Recipe courtesy of Michael Twitty and Tonya Hopkins

Yassa-Inspired Grilled Feast

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 8 to 10 servings
  • Total: 7 hr 30 min (includes marinating time)
  • Active: 1 hr 30 min
This is a "plethora of proteins" kind of approach to grilling- both poultry (chicken) and seafood (snapper and spiny lobsters). It also dials up both the feast aspect of the 6th day’s karamu feast, as well as the notion of a "creative synthesis" (of spicing, marinating and technique—arriving at an African food fusion of sorts) that aligns with the kuumba principle of the day (creativity).
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Ingredients

Suya Spice:

2 tablespoons ground allspice

2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons sea salt

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

2 Maggi cubes, crushed

West African-Inspired Wet Seasoning:

1 tablespoon olive or other vegetable oil

7 cloves garlic, smashed

3 green onions, sliced

2 stalks celery with leaves, roughly chopped

2 shallots, roughly chopped

1-inch piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

1 small red onion, sliced

1 small Scotch bonnet pepper (spicy) or 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (not spicy)

1-inch piece fresh turmeric, roughly chopped or 2 teaspoons powdered turmeric

1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley, roughly chopped

Kosher salt

Grilling:

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Kosher salt

6 spiny lobster tails, split lengthwise

Olive or other vegetable oil, for brushing

2 whole red snapper

Yassa Sauce:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or vegan butter

1/2 cup minced garlic

3 red onions, sliced

3 bunches green onions, sliced

3 shallots, sliced

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

1/2 to 1 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or more to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooked black sable rice, for serving (see Cook’s Note)

Directions

  1. For the suya spice: Combine the allspice, cayenne, chili powder, cinnamon, garlic powder, ground ginger, nutmeg, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, sea salt, smoked paprika and Maggi cubes in a small bowl. Some of the spice mixture will be used below, and any remaining spice mixture can be stored in an airtight container.
  2. For the West African-inspired wet seasoning: Add the olive oil, garlic, green onions, celery, shallots, ginger, red onion, Scotch bonnet pepper or red bell pepper, turmeric, parsley, a pinch of kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of the suya spice to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is fully pureed and forms a smooth paste, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and process again. Repeat until it is more or less smooth.
  3. For the grilling: Sprinkle the chicken with kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of the suya spice. Apply a third of the West African-inspired wet seasoning to the chicken until well coated and generously distributed. Refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
  4. One hour before grilling, brush the exposed lobster flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of the suya spice. Transfer to a baking dish and brush with half of the remaining West African-inspired wet seasoning.
  5. Thirty minutes before grilling, brush the red snapper with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of the suya spice. Transfer to a baking dish and brush with the remaining West African-inspired wet seasoning.
  6. For the yassa sauce: Heat the oil in a large high-sided skillet or brasier over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the garlic, red onions, green onions and shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until the aromatics are tender, the moisture evaporates and the onions begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil and add enough water or broth to make the mixture slightly saucy. Turn off the heat and stir in the mustard. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
  7. Prepare a grill for medium-high direct heat.
  8. Grill the chicken pieces, flipping halfway, until cooked through and registering 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes per side. Remove to a platter.
  9. Add the snapper to the grill and cook, flipping halfway, until cooked through and flaky, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a separate platter.
  10. Add the lobster to the grill and cook, flipping halfway, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a third platter.
  11. Serve the chicken, snapper and lobster with black sable rice and the yassa sauce.

Cook’s Note

Use cooked white or brown rice if black sable rice is not available.

Let's Get Cooking!

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