Review
A New York Times, Washington Post,Bon Appetit, and Epicurious Best Cookbook of the Year
“Kwame’s powerful, lyrical book is part memoir, part cookbook, but also all memoir and all cookbook. It’s other things, too—a history of food, a collection of mouth-watering photographs, and a repository of wisdom.” —Questlove, best-selling author of Music Is History
"Kwame Onwuachi’s first cookbook, My America, is a love letter to the 'proper nouns'—what he calls his loved ones and culinary influences—in his life. This collection of recipes establishes a more inclusive legacy of American food, one that might be recognizable to everyone: the America of jollof rice and ata din din; of cheesy grits, callaloo and collard greens; of jerk spice, curry powder and ginger-garlic purée. My America honors a tradition while moving it forward, and each recipe includes cultural origins to show how food travels within the African diaspora . . . As a Southerner, I’ve made grits for years, but Mr. Onwuachi’s carefully detailed recipe showed me a different way: Instead of dumping everything in at once, he stirs the grits with water, then streams the mixture into simmering milk for a result that’s creamy and light. I’m grateful for the lesson. —Eric Kim, The New York Times
“The dishes collected within these pages have more soul than James Brown and Leon Bridges combined. . . . [My America] looks at the world of cooking through the chef’s own colorful, multicultural prism. His America embraces both Louisiana jambalaya and Nigerian jollof rice—and can even trace the line between the two. His America reveres Creole hash browns, West African groundnut stew, Jamaican ackee and saltfish, and Ethiopian doro wat. Onwuachi’s America truly marvels at the country’s melting pot, perhaps as only a millennial child of New York City can. . . . His recipes pass along not just family history, but larger historical truths, too.” —The Washington Post
“Flat-out delicious. . . . [A] cookbook that, in its own way, asserts the right to weave a personal cuisine from a blend of ancestral recipes, diverse influences and idiosyncratic obsessions. . . . Onwuachi’s pantry is a family tree with roots in the American South, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Nigeria and beyond.” —The Wall Street Journal
“My America is a must-have for anyone who wants to be a better cook. Each recipe is an insight into Kwame’s family, travels, and time spent in some of the best kitchens in the world. This book will expand your pantry with spices and ingredients that are so delicious and that really should be in every kitchen everywhere. I want to make the Egusi Stew for dinner tonight—so good!” —David Chang, chef and founder of Momofuku and best-selling author of Eat a Peach
“A nuanced, multicultural interpretation of what defines American food. . . . If you're looking to diversify your home cooking game—and celebrate the cultural patchwork of America—this cookbook is a staple.” —USA Today
“Have a quart of shrimp stock ready: We’re making gumbo this weekend. . . . After a few pages, I couldn’t get Onwuachi’s voice out of my ear—Ethiopian braised short ribs are ‘achingly tender and totally on fire’—and I couldn’t shake the sudden urge to fill my fridge with remoulade and jerk paste.” —Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit
“In My America, Chef Kwame Onuwuachi’s story continues with recipes! He offers us his culinary vision of an inclusive nation. ‘His’ America revels in Nigerian suya and Creole hash browns, Trinidad callaloo and Southern collard greens. There’s braised oxtail, egusi with goat, and a repertoire of dishes that delight with the bright tastes of the African Atlantic world. It is a savory nation, indeed, and I am proud to be a citizen.” —Jessica B. Harris, best-selling author of High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America
“I love My America—not only for its vibrant, delicious, and seasonal recipes that explore the African diaspora, but for the moving story Kwame tells: how food knits together our communities, celebrates and preserves our cultures, and intimately connects us to the land and the people we came from.” —Alice Waters, chef and owner of Chez Panisse and author of We Are What We Eat
“Kwame Onwuachi takes us on a journey through personal taste memories from the Bronx, down to Texas, and across to ancient lands of Nigeria and the Caribbean. Vibrant and unique recipes like Cucumber and Avocado Salad tempered with a gooseberry peri-peri call back ancestral knowledge that he marries with his own unique experiences and culinary genius.” —Food & Wine
