Good morning! Today we have for you:
You’re here! Grab a plate.If you’ve ever met Yewande Komolafe, you know exactly what she means when she describes herself as a “reserved extrovert.” Yewande’s exuberance isn’t flashy or obvious, but get to know her and her radiance dazzles. She’s the kind of person who ignites the room and everyone in it. She shares this warm brilliance in her latest piece, which is about hosting dinners for friends. In it, she has selected 25 recipes from New York Times Cooking that you can mix and match for gatherings, every dish showcasing the flavors of the African continent and its diaspora.
“The recipes here include crisp-crunchy appetizers,” she writes, “robust soups and stews; sparkly condiments for dipping; generous helpings of meaty mains; and vegetable dishes that are textured and bright.” I’m in! And I plan to start with her recipe for Zanzibari pizza. This street-food favorite consists of rotis folded around spiced ground meat, melty cheese and an assortment of crisp and juicy vegetables like cabbage and tomatoes. Cook up a batch and then share them around, just as Yewande does. Featured Recipe Zanzibari PizzaMore (mostly Yewande’s) food for thoughtBaked tofu with peanut sauce and coconut-lime rice: Yewande, a well-known tofu whisperer, bakes slabs of it under a deeply savory peanut sauce, then serves them with coconut rice flecked with lime zest. Save the extra peanut sauce in the fridge. Use it on everything. It’s divine. Caramelized plantains with beans, scallions and lemons: For this bright and earthy recipe, Yewande advises using very ripe, black-spotted plantains, which she broils with brown sugar and ginger. Then she tosses them with beans marinated with minced red onion and cayenne for a satisfying meatless side dish. Or top it with an egg for additional protein. One-pan spicy chicken thighs and mushrooms: With this dish, Yewande also shares her streamlined take on ọbẹ ata dín dín, a West African condiment. She combines jarred roasted peppers with anchovies, miso and Scotch bonnet chile; that mix then enhances chicken and mushrooms for an umami-rich recipe that’s speedy enough for any weeknight. Smashed beef kebab with cucumber yogurt: From Zaynab Issa, this Persian-inspired dish has all the garlicky, brawny flavors of kebabs, but without the skewers, so it’s quicker and easier to make. A tangy yogurt sauce adds a cooling creaminess that contrasts with the crisp nuggets of highly spiced meat. Spiced coconut tapioca pudding with fruit: Chewy tapioca pearls cooked in a lemongrass-and star-anise-infused coconut milk make for a fragrant, creamy pudding. Yewande adds toasted coconut and almonds on top for crunch. That’s all for now, except to remind you that if you’re waylaid by any technical woes, you can email the smart people at cookingcare@nytimes.com for help. And I’m at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to say hi. I’ll see you on Monday. For a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started.
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