HOME COOKING

Recipe by: chef ssentongo

* – This is Crispy Chicken Thigh with Wild Mushroom Jus, Blackberries & Microgreens .

Very premium. You can charge $28.

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 large chicken thighs with skin
• Salt, pepper, paprika
• 1 cup mushrooms (or oyster mushrooms)
• 1 shallot or small red onion sliced
• For sauce: 1 cup chicken stock, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp mustard, butter
• Garnish: 4 blackberries, spring onion rings, microgreens/cress (or small sukuma sprouts)

SHORT RECIPE:

1. Crispy Chicken:

• Pat thigh VERY dry – secret to crispy.
• Salt skin heavily.
• Cold pan, place skin down, then medium heat 8-10 min till skin golden and fat renders. Flip 5 min. Skin must crackle like photo.

1. Sauce:

• Same pan, fry mushrooms + onion 2 min till brown.
• Add stock + honey + mustard, reduce till thick brown gravy (like in photo – not too watery).

1. Plating like photo:

• Spoon brown sauce in middle, not all over.
• Place mushrooms on sauce.
• Put chicken thigh on top, slightly cut open to show white meat inside (like photo).
• Place 2 blackberries left/right – black color gives luxury.
• Put shallot slice in front, spring onion rings.
• Top with big handful microgreens – that green pile is the fine dining look.

Juba Swap:

• No blackberries? Use one sliced dark grape or omit.
• No microgreens? Use finely chopped parsley + small dhania sprouts – same look.
• No wild mushrooms? Use normal button mushrooms fried dark.

Taste: Sweet, salty, sour, crispy – client will remember.

This dish sells you as real Private Chef, not normal cook.

* – THIS IS PAN-SEARED WHITE FISH (Cod) ON FENNEL & ORANGE SAFFRON SAUCE – light VIP lunch, perfect for health clients.

Name: Citrus Cod with Shaved Fennel Salad

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 white fish fillets (Nile perch works perfect , or tilapia fillet thick cut)
• Salt, pepper
• For salad: 1 fennel or 1 white cabbage thin shaved, 1/2 red onion thin, 1 orange peeled cut cubes
• For yellow sauce: juice of 1 orange, 1 tsp mustard, 2 tbsp butter, pinch turmeric for yellow color
• Dill or fennel leaves for top

SHORT RECIPE:

1. Fish – Secret to golden crust like photo:

• Pat fish DRY with tissue.
• Salt 10 min before.
• Very hot pan, oil + butter. Fish 3 min one side ONLY till golden brown crust, flip 2 min. Don’t touch too much. White inside still juicy.

1. Fennel Salad: Thin slice fennel/cabbage + red onion like noodles. Mix with orange cubes.
2. Yellow Sauce: In small pan, orange juice + mustard + butter + turmeric, stir 1 min till light yellow, slightly thick.

Plating EXACT like photo:

1. Bowl, not flat plate
2. Put fennel/onion/orange salad + yellow sauce at bottom
3. Place fish on top center – golden side up
4. Top with dill fronds generously – that green makes it fine dining

Charge: $24. Light, fresh, expat ladies love.

Swap: No fennel? Use white cabbage shaved thin + little anise. No cod? Use thick Nile perch – same white fish, cheaper.

* – THIS IS GRILL-MARKED RIBEYE STEAK – CLASSIC.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 thick ribeye / T-bone / sirloin 400-500g, at least 3cm thick
• Coarse salt, whole black peppercorns
• Butter, garlic optional

SHORT RECIPE – Secret to grill marks like photo:

1. Meat must be ROOM TEMP: Take out fridge 30 min before. Pat DRY with tissue – no water or it won’t brown.
2. Season: Only coarse salt + pepper right before fire. No other spice.
3. Very HOT grill/pan: Cast iron best. No oil on meat? Light oil on pan. Sear 3 min don’t move. Turn 90 degrees same side, 2 min more – creates cross marks like photo. Flip, repeat 3-4 min.
4. Medium-Rare like photo: Inside pink, outside dark brown. Press with finger – soft but bounce back.
5. REST 5 MIN: Very important – leave on board, put small butter on top to melt. If you cut too soon juice runs out.

Plating EXACT like photo:

1. Wooden board, not white plate – steakhouse style
2. Place steak diagonal
3. Sprinkle flaky salt + whole black peppercorns scattered around board (like photo)
4. Red wine glass behind, salt bowl, pepper mill – sells the lifestyle.

Tip: Use good beef from Gumbo market, ask for rib eye with fat – fat = flavor. Don’t overcook Sudanese clients always say “well done” but teach them medium for this price – or charge extra if they want well done because it becomes tough.

Want the 3 sauce recipes that go with this? Peppercorn, garlic butter, chimichurri?