Aphrochic Magazine: Issue No. 7

Food
Cooking to Connect to Memories
Natalie Pass Miller's Aunt Linda has been a staple to Magnolia's Black
culinary experience. Known to the rest of the world as Linda Aamal Kite, she is a
chef, food scientist, and seasonal fruit specialist. Here is her take on why food is
so critical to the African American story, why you should never trust 15-minute
collards, and three recipes she swears by.
“Food has always been celebratory for Black people because we didn’t
have a whole lot to celebrate. But we found a way. There’s this whole back story
before it gets to the plate. A lot of these foods were considered trash. What we
had to do is make do with what we could find and put together.
"For example, collards are very nutritious and very filling. But you have to
be very patient with them because it takes a long time to cook. My mother would
say that we eat collards after the first frost. And I would say: 'Mama, why is that?'
And she said, 'Well, they’re more tender.'
"Well, lo and behold, the collard plants produce a natural enzyme when
it’s cold and, consequently, it’s a natural tenderizer! You can’t overcook a
collard green. So how do you know it’s ready? When it’s really tender and it
almost melts in your mouth, that’s when you know it’s ready.
“Anytime that someone tries to convince you that you can cook collard
greens in 15 minutes….run. It takes time and a lot of patience.
"In the end, cooking anything brings me closer to my family, because with
these hands (her hands)...my mama is still here. So it’s a spiritual experience for
me. I’m standing on my grandmother’s shoulders. I’m standing on my mama’s
shoulders.
"When you think about where we’ve come from…but we still have a long
way to go. The difficulties that we’ve had as a people, somehow we could always
use food as a distraction. No matter how hard things were, you come together
around a plate of food that has been soulfully and lovingly prepared for you, it
would make everything ok. No matter what.”
Natalie Pass Miller on the front porch of The Historic Magnolia House in Greensboro, N.C.
Hoppin’ John
Cook 3 slices of bacon (traditional, beef, or
turkey) until crispy and drain on paper towel.
Sauté onion with chopped red and green
peppers. Then add 2 cans of black eyed peas
and heat thoroughly. Stir in about 2 cups of
rice and crumbled bacon.
Garnish with the tops of green onions for
serving.
Sweet Potatoes
Bake sweet potatoes in a 400-degree preheated
oven for approximately 45 minutes, depending
on size. Sweet potatoes should be thoroughly
washed, dried, and oiled prior to baking.
Once cooked, slice sweet potatoes diagonally
and set aside.
For the sauce, heat 1 cup orange juice. Once
heated, add ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
mixing with butter or preferred fat, (i.e., olive or
coconut oil). Stir in cinnamon, vanilla, and rum
extract at the end. Heat until just boiling, simmer
to reduce a little bit.
Toss sweet potatoes in sauce and coat thoroughly.
Collard Greens
Stem collards. Stack, roll, and cut collards to your
liking. Wash collards 6-8 times, or until water
runs clear (to rinse off any grit).
In a stock pot add oil, enough to cover the
bottom of the pot. Sauté some onions until translucent.
Add chopped garlic and sauté.
Add collards, stirring down until all the greens
are added to the pot. You will see liquid from the
greens as they reduce in the pot. This is when
you add whatever stock of choice or water, just
enough to cover the greens about 2 inches, along
with your seasonings.
Be patient as collards take quite a while to cook.
Depending on the amount of greens, start with
45 minutes to an hour over medium-high heat.
Cooking time should be adjusted for gas. Gas
cooks quicker!
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