Voodoo Stew

Voodoo Stew- aka "Cassoulet Andre" in honor of the Haitian gentleman that cooked it for employee meal back @ a place called Sundy House in Delray Beach. It's his recipe that I tweaked a bit mainly by using better ingredients/cooking techniques. Cultural appropriation? I don't think so. Homage, perhaps. I put it on the menu but got some push back w/the name and had to change it, but it will always be voodoo stew to me.

I recently posted this on my facebook page and figured lth may appreciate it as well.


4-5 lbs chuck roast, lg cube (like pot roast), washed in cold running water and rubbed 1/2d limes

puree in blender w/oil to paste:
k salt 1 Tbs to taste
blk pepper to taste
garlic x4 cloves
scallions 1 bu
parsley 1 bu
scotch bonnet x2
vinegar 4 T
Oil 2 oz

marinate meat 4-6 hrs and brown in oil.

add
chix stock to cover meat
1/2 can tomato paste, mix well
top w/5-6 bu watercress, washed, chopped
salt the watercress @ this point as well, and mix, but leave on top of meat.
cover w/plastic wrap and braise @ 350 until tender, about 3 hrs.
serve w/rice, tostones and piklaiz

PIKLIZ (HAITIAN PICKLED VEGETABLE RELISH)
YIELDMakes 4 cups

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced cabbage, cut crosswise 2-3 times for shorter shreds (from about 1/4 large cabbage)
1 cup julienned or grated carrots (about 1 medium carrot)
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large shallot)
4 Scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed, quartered
3 sprigs thyme
8 whole cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups (or more) distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh key lime (or regular lime) juice

Pack cabbage, carrots, shallots, peppers, thyme, cloves, and salt into a 1 1/2-quart resealable jar or ss mixing bowl.
Add vinegar and lime juice, seal jar, and shake until ingredients are distributed and salt is dissolved. Add more vinegar if needed to just cover vegetables.
Chill, shaking gently twice daily, at least 3 days before serving.
Can be made 1 month ahead. Seal and chill.

NOTE: Pikliz is traditionally served on tostones along w/the voodoo stew over rice. If you can't find Scotch bonnet peppers, substitute habaneros.

Will have to try, the pikliz sounds good.
Curious about the watercress usage? First time I have seen it used like this.-Richard

When Andre originally made it he used spinach primarily as it was employee meal and often you're just using shit up. He also used leftover scrap meat. When we were talking about how we could improve it for a fine dining restaurant (longer marinade, better meat, correct braising methods, subbing chix stock for water) he suggested 100% watercress, but because it's more expensive and considered more of a delicacy it's not often used. Bingo. Finished product isn't too pretty, but packs a wallop flavor wise. The lime rinse was also used as a precaution, as refrigeration in Haiti can be erratic, but imparts flavor and shouldn't be overlooked.

Thanks for posting, looks like a terrific tasting dish. Can you clarify the braising with plastic wrap on top? Any reason I couldn't just use a tight fitting lid instead? Thanks.

I can only say Andre insisted when I did the same, so I acquiesced. Do it for him. Same w/the water-lime bath. Originally he said it was because refrigeration in Haiti was erratic, but it also lends flavor and is a necessary step.

Jazzfood,

Do you have any experience with Djon-Djon mushroom flavored rice? I have been looking at recipes online, while the basic element of long grain rice, Djon-Djon mushrooms (which I have) and quite often the Maggi cube for flavoring.

If you can point to a recipe that is true to your experience, that would be great.

Regards,
Cathy2

The Lord helps those who help themselves ...

For my event on Maggi, I prepared two recipes: one using Maggi Djon-Djon seasoning tablets and another using the dried Mushroom Djon-Djon with some Maggi Djon-Djon seasoning plus habanero chile.

I used this recipe with these substitutions: instead of lima beans or peas, I used pigeon peas, no chicken bouillon because I used Maggi Djon-Djon tablets and used Habanero instead of Scotch Bonnets.

One significant difference between Chicken and Djon-Djon bouillon cubes was how little salt was in the Djon-Djon cubes. While the chicken was over the top too salty.

I also made Vegan Haitian Pigeon Peas and black rice. I skipped the carrot and used water instead of coconut milk. I used two Maggi djon-djon cubes.

For both recipes, I adjusted liquid:rice ratio 2:1, because some recipes had too little and others too much. I went with what I reliably knew would work. Especially since I was not doing a test batch, but made it and went straight to our event.

***

A few weeks later, I made the vegan black rice for mushroom club holiday party. While I had more dried mushrooms available, I did not use them in the cook. I did bring them for the mycologists to inspect. This was their first encounter with this mushroom, so it was a delightful curiosity. Those deep in their careers, it is not every day they encounter something new.

The Maggi Djon-Djon is very stylishly wrapped in a black and gold diamond pattern suggesting a fancy candy rather than a bouillon cube. You really need to keep it away from curious people.

Regards,
Cathy2