In honor of Black History Month, we’re doing what we do best — celebrating with seafood! — with a special spotlight on some delectable recipes from BIPOC chefs we love.
- Let’s start with a warm and enthusiastic tip of our hat to Yewande Komolafe, recipe developer, food stylist and author. The recipe for Garlicky Spot Prawns, Lemon and Herbs with Pasta that she developed for us is a perfectly simple and snappy weeknight (or any night) dish that highlights the complementary umami-meets-subtly-sweet flavor of our spot prawns. Yewande is currently working on her first cookbook (coming fall 2021) — a collection of essential Nigerian Recipes rooted in the converging cuisines of her hometown Lagos, Nigeria. I cannot wait for this one!
- Our next spotlight speaks to my heart because she fuses music and food as a matter of personal identity. You might remember her iconic pop single “Milkshake” that shook radio waves around the world in 2003 — and these days in addition to making music, the singer Kelis, a longtime Wild Alaskan member, is also farming the land and making mouth-watering recipes with our wild-caught seafood! Behold, her Spicy Jerk Salmon, for which she graciously shares the recipe right on the Instagram post.
- And it’s with great pride that we’re also sharing a recipe developed by our own teammate Andrea Trent. She’s crafted a Curry Rubbed Cod Sandwich, a beautifully balanced dish that’s like a symphony of flavor and lightness. In addition to being a specialist on our Member Experience Team, Andrea formerly worked as a chef instructor at Sur La Table in Phoenix, so we’re truly thrilled to be able to share her experience and culinary passion with our community.
Finally, I wanted to share a wonderful resource that I came across when researching Black history of Alaska — Black History in the Last Frontier. It was published last year and prepared by historian Dr. Ian Hartman through partnership with the University of Alaska Anchorage and the National Park Service Alaska Regional Office. The project “illuminates historical records and oral histories of African Americans who have worked and lived in Alaska for over 150 years – hunting for whales, patrolling the seas, building roads, serving in the military, opening businesses, winning political office, and forging communities.
Black History in the Last Frontier highlights the remarkable achievements and contributions of Alaska’s Black community, while demonstrating how these women and men have endured racism, fought injustice, and made a life and home for themselves in the forty-ninth state.”
We honor the memories and legacies of these men and women and the rich history they helped pave for this incredible state.
Live Wild!
Monica
Pictured Above: Yewande Komolafe’s Spot Prawns, Lemon and Herbs with Pasta — big flavor, easy prep and satisfyingly sublime any day of the week.
