JUNETEENTH
A FEAST OF FREEDOM ELIZABETH YARLY
ABOUT JUNETEENTH JUNETEENTH, A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM... On June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued, the last remaining enslaved African Americans living in Gavelston, Texas finally learned that slavery had been abolished. This day, known as Freedom Day, Jubilee day, Ce-liberation day, and now Juneteenth is observed as a celebration of black heritage and freedom in America. This menu honors the vibrant and rich legacy of black ancestral cooking. Join me on a food-inspired journey esteeming our ancestors. Let’s celebrate simplicity with the cornmeal and precious scraps of a slave diet in Corn Fritters with Green Pea Dipping Sauce. Let’s praise tradition with a Chicken & Bean Stew inspired by our West African ancestors. And most importantly, let us honor our resilience and strong roots with a sweet Beetroot Tart. This is a menu that honors African American history. This is a menu that celebrates freedom. My heart aches for the countless black lives unjustly taken and the countless black bodies unjustly imprisoned. I’m cooking for justice. You can download this digital cookbook for free, but please consider a donation to one of these mutual aid funds held by organizations providing resources and creating spaces for connection and joy for black communities. Black Lives Matter. Click here to listen to a curated Spotify playlist while cooking and enjoying your feast!
OLD FASHION CORN FRITTERS WITH GREEN PEA DIPPING SAUCE
YEILDS 4-6
10 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS FRITTERS
1-1/2
cups of whole kernel corn (sweet or regular)
1 finely chopped scallion 1 / 3 cup of cornmeal flour 3 tablespoon of all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 / 2 teaspoon of baking powder 1 / 2 teaspoon of salt 1 / 4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper 1 egg 1 / 4 cup of heavy cream V E G E T A B L E O I L for frying PEA DIPPING SAUCE
1 / 2 cup of green peas 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 / 2 teaspoon of salt 2 tablespoons of water or broth 1 tablespoon of olive oil 3 teaspoons of sour cream
10 MINUTES
DIRECTIONS
01
In a bowl, combine the corn, cornmeal flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cayenne, and scallions.
02
Whisk the heavy cream and egg in a separate bowl. Mix into the dry ingredients.
03
Coat the bottom of your pan with oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into your pan (1-2 spoons) Fry fritters until golden brown on each side.
04
Cover a plate with a sheet towel to soak excess oil before serving.
01
In a small pan sauté the peas and garlic in the oil.
02
Once the peas are cooked and cooled, pour the peas and garlic mixture into a food processor or blender.
03
Add water/broth, salt, sour cream, and blend until the mixture is smooth.
04
Serve at room temperature.
CHICKEN & BEAN STEW YEILDS 4-6
15 MINUTES
45-60 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
4-6
pieces of bone-in chicken legs and thighs, cleaned.
01
Coat the bottom of your pot with oil.
pieces of smoked turkey legs and/or wings (optional: use neck bones)
02
Once the oil is hot, space your chicken in the pot and brown for 4-5 minutes on each side.
03
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside (not fully cooked, and cannot be eaten yet).
04 05
In the pot, add onions and celery, cook until nearly translucent.
1-2 1 3 2 1
medium yellow onion, diced cups of low-sodium chicken broth tablespoons of tomato paste poultry blend bouquet (thyme, rosemary, sage)
1 / 2 teaspoon of cumin 1 / 4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper 1 / 2 teaspoon of clove powder 2 - 3 teaspoons of salt 1 teaspoon of adobe seasoning 1 teaspoon of black pepper 1 / 8 cup of lime juice 4 - 5 cloves of crushed garlic 1 / 4 cup of olive oil 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley 2 1 5 o z cans of black eye peas, rinsed 1 1 5 o z can of red beans, rinsed O L I V E O I L for cooking CHICKEN MARINADE:
Mix garlic, parsley, lime juice, 2 teaspoons of salt, black pepper. Rub mixture unto the chicken. Marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Mix in tomato paste.
06
Add the smoked turkey pieces to the pot, and cover with the broth.
07
Add remaining spices and herbs, salt to taste.
08
Cover the pot and simmer on medium to low heat until turkey meat is tender.
09
Mix in the peas and beans, cover, and simmer on medium to low heat for 5-7 minutes.
10
Remove the smoked turkey pieces, and add the chicken back into the pot. Cover, and simmer on low heat until chicken is fully cooked.
SWEET POTATO & PEANUT STEW WITH COLLARD GREENS CHIPS
YEILDS 4-6
15 MINUTES
25 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
STEW
01 02 03
1/4 3 1
cup of diced onions (red or yellow)
cloves of crushed garlic tablespoon of tomato paste
OR
2 - 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce 1 / 3 cup of unsalted/unsweetened
peanut butter (smooth or chucky)
04
Heat the oil in pot. Cook onions and garlic until they’re near translucent. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in broth, water, and bring to a boil. Whisk in peanut butter
05
(dillute the butter before adding by mixing 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and the butter in a separate bowl before pouring into the pot).