“My America is a culinary journey that’s well seasoned with many flavors of the diaspora. Kwame pays respect to the ancestors, using his culinary chops to remix their food to show the beauty of his people.” —Marcus Samuelsson, best-selling author of Yes, Chef
“Kwame Onwuachi uses his own story as a vehicle for sharing recipes from the African diaspora. These dishes—from the United States, the Caribbean, Nigeria, and elsewhere—as honed by his expert palate and tremendous talent, are American food at its finest.” —Angela Rye, social justice advocate, lawyer, and award-winning host of “On One with Angela Rye
“If the book . . . contained just cooking directions, it would already earn a spot on the kitchen counter of avid cooks. But the accompanying anecdotes with each recipe are what shines as Onwuachi charts the journeys of different diasporas in his blood and community.” —Shondaland
"Packed with gems to upgrade anything, like jerk BBQ sauce, tamarind glaze, and ginger-garlic purée." —Food52
“My America is a cookbook for anyone who, like Onwuachi, knows that there’s always more to learn—about our past, and about ourselves.” —Eater
“A celebration of the food of the African Diaspora, as handed down through Onwuachi's own family history, spanning Nigeria to the Caribbean, the South to the Bronx, and beyond.” —Salon
About the Author
KWAME ONWUACHI is a James Beard Award-winning chef, who was raised in the Bronx, Nigeria, and Louisiana. A former contest and now a recurring judge on Top Chef, Onwuachi has been named Esquire’s Chef of the Year, one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both Zagat and Forbes. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America and opened five restaurants before turning thirty. Onwuachi is the author of Notes from a Young Black Chef. JOSHUA DAVID STEIN is a Brooklyn-based author and journalist. He is the co-author of Notes from a Young Black Chef, with Kwame Onwuachi; Il Buco: Stories and Recipes with Donna Lennard; and The Nom Wah Cookbook with Wilson Tang and the author of Cooking for Your Kids.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Suya
Suya is the grandfather of American BBQ. In Nigeria, the spices draw out and fire up the meats, often cooked over an open flame. Here I do the same. But if you don’t have a grill, use a well-oiled cast-iron skillet over high heat in a kitchen with open windows. The open windows are very important, unless you find the blare of a smoke alarm harmonious and enjoy fits of sneezing. I find the sweetness of the char plus the heat of the spice totally irresistible. I did when I first smelled it from beyond the walls of my grandfather’s compound in Nigeria, or when we went to market when I could sneak a skewer. (Since my grandfather was an obi, or chief, there were many customs and rules around what he and his family could eat.) When I opened my second restaurant, Kith and Kin, I wanted to suya everything. The reaction from the diners, at least initially, was mixed. Many Nigerians scoffed at the idea that suya could be applied to, for instance, brussels sprouts. They were, on the whole, proud that Nigerian cuisine was being given the attention it so much deserved but arrived at the table with some strong opinions. Judging from the empty bowls that came back to the kitchen, I think I won them over. But it was always a battle.
In this recipe, I stick to the traditional proteins—steak, chicken, and shrimp. In Nigeria, suya is served with sliced tomatoes and onions, which help mellow the heat. Here that role is played by a tomato-ginger soubise and a traditional onion cream sauce from France, and I keep the tomatoes and onions in the form of pickles, whose burst of acidity rounds out the flavors.
For the suya
Place the shrimp, steak, and chicken in three separate bowls. Season each with 1 1/2 tablespoons of suya spice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mixing well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You can marinate the shrimp for up to 12 hours, and the steak and chicken for up to 48 hours.)
For the tomato-ginger soubise
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt. Spread evenly over the sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, until deep red and a little wrinkly.
