About Chef Aretah
As a Nigerian raised in New Jersey, Aretah was introduced to a multitude of cultures and cuisines during her childhood. Once she started cooking for herself as a young adult, she fell in love and set off on the culinary adventure that would eventually take her to the famed Gramercy Tavern in New York City.
What do you cook at home in the fall and winter?
"Summer is great because there are so many fresh, light ingredients that don’t need a lot of work to make delicious, but I really love fall produce. I lean towards roasting vegetables like brussels sprouts, squash, and mushrooms or making stews that are really comforting and great for after being outside in the chill. Making stews is also great because you can make it in batches and store for later consumption.
Working in a restaurant means I don’t have a lot of time during my week to cook so I lean towards things that can be made ahead of time and enjoyed later. "
I approach food and wine pairings in the same way I think most people who aren’t in the food world should - don’t overthink it!
Tell us more about the recipes you created.
“The first dish is maple roasted delicata squash with yogurt, chicories, and dukkah. Dukkah is an Egyptian spice blend that is a mixture of toasted nuts and seeds, ground into a crunchy texture, and then used to enhance all sorts of delicious things like vegetables, fish, and meat. Chicory greens like radicchio, treviso, and castelfranco are just a great fall green to enhance the dish. The Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru 2015, from Famille Carabello-Baum, complements this dish nicely. Between its creamy notes and refreshing citrus hints, it perfectly balances the toasty aromas from the roasted squash and dukkah.
The second dish is gnocchi with pork ragu, swiss chard, and pecorino. Gnocchi is intimidating to a lot of people but it’s actually a great introduction to pasta making. The key is not to overwork the dough by adding too much flour - you just want enough to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Roll it out into ropes, cut, boil until it floats to the top of the pan, and you're done. You can cook the gnocchi in batches and freeze for later dinners. This dish was great to pair with Famille Carabello-Baum’s Gevrey-Chambertin 2014, which has enough richness to stand up to the ragu, with flavors of sweet spices and earthy notes. I love the interplay of an elegant wine and a simple, delicious dish.”
Read the full interview here.
