South African Sausage with Collard Greens, Ethiopian Spiced Butter, and Cashew Rice
In this pan-African menu, disparate parts of the continent are melded in a culinary way. The sausage is inherited from the Dutch colonialists in South Africa; the cashews, which were first brought from Brazil by the Portuguese, import a taste of Nigeria on the west coast and Mozambique on the east coast; and the spiced butter, called niter kibbeh, wafts in gently from Ethiopia. The rice and collard greens are pan-global.
Clear Butters: Niter kibbeh is basically ghee, the preferred cooking fat of India, but seasoned with spices and a bit of onion. Both niter kibbeh and ghee are versions of clarifi ed butter. They are drawn butters, meaning the milk solids have been extracted by gently melting butter to separate the fat from the solids, called the dross. The pure butter fat is poured off and the dross, left on the bottom, is discarded. The result is a sweeter, richer butter with a smoke point that is much higher than regular butter, so it doesn't burn as readily. In addition, because these drawn butters are without uncooked milk solids that can spoil, they will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator, especially niter kibbeh and ghee, which are further condensed by lengthy simmering to evaporate all their natural water. They are a cinch to make, as illustrated in this pan-African recipe (page 69), and I always have the unseasoned, long-keeping version, ghee, on hand for wilting a mirepoix, cooking pancakes, shallow frying, or sautéing. A note: for making clarified butters, I use unsalted butter.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Spiced Butter
Sausage
Rice
Preparation
Step 1
To make the spiced butter, place the butter in a small, heavy saucepan and melt it slowly over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients, increase the heat slightly, and bring slowly to a boil. Decrease the heat to very low and cook, uncovered, until the milk solids on the bottom are golden and the butter fat on the top is clear, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth into a small bowl. Transfer the clear liquid to a small jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 2
To make the sausage, place all the ingredients except the salt in a medium bowl, and knead with your hands until thoroughly blended. Cook and taste a small sample, then add salt if needed. Form into 1-inch balls, place on a plate, cover, and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use, or for up to overnight.
Step 3
To make the rice, heat the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cashews and cook, stirring, until beginning to turn golden. Add the raisins and rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the water and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat until the water is barely shuddering. Cover the pot, set the timer for 22 minutes, and let the rice cook without lifting the lid. When the timer sounds, the water will have been absorbed and the rice will be tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam dry and finish cooking for 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff up the rice with a fork just before serving.
Step 4
To prepare the collards, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the collards and parboil until wilted and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Step 5
To finish the dish, heat the 2 tablespoons spiced butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sauté until browned all around and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the collards to the pan and continue cooking until they are tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
Step 6
Transfer to a serving dish and serve right away, with the rice on the side.
