spatula, flip each croquette and fry until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add 1 tablespoon more oil if the pan looks dry. Transfer the croquettes to a paper towel–lined plate to drain and cover lightly with aluminum foil to keep warm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat for about 1 minute. Crack 3 eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl (to prevent shells from getting into the cooked eggs) and gently pour each egg into a section of the skillet. Cook the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are just beginning to set, about 3 minutes. Gently flip the eggs, one at a time, and cook for 15 seconds more. Remove the eggs from the pan and repeat with the remaining 3 eggs.

Divide the watercress evenly among six plates and top each plate with a croquette, followed by an egg, some avocado dressing, salt, and cracked pepper. Serve A$AP ROCKY.

GUYANESE BAKE

SERVES 10 PREP TIME 40 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR

Fried bake or float are to the Guyanese what bagels are to the Jews. Everything belongs inside the bake, like a pouch, and it is a typical breakfast food. I like to stuff my bake with Mom’s Saltfish,