FEBRUARY 2020 69
A WARM VAT OF RICE sitting on the stovetop is a family’s diagram of prosperity. Scorched-
bottom silver pots chart out things you need to know about a brood. The engraved
scratches are a remembrance of times of abundance and lack; a Tupperware canister
front and center on the countertop is an allegorical sign of having more than you need.
Chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson’s culinary journey took him from fine-dining kitchen
brigades to dreaming up FieldTrip, his newest restaurant. His fast-casual rice bowl
shop sits in the cradle of Black life—Harlem, USA—offering items like fragrant Carolina
Gold rice with barbecue-tinged proteins. His late Puerto Rican maternal grandmother
inspired his asopao, a comforting chicken and rice dish, and the only difference is that
he cooks his grains before combining the spice and poultry. His grandma Iris’ one-pot
method turned out perfect, always.
East and west, north and south, the heart connects to the foot. From enslaved
Africans cultivating in the Low Country in South Carolina and Georgia—the ancestors
of today’s Gullah Geechee people—to Johnson’s eatery in Harlem, rice is a thread that
connects generations of African American kitchens. When the Instant Pot hums or a
chef’s culinary voice sings, ancestors are honored. All is well when the electric cord
stays plugged into the home. —Nicole A. Taylor is the executive food editor at Thrillist.ASOPAO
TOTAL 50 MIN; SERVES 6
A hearty and sustaining dish, asopao is a
Puerto Rican stew filled with rice and
plenty of vegetables and topped with
spiced ground chicken. Starchy potato
can stand in for the yuca.
ASOPAO
3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 cup finely diced yellow onion
1 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
(^1) / 2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 cup uncooked medium-grain white
rice
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 Thai chile, unseeded and thinly
sliced (about^1 / 2 tsp.)
8 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
11 / 4 lb. yuca, peeled and cut into^1 / 2 -inch
pieces (about 3^1 /^4 cups)
(^1) / 4 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to
taste
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
SPICED CHICKEN
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 cup diced red onion
2 Tbsp. za’atar
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 Thai chiles, unseeded and thinly
sliced (about 1 tsp.)
1 lb. ground chicken
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
(^1) / (^2) tsp. black pepper
- Make the asopao: Heat oil in a large
Dutch oven over medium. Add yellow
onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and
garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until
vegetables are softened, 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir in rice, turmeric, and chile; cook,
GRAINS OF
MEMORY
RICE
wo rd s b y
NICOLE A. TAYLORrecipe by
JJ JOHNSONstirring often, until rice is lightly toasted,
about 3 minutes. Stir in broth, yuca, cilan-
tro, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture
to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat
to medium-low; cover and cook until rice
and yuca are tender, 16 to 20 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice. Season asopao with
salt to taste.- While asopao cooks, make the spiced
chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over
medium. Add red onion, za’atar, corian-
der, garlic, ginger, and chiles; cook, stir-
ring often, until onion is softened, about 6
minutes. Add chicken, salt, and black
pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until
chicken is browned, crumbly, and cooked
through, about 6 minutes. Season with
salt to taste. - Divide asopao evenly among 6 bowls;
top with spiced chicken.
MAKE AHEAD Asopao and spiced chicken
can be made up to 3 days ahead and
reheated gently before serving.
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