April News, A Phenomenal Year of Africana Retreats & Spring Showstoppers
Exciting food & adventures ahead!
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Hello from sunny Sussex coast. Spring has sprung and the blossoms are blooming beautifully here in England. Living in Sussex with the palm lined beachfront deludes me into feeling like I am in Mahé Island in the Seychelles. What a hectic and exciting first quarter of the year. It’s only spring and I am ready for Christmas. Easter was a good opportunity to rest before we kick off another quarter of excitement. You make my world so full, and my work purposeful as we create wonderful memories together at our cookery classes, feasts and travels.
Thank you for being here, for your support, and most recently, for voting for me at the Fortnum & Mason Awards. Voting is now closed as we await awards night in May!
Africana Retreats is ONE
This time last year, we embarked on our very first cookery retreat on the African continent, with Ghana as our first port of call. Food lovers from across the world joined me in Ghana for a week of sumptuous cooking, feasting and enjoying the vibrant culture, land and people. I cannot tell you how proud I am of what we started and continue to achieve. After many years of dreaming and planning, having paused during the pandemic, and after sharing Africana cookbook with you all, where you travel with me through recipes, now we travel together, physically and not just metaphorically. You experience the stories I share, we cook the book and beyond, celebrating local fair. We make new memories together, from hacking into cocoa pods to discover its tropical fruit within, to traversing a forest atop a canopy 30 meters above ground and many more exciting firsts. Each African country we visit, and each state and town offers a different enchanting experience. Up next, see you in Morocco!
Tuppence is 5
My boy Tuppence just turned 5. Look at this face…Oh my heart! A true plantain loving Africana. A handsome boy that lights up my world everyday and frankly the world of anyone who walks past him. He makes us all smile. Some of you have met him as a pup being carried around while we enjoyed yoga by the beach, on the Sussex downs and in the forest in the good old pre-pandemic years when I hosted lots of events. While many others have seen him on our zoom food clubs, as he cannot keep himself away from the camera. Look at him!
We’ll be celebrating a little late and yes, I will make a cake, a savoury favourite of his. You will not believe what it is, especially if you are Nigerian or have cooked my recipe. Tuppence loves moin moin, a traditional steamed black eyed bean dish from Nigeria. The human version with spices and aromatics is in my cookbook, Africana. Happy birthday Tuppence! (Even though it was was a week ago)
Catering the Converse & Patta Launch Party
Now, speaking of food for humans! We put on a feast for an exciting new client. Converse got in touch and asked if we could cater for the launch event celebrating their collaboration with super cool street wear brand Patta. Patta was founded by 2 Dutch friends of Surinamese origin. I’ve run a catering company for almost 8 years now, I just don’t talk about it often, so this might come as a surprise to some of you. We have a vast range of clients from global gaming companies, NGO’s, celebrities to movie studios and I believe this our first fashion/apparel client. They wanted the vibrancy, flavours and celebration of heritage that is part and parcel of my modern African style of cooking. And so we created a menu of some of my classics, like the Moin Moin - typically steamed black eyed beans, this time using chickpeas and lentils, the East African inspired Mango & Lime Piri Piri Chicken with an aubergine version which is just delightful and unexpectedly, sweet, zesty and spicy, alongside our popular plantain canapés. As a nod to the Patta founders, and as I love to create recipes that highlight a story, theme or culture of our clients, we also served Surinamese Saté chicken & Tofu. A spiced peanut dish that reflects the melting pot of its people’s heritage.
Surinamese people are typically descendants of African, South Asian and the original dwellers of Taino and other indigenous heritage. I first tasted Surinamese food in Holland/The Netherlands as a young traveller in my teens. They have some of the best restaurants in Amsterdam and across the Netherlands. And so it was a good challenge and opportunity to cater for this special event. I am proud of our team, as we put on a great feast, receiving impressive feedback from our clients. Job done, I returned home from London, to enjoy Easter by the beach. Watch here!
Spring Showstoppers to look forward to!
This week, paid members can expect an exclusive recipe for Sesame Suya Roasted Carrots with Smoky Butter Bean Purée and crunchy carrot tops. A no waste, Easter bunny sort of spring feast, with tonnes of flavour. I’ll also share more about Suya in our Spice Masterclass and my growing collection of Suya recipes and new nut free Suya recipes.
This week, look out for the full video and recipe for a new spring roast with a taste of North Africa that is simply ravishing. With Golden Chermoula from Africana Cookbook, this time enhanced with the season’s prized bounty of wild garlic, the zest of preserved lemon and a dash of chilli. It is easy, all in one pan, (once you have the versatile chermoula ready) and you can easily swap your chicken for your favourite vegetables, as we love to do here. Many of you are quick to send in your questions and I love answering them, so keep them coming.
What to cook from Africana Cookbook
Bejewelled Fried Rice with prawns 🦐 ~ Nigerian fried rice ❤️ and easily swap prawns for mushrooms to make it vegan
Saffron Potatoes & Peas to go with your lamb or a variety of roasts (vg) Humble and yet decadent!
Aubergine Yassa for a sumptuous vegan dish (vg)
Harissa Leg of Lamb with Hibiscus & Cumin hibiscus. Absolute showstopper!
Lamb Cutlets with Yassa Butter & Sweet Peppers. Quite the impressive and romantic dinner.
I hope you enjoy the recipes above. And remember to tag me on your preferred social channel when you cook them, as it is so wonderful to see what you enjoy and to share with our community.
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*My debut cookbook, Africana*
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