Latest Food Trends in
African American Cuisine
Soul food is making the scene. According to current food trends, more and more people are finding interest in ethnic food and spicy, yet flavorful combinations. These spicy foods have now reserved a place in the latest trend. If you’ve been eating or making soul food, this “latest trend” is not so new to you, because you’re always known where soul food stand - flavorful and spicy in the right combination.
In the area of flavor combinations, new food trends show that most chefs choose lime, cilantro, ginger, garlic black pepper, and chile peppers, to add spice to their dishes. And flavored mayonnaise and sandwich spreads have now been reborn with heated selections such as Hot ‘N Spicy Miracle Whip with cayenne pepper, dried tomatoes and spices and French’s GourMayo with flavors like Chipolte, Chili, Wasabi, Horseradish and Sun Dried Tomato.
People who downed soul food existence in the past are now singing a different flavor. And because of current food trends, those hot and spicy dishes are coming back (ethnic food) along with perked up flavored condiment selections. Of course, flavorful and spicy fare have always been key elements in soul food cooking.
You can spice up your soul food and condiments just by adding heat to your dishes. And since these condiments are usually priced higher in the stores, you can save a few bucks and add spice to regular condiments that you already have in the kitchen such as ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, sandwich spread, and many others.
There are several levels of heat and many ways to heat up a soul food dish. There’s hot, extra hot, and oh my goodness hot. But the most common methods I use to add heat are hot sauce, black pepper, and red ground pepper. To get you started, I have included five common soul foods groups to spice up your dishes.
· 1. Salad dressings, mayonnaise, mustard, cheese spreads, sandwich spreads, and sour cream
· 2. Beans, vegetables, macaroni dishes, meats, potato dishes
· 3. Baked and fried fish and salmon dishes. It adds a wonderful flavor
· 4. Scrambled eggs
· 5. Cooked grits or rice dishes.
If you’re new to adding red hot pepper sauce to dishes, add a fourth teaspoon to half a teaspoon at first then blend well. If more is desired, gradually add until you are pleased with the spicy flavor. Remember you can always add more heat, but you can’t take it out once it’s added and blended. All of these ideas add flavor, heat, and aroma to dishes.
Try these great spicy and delicious recipes.
SPICY CHEESE SPREAD - New Food Trends
1 (8 ounce) container soft cheddar cheese spread
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, soften
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper sauce (more if you dare)
1 teaspoon yellow prepared mustard
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of onion powder
Mix cheese spread and cream cheese together until smooth. Add pepper, red pepper sauce, mustard. Mix well. Add garlic powder and onion powder. Serve on crackers.TIP: For a spicier spread add more red pepper sauce and/or black pepper.
SPICY WASABI MAYONNAISE
1/2 tablespoon wasabi powder
1 teaspoon water
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, reduced fat
Hot Sauce, a few drops at a time - then mix well
Black Pepper (optional)
In a small bowl, mix wasabi powder and water to form a paste. Let sit for 1 minute, then add mayonnaise, red hot sauce and pepper.
SPICY CHICKEN BREAST - New Food Trends
4 to 5 chicken breasts, skinless
1 medium onion, quartered
¼ cup green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoons cooking wine
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon red hot sauce (more if you dare)
Place 1 ½ cups water in pressure pan; arrange chicken and onion in pan. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes. Yield 4 -5 servings.
IMPORTANT TIP: You can basically take any recipe and spice it up to your taste. Cheese and condiments seem to get hotter faster when the same amount of heat is added to chicken for fish dishes. Just proceed with caution.
The possibilities for spicing up your soul food are endless. Soul food cooking has always been about spicy, yet flavorful cooking. You can make your own soul food and spice it up any way you want.
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