On March 22 & 23, Chef Precious Kollie cooked up some Liberian classics!
Mackerel Pie
Meat pies are a popular comfort food. They’re often made at home as a side, but they’re also super portable snack that you can eat on the go. In these pies, the mackerel is baked, then sauteed with vegetables before being stuffed in a phyllo dough and deep-fried. Served with a sweet spicy sauce made from onions, honey, and habaneros. Vegan: Collard greens, onions, and garlic in spring roll Gluten-free: Mackerel spring roll
Peppersoup & Fufu
This soup is popular in West African cuisine. You’ll find it in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and of course, Liberia. Though it may be named for the peppers, it gets its flavor from the fish skin and the natural oils that are released during cooking. Precious’s peppersoup is made with fish, chicken, beef and a trio of peppers – habanero, scotch bonnet, and chili peppers. This soup will be served with Fufu, a pounded starch that you can dip into the soup and eat by hand. Fufu can be made from plantains, cassava, or yams that are pounded, mixed with hot water and beaten into a thick paste resembling mashed potatoes. Precious will be making plantain fufu. Gluten-free. Vegan: peppersoup available.
Jollof Rice
Jollof rice is very similar to jambalaya. The ingredients vary from country to country. Some West African countries cook it with meat, others do not. Liberian Jallof rice is made with Jasmine rice cooked in a tomato paste & vegetables with pre-cooked meats and spices. Then the whole combination is baked. Precious makes her Jallof Rice with chicken, turkey sausage, and smoked turkey. Gluten-free. Vegan: Vegan Jollof Rice
Kittely
If you love beer, you'll love kittely. Katilee Eggplant (also known as kittley, katilee, kiterley, or kitilly) are small, round, and bitter eggplants when green and unripe. They are boiled, mashed, and mixed with palm oil and palm oil is added. Eggplant is added to kittely to cut down the overwhelming "hops-like" flavor. Gluten-free. Vegan
Sweet Potato Greens
Sweet potatoes aren’t the only part of the plant that you can eat. Sweet potato greens are popular in Asia & Africa and they’re high in Vitamin C and B6. These greens are sauteed with onions, garlic, bell peppers, and palm oil. Gluten-free. Vegan
Kelewele
Every country in Africa has its own range of fried plantains that are sold at every street corner. Kelewele are spicy, fried plantains that are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Cooked with ginger and onions. Gluten-free. Vegan
Coconut Candy
This simple candy is the most popular candy in Liberia. It’s made from coconut flakes, sugar, ginger, water, and food coloring. The ingredients are cooked on the stove then dropped onto parchment paper to cool. Gluten-free. Vegan.
Rice Bread
Rice bread is the ancestor of banana bread many of us grew up with in the southern U.S. It’s a Liberian favorite that’s served at parties, family gatherings, and on the street. This gluten-free bread is made with rice cereal instead of flour. Ginger and nutmeg give this sweet treat a little kick. Gluten-free. Vegan: two coconut candies.
Chef Precious Kollie
Born in Monrovia, Liberia, at age 10 Precious Kollie moved to Gainesville, GA with parents Moses and Susannah Kollie and her four siblings. Her passion for the culinary arts started in the kitchen watching her belated mom make miracles out of a few ingredients and learning along the way. As time progressed, she entered various cooking competitions and won. Precious taught herself how to become a MasterChef. She eventually ended up as a national finalist on Masterchef in 2013. She was also one of the chefs called upon to cook at the 2022 Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta GA. Her culinary experience led her to manage a food truck franchise. She is now founder and CEO of Sapphire Spoon Catering Company in which she specializes in Liberian food, southern comfort, Jamaica-southern fusion. She has catered for many celebrities including the 1 st African American Cardinal Wilton Daniel Gregory. Her development of decadent homemade poundcakes also makes her a highly sought-after pastry chef. Life, love, and joy is what she hopes you will taste every time you call upon Sapphire Spoon to bring you a culinary masterpiece.
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