06
Add cayenne, black pepper, and then salt to taste
1 cup of water 1 / 2 red bell pepper
07
Add sweet potatoes and red bell peppers. Simmer on low heat until potatoes are tender.
1 / 2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper 1 / 2 teaspoon of black pepper 1 / 2 - 1 teaspoon of salt 3 tablespoons of olive oil
08
Serve with collard greens chips and rice.
2
cups of low sodium vegetable broth
1
large sweet potato diced into chunks
(diced or julienne)
COLLARD GREENS CHIPS
1
bunch OR bag of chopped collard greens
2 1
tablespoons of olive oil teaspoon of salt
01 02 03 04 05
Preheat ove to 350 degrees. Spread 2-3 cups of collard greens on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and mix until the leaves are fully coated. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until cripsy. Finish with salt as needed.
SWEET BEETROOT TART YEILDS 6-8
15 MINUTES
60 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
CRUST
01 02
1
store-bought crust, or your favorite recipe
OR
2 2
cups of all-purpose flour sticks of unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
1 / 3 - 1 / 2 cup of cold water 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon of salt 1 tablespoon of sugar FILLING
2
full cups of chopped, boiled and peeled beetroots (sealed packed is also fine)
2 eggs 1 / 2 cup of heavy cream 1 / 4 cup of sweetened condensed milk 1 tablespoons of sugar (as needed) 1 / 4 teaspoon of lemon zest 1 / 2 tablespoon of vanilla 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 / 2 teaspoon of ground ginger 1 / 2 teaspoon of nutmeg 1 / 4 tablespoon of salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and sugar.
03
Add butter and mix until the flour is free of lumps.
04
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and water.
05
Slowly add liquid mixture into the dry mixture bowl. A little bit at a time, expect some leftover.
06
Once dough is ready (not wet or sticky, but not crumbling), shape it into a ball.
07
Wrap and rest the dough for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
08 09 01 02 03 04
Roll out your dough and transfer into your tart pan. Trim off the edges. Blind bake. Mix all the ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Sweeten to taste. Pour mixture into the tart pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Serve with whipped cream.
BOOKER’S GINGER CAKE YEILDS 12-15
20 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
1 1
box of yellow cake mix cup of cooled, unsweetened lemon tea (use your favorite teabag brand)
1 / 2 cup of mild molasses 3 eggs 1 / 4 cup of melted butter 1 / 3 cup of vanilla or plain yogurt 1 / 3 cup of of fresh, roughly chopped ginger
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon 1 / 2 teaspoon of ground cloves 1 / 2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon of vanilla 1 / 2 teaspoon of salt
50 MINUTES
DIRECTIONS
01
To avoid peeling and grating, blend the ginger and lemon tea together. Strain the mixture, and set the liquid aside.
02
Mix the eggs, butter, molasses, yogurt, lemon and ginger juice, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt in a bowl.
03
Add in the yellow cake mix. Whisk until the batter is free of lumps.
04
Pour batter into a buttered baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or cake test.
05
(Optional) Dust with powered sugar, and serve with whipped cream.
PORTMANTEAU SLUSH YEILDS 4
10 MINUTES
J u n eteen t h i s n ot com pl ete w i th o u t th e ce l e b rato r y straw b e rry s od a a n d red dr i n ks. H e re ’s a f u n s u mme r d r i n k i d e a :
INGREDIENTS
4 cups of frozen watermelon chunks 2 tablespoons of lime juice 3 - 4 mint leaves 1 tablespoon of almond extract 1 / 2 cup of coconut water * M A K E I T A D U L T - F R I E N D LY :
Add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar when blending. Substitute soda for prosecco, champagne, or sparkling wine.
DIRECTIONS
01
Blend the frozen watermelon chunks, lime juice, mint leaves, almond extract, and coconut water into a slush.
02
Fill serving cups to 3/4, and top tem off with your favorite brand of strawberry soda.
Thank you for cooking with me. I hope this cookbook inspires connections and conversations. You know, those kitchen and after-dinner conversations where we do our best processing. I have been doing a lot of processing in my kitchen, here is some food for thought: • How can you celebrate your blackness and/or the blackness of others today? • What is your heritage? • How do you plan to transform? What do you want to attain with social equality? • How do you honor and celebrate black love? • What does liberation mean to you? • How are you inspiring black pride in the next generation? • What makes your black beautiful? How do you honor the beauty of blackness in others? These dishes are canvases, I encourage you to make them your own. That’s the beauty of black cooking, there are no true recipes, a dish tells a different story in every kitchen. Stop by my Instagram page, @cookingyarly, I would love to trade stories with you. Cooking through it, Elizabeth Yarly
*Historical references to the recipes featured in this cookbook: Old Fashioned Corn Fritters with Green Pea Dipping Sauce Chicken & Bean Stew Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew with Collard Greens Chips Booker’s Cake Portmanteau Slush
@cookingyarly