Kwame Onwuachi, a James Beard Foundation Award-winner, best-selling author, activist and all-round Renaissance man, is one of America’s most inspiring young chefs. Hailing from the Bronx, raised in New York City, Nigeria and Louisiana, Onwuachi went from selling candy on the subway to studying at the Culinary Institute of America, from working in Michelin establishments, to opening five restaurants before turning 30, from competing on Top Chef to being named Esquire Magazine’s Chef of the Year.
Onwuachi recently teamed up with G.H. Mumm to pair his bold and authentic flavors that draw on his heritage and his own life experiences with the Champagne brand. Here are some of his unique recipes that pair well with brut Champagne or a similar sparkling wine.
Kampachi Escovitch
5 slides of Kampachi, sashimi
5 slides Hass avocado
1 tbsp. Carrot Nage*
8 Cilantro leaves
Maldon salt as needed
Kosher salt as needed
*For Carrot Nage:
3 cups Escovitch**
½ cup Lime juice
1 tbsp. Honey
3 tbsp. Carrot juice
1 tsp. Kosher salt
Combine lime, honey, carrot juice, and salt. Mix thoroughly with escovitch, then reserve cold until ready to serve.
** For Escovitch
1 tbsp. minced Fresh ginger
1 tbsp. minced Habanero Chili
4 cups Rice wine vinegar
2 cups Carrot juice
2 tbsp. White sugar
1 julienne Yellow onion
1 julienne Red bell pepper
1 julienne Orange bell pepper
Kosher salt to taste
Sweat ginger and habanero in oil until raw flavor is out. Add carrot juice, vinegar and sugar – reduce to a syrup. Add onions and peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Cool and reserve.
Place the kampachi and avocado in alternating shingles. Top with carrot nage and pickled pepper. Sprinkle with maldon salt and garnish with cilantro.
Roasted and Confit Chicken Geerah
For this cumin chicken dish, plate 1 marinated chicken breast and1 confit chicken thigh, top with 4 tbsp. Geerah jus and a pinch of Maldon salt.
Marinated Chicken:
3 lbs. Chicken breast, skin-on/bone-in
3 tbsp. Curry powder
10 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
1 small diced Yellow onion
2 tbsp. Ground cumin
3 tbsps. Cilantro, finely chopped
Canola oil as needed
Kosher salt as needed
Combine all ingredients except chicken and mix thoroughly. Add to a ziploc bag with chicken and coat well. Close bag, pushing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate 24-48 hours. When ready, sear in a pan on 6 minutes each side or until it reads 165 on a thermometer once placed in the thickest part.
Confit Chicken:
4 Chicken thighs
3 tbsps. Curry powder
2 tbsps. White granulated sugar
2 tbsps. Cumin
½ gallon Duck fat
1 tbsp. Kosher salt
Canola oil as needed
Mix the curry powder, cumin, salt and sugar together. Coat chicken with this rub and let sit for 4 hours refrigerated. Rinse of chicken and pat dry. Melt duck fat in a Dutch pot and place the chicken inside. The chicken should be completely submerged, and cook in 300°F oven for 3 hours. Let cool in fat for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, heat a pot of oil to 400 degrees. Place chicken thighs in the oil and fry until crispy and browned. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. Season with kosher salt and cumin.
Geerah Jus:
½ gallon Chicken stock
1 small Yellow onion, diced
12 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
3 tbsps. Curry powder
½ Habanero chili, minced
3 tbsps. Ground cumin
1 tbsps. Fresh lime juice
Kosher salt to taste
Canola oil as needed
Add oil to a pan and add onion, habenero and garlic. Sweat over medium heat then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth and strain through fine mesh strainer, season with salt to taste.