Meanwhile, heat the grapeseed oil in a medium pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the GGP and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook until translucent and soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, along with the cream and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until reduced to about 1 cup—watch carefully, as cream has a tendency to boil over, so reduce the heat as necessary to keep it from sputtering or burning— about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and purée until velvety smooth. Season to taste with salt and set aside. You should have 1 cup of soubise.
For the pickled tomatoes and onions
Bring the spice pickling liquid to a boil in a small pot. Place the onions and tomatoes in a nonreactive bowl and pour the hot liquid over them, stirring to combine well. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, before serving. You should have about 3 cups of pickled tomatoes and onions.
To assemble
When ready to cook, prepare a grill for high heat. Let it heat for 10 minutes. Grill the shrimp, steak, and chicken, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes for shrimp and steak and 4 to 5 minutes for the chicken.
In a small pot, warm the soubise over low heat. Place the grilled items on a platter, dust with extra suya spice, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with warm soubise, pickled tomatoes and onions, lime wedges for squeezing, and Jollof Rice.
Origin: Nigeria
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
For the suya and to assemble
1 pound large (16–20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound boneless ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1 pound boneless, skinless chickenthighs, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
4 1/2 tablespoons Suya Spice (page 8), divided, plus more to garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Tomato-ginger soubise (below), to serve
Pickled tomatoes and onions (below), to serve
Limewedges, to serve
For the tomato-ginger soubise
1 Roma tomato, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons extra-virgin oliveoil
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons GGP
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
For the pickled tomatoes and onions
1 cup Spice Pickling Liquid
1 medium red onion, large dice
1 medium ripe tomato, large dice
Cooked suya shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, chicken and beef suya for up to 4 days. Tomato-ginger soubise will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pickled tomatoes and onions will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Suya Spice
The first time I came across suya sellers was when I was sent to live with my grandfather, an obi, or chief, in Nigeria. From over the walls of his compound drifted intoxicating smells of spice-touched smoked meat called Suya, meat I later learned was marinated in suya spice, also called yaji spice. But due to tradition, which stated that no one from the house of an obi could eat outside the home, my grandfather forbade us from eating from these mai suya, as the vendors are called. It wasn’t until later that I came to fully appreciate the magic this spice mixture, developed by the northern Hausa tribe of Nigeria, works on meat. It is the grandfather of American barbecue. Built around the native ingredients of West Africa—chili pepper, onion, and ground nuts—and layered with the char of an open flame, Nigerian suya is often made with beef or goat. But it turns everything, from duck and chicken to shrimp and even brussels sprouts, into a deeply flavorful, almost irresistible meal.
Blitz the grains of paradise in a high-powered blender or spice grinder until finely powdered, then set aside in a medium bowl. Blitz Maggi cubes until finely ground, then add to the bowl with the grains of paradise. Add all the other ingredients to the bowl and whisk well to combine.
Origin: Nigeria
Yield: 1 pint
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons grains of paradise
(or alligator pepper)
5 Maggi Seasoning cubes
(vegetable flavor)
6 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne
1/2 cup peanut butter powder
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
Suya spice will keep in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to 4 months.
Spice Pickling Liquid
Pickling is an act of food preservation and also, thankfully for us, adds an entire dimension of bright angular flavors. This pickling liquid includes a touch of spice but is largely neutral, allowing the flavors of the pickled vegetables to emerge. I like the balance between the thyme and coriander on the softer herbal side with the habanero and ginger more biting, but play around as you like. Garlic goes well, ditto allspice, cloves, and bay leaf. Here’s your chance to go freeform and experiment with what aromatics you use in the pickling liquid and what you pickle. Among my favorite vegetables to pickle are onions, mushrooms, and pig’s feet—which aren’t a vegetable at all, of course, but are delicious.
Place all the ingredients into a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat. Let cool completely, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer to a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Origin: American South
Yield: 3 cups
1 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
12 fresh thyme sprigs
4 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1/2 habanero pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
2 thin slices ginger, about 2–3 inches long
2 cups water
Spice pickling liquid will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
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