Last week chef and restauranteur, Marcus Samuelsson, celebrated the release of his latest publication, “The Red Rooster Cookbook.” The 384-page book, subtitled “The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem” is filled with personal stories, observations, rich photography, art and, most certainly, recipes from Red Rooster, both loved and soon to be loved.
Samuelsson invited me to join him and a small group of Harlem tastemakers featured in the cookbook at the chef’s table before the main event at Ginny’s for a multicourse meal of Red Rooster dishes. The night surely would not disappoint.
Dressed in a midnight blue silk brocade bomber jacket and pants, garnet fedora and velvet slipons embroidered with a knife and fork, Samuelsson played the ultimate host, greeting each guest with his signature smile. Prosecco was poured immediately and the first course of cornbread madeleines with honey butter, green peanuts and ham hock, and the most divine light creamy chicken liver mousse ever, adorned the table.
As this eclectic group of guests began to dig in, Samuelsson buzzed about, signing copies of the cookbook for each of us, pointing out blown up photos from the book adorning the space and making connections between guests on the opposite sides of the table. And that was just the first course of the evening.
The second course was a nod to Samuelsson’s Swedish and Ethiopian roots. We enjoyed, respectively, sliced gravlax with pickled red onion and dill and, a new favorite, beef heart kitfo (tartare) with jalapeno-shallot confit, olives and injera. The bomb! Page 61! Get at it!
The third course of broken dirty rice gumbo with shrimp, okra and smoked sausage was a gorgeous bowl of food. The fourth course featured the 2016 Firebird Royale, a whole fried chicken, with spicy long bean salad and the now-on-the-tasting-menu Obama short rib. Well-cooked and seasoned, it is everything you want in a short rib…and in a respected President.
Dessert came out like a firework, literally! Drunken (approaching a problem) red velvet cake and “a nice whip” propelled us downstairs with smiles on our faces and warmth in our hearts for Samuelsson and his team and their latest victory.
Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service offering weekly and in-home entertaining packages. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations! Email her at kysha@SCHOPnyc.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SCHOPgirl or on Facebook www.facebook.com/SCHOPnyc. For even more recipes, tips and food musings, subscribe to her blog at www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com. Follow AmNewsFOOD @NYAmNewsFOOD.
