No matter how far back in our history books you go, you’ll find that Black families have always come together and connected through food. Preparing and sharing meals together is how we enjoy fellowship with friends, connect to those we love and pass down precious family traditions. The magic begins in the kitchen and the memories are made at the table.
The right recipe can honor our cultural history and family traditions while also being the perfect excuse to create new ones. To help kick off your Black History Month celebrations on a deliciously feel-good note, we checked in with Chef David Rose to get his best advice on how to incorporate food into your family routines and his recipe to put on the menu for a family style dinner to remember. Rose, a TV personality and the Executive Chef of Omaha Steaks, is one of eight kids and comes from a “huge Jamaican family”, so he knows all about what it takes to prepare a meal that everyone will want to pull up a seat for when dinner time rolls around.
“Jamaicans, we’re all about food,” says Rose. “We’re all about a good time; endless jokes, laughter, merriment, dancing, and a good cocktail, or two… or three. Both my mom and dad were chefs and growing up the majority of us could cook—all of my uncles, aunts and cousins, too. When you’re learning to walk and talk in a Jamaican household, they kind of put a spoon in your hand.”
For Rose, culture and food will always go hand-in-hand. “I still feel so closely tied to my Jamaican roots because I was taught to make these foods at such a young age and I think that’s the power of food,” he shares. “It has the ability to kind of transport you to wherever it is you want to be, just by the taste of it.”
If you’re creating your own family recipe, and looking for something everyone will love, Rose recommends starting with a porterhouse cut every time. “All Porterhouse steaks are T-Bones, but all T-Bones aren’t Porterhouse,” explains Rose, who recommends the Omaha Steaks Porterhouse for the best combination of quality, taste and size. “The Porterhouse steak boasts a filet mignon width of at least 1.25-inches. That’s what sets the Porterhouse in a class all by itself. Grilled, broiled, in the oven, or in a cast iron pan; the Porterhouse is great to be sliced up into 1-inch medallions and shared with family and friends. After all, delicious food just tastes better when shared in good company… and with a good bourbon!”
Rose also suggests getting personal when it’s time to plan which meals you and your family will cook together. “Food that you have an emotional connection to, and that you actually like and want to learn how to make, really puts love into the dish; and that’s the one secret ingredient I think that all great food has in common,” he adds.
For your menu inspiration, Chef Rose shares his African Spice Rubbed Porterhouse with Curried Shrimp Pearl Pasta and Collard Green Chimichurri, which is an ode to the culinary makeup of his family. “I love curry. It’s amazing to me,” Rose shares. “Jamaica is huge on seafood, but I’ve also been in the South for the last 18 years, where you can’t miss a beat with the collard greens. It’s a staple in southern cooking. I wanted to take a different approach to it. Steak and chimichurri, is very South American, and go together hand-in-hand. Berbere spice, is a core component in Ethiopian cuisine, which I absolutely love. It’s a blend of different types of chili peppers, coriander, fenugreek, garlic, cinnamon and all spice that add a nice warm note. In Jamaican food, there is a lot spices, and herbs. Which can be traced directly back to Africa. I guess this meal is kind of my culinary roadmap of my Afro-Caribbean heritage and foods that I just love.”
African Spice Rubbed Porterhouse with Curried Shrimp Pearl Pasta and Collard Green Chimichurri
Recipe by: Chef David Rose
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: About 1 hour, 30 minutes
Servings: 2 to 4
Collard Green Chimichurri
2 collard green leaves (stems and veins removed)
1 cup Italian parsley (firmly packed)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Calabrian chile, stem removed (or other spicy chile)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.) In a small saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook collard greens about 10 minutes or until tender.
2.) Chop collard greens.
3.) In a food processor, blend collard greens, parsley, garlic, and Calabrian chile until finely minced. Slowly add olive oil, sherry vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper to food processor; blend until well incorporated.
4.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
African Spice Rub
2 tablespoons Berbere medium spice blend
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1.) Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
Porterhouse Steak
One 48 oz. Omaha Steaks King Cut Porterhouse Steak (or 2 Omaha Steaks 24 oz. Porterhouse Steaks)
African Spice Rub (recipe above)
2 tablespoons =grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 whole garlic cloves
1.) Pat steak dry with paper towels; season liberally with African Spice Rub and allow to come to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
2.) Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.; place steak on wire rack lined sheet pan.
3.) Place internal meat probe into thickest part of the strip steak portion. (Follow Omaha Steaks cooking chart for your desired doneness.) ** While porterhouse is cooking in oven, make curried shrimp pearl pasta **
4.) Cook steak until temperature reads 5 degrees F. below desired cooking doneness.
5.) Bring a large, heavy cast iron pan to high heat and add grapeseed oil and the steak to the pan, along with butter, thyme, rosemary and garlic.
6.) Sear about 30 to 40 seconds on the first side, then flip steak and butter baste for another 30 to 40 seconds.
7.) Rest steak for 8 to 9 minutes; follow along the bone to remove the filet mignon and the strip. Slice each steak into 1/2” to 1” slices.
8.) Reassemble sliced steak back onto bone and serve atop curried shrimp pearl pasta.
Curried Shrimp Pearl Pasta
16 oz. Omaha Steaks Argentinian red shrimp (uncooked), thawed
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup minced white onion
1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup pearl pasta
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.) Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to large saucepan and bring to medium heat. Sauté onion, pepper, and garlic for 3 minutes, then add curry powder and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes.
2.) Add chicken stock and butter to pan and bring to a boil. When at a boil, add pearl pasta, reduce to medium heat, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until pasta is tender.
3.) While pasta is cooking, season shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to a medium saucepan, and bring to medium heat. Sauté shrimp about 4 to 5 minutes or until shrimp is fully cooked.
4.) Add cooked shrimp and parsley into cooked pearl pasta. Stir to combine and continue to simmer for about 2 minutes.
Assembly:
1.) Place Curried Shrimp Pearl Pasta on the bottom of large plate/platter.
2.) Place sliced African Rubbed Porterhouse, on top of pasta.
3.) Drizzle Collard Green Chimichurri on top of sliced porterhouse.
4.) Serve additional chimichurri in a bowl on the side.
Enjoy!
Before you head to the kitchen, Chef Rose says don’t forget to plan for sides, desserts and wine to compliment the meal. Omaha Steaks offers a plethora of selections for each category. “Whether it’s for Sunday family dinner, a holiday gathering or an intimate meal for two, Omaha Steaks has you covered—from the whole meal to just something complementary.”