All Of It with Alison Stewart

[REBROADCAST FROM May 17, 2022] Recently, we were joined by Mollie West Duffy and Liz Fosslien, authors of a new book, Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay. We enjoyed the conversation so much, and had so much more to talk about from the book, that we decided to invite Liz and Mollie back for every show this week to take on one big feeling a day, and take your calls as part of our ongoing series, "Taking Care Of You in 2022" and for Mental Health Awareness month. Today, Liz joins us to discuss regret.

[REBROADCAST FROM May 18, 2022] Recently, we were joined by Mollie West Duffy and Liz Fosslien, authors of a new book, Big Feelings: How to Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay. We enjoyed the conversation so much, and had so much more to talk about from the book, that we decided to invite Liz and Mollie back for every show this week to take on one big feeling a day, and take your calls as part of our ongoing series, "Taking Care Of You in 2022" and for Mental Health Awareness month. Today, Mollie joins us to talk about how to cope with despair.

It's Memorial Day Weekend, which means it's time to fire up the grills! Here to provide some of the best BBQ tips and tricks are the pair of chefs behind the popular Pig Beach restaurant in Gowanus, Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride. They share some grilling advice, and recipes, in their new cookbook, Pig Beach BBQ Cookbook: Smoked, Grilled, Roasted, and Sauced.

WHERE’S THE MEAT BURGER (SMOKED PECAN, QUINOA, AND CHICKPEA PATTIES)

Makes 5

As much as we are meat-centric, we do have to accommodate our customers who choose not to eat animal protein. After much trial and error, we came up with this mix, which has great flavor and takes to the regular Pig Beach fixin’s just like our meat-based burgers do.

If you choose not to smoke the pecans, you can either toast them on the stovetop in a heavy-bottomed pan over very low heat or roast, stirring occasionally, in a 300°F oven for about 6 minutes. However, we think that the smoke flavor elevates these meatless burgers in a most delicious way.

Serve these as is or just as we do our regular Pig Beach Burger, with sauce and pickles or with a slice of cheese melted over the top while the patties grill. Another tasty mix is sliced tomatoes, butter lettuce, and our NYC White Sauce.

½ cup pecan pieces

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt

⅓ cup uncooked quinoa

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large red onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¾ teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme

1 cup finely chopped cooked or canned chickpeas

1½ teaspoons Pig Beach All-Purpose Barbecue Seasoning (see below)

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Using cherry wood, preheat your smoker to 250°F. 

Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the pecans in an even layer over the baking sheet and place the pan in the smoker. Smoke for 30 minutes or until nicely toasted and smoky. Remove from the smoker and set aside to cool. 

When cool, using a sharp knife, chop the pecans into small pieces and set aside.

Place 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon of the salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or just until the quinoa is tender. Remove from the heat. Pour the quinoa into a strainer and set aside to drain well and cool slightly. You need to remove as much water as possible.

Spread the cooked quinoa in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When warm, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until light golden brown and very aromatic. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until well caramelized. Add the tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.

Line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrape the onion mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and set aside to cool, then transfer to a large bowl.

Remove the quinoa from the refrigerator and add it to the onion mixture along with the pecans. Add the chickpeas and rib rub and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and the pepper. Using your hands, blend the mixture well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend and to ensure the mixture will hold together when formed into patties.

Using your hands, form the chilled chickpea mixture into five 4-ounce patties. (At this point, if not cooking the patties immediately, you can place them on a parchment-lined plate or pan, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use, or place in the freezer until frozen, then transfer to a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost frozen patties before cooking.)

Clean and oil the grill grate and preheat the grill to high.

Grill the chickpea patties for 3 minutes, then flip and grill on the second side for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

PIG BEACH ALL-PURPOSE BARBECUE SEASONING

Makes about 1 cup

This is our basic seasoning, which can be used on almost anything. It is terrific on proteins but equally delicious on grilled or roasted vegetables.

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup sweet paprika

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

2½ tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon granulated onion

2 teaspoons Hatch red chile powder (see BBQ Bits & Pieces)

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

⅛ teaspoon ground fennel seed

Combine the granulated sugar, paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, chile powder, oregano, cumin, thyme, and fennel in a medium bowl and stir to combine completely.

Transfer to a spice grinder or food processor and process to a coarse blend.

Transfer to a glass container, cover, and store in a cool, dark spot for up to 6 weeks.

BBQ Bits & Pieces: Hatch chile powder is an earthy, slightly spicy, and deeply flavored seasoning made from chiles grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico. It comes in both red and green varieties and is available at specialty food stores or online. At Pig Beach, we use only the red variety. Worcestershire sauce powder is, just as its name implies, powdered Worcestershire sauce. It is available online.

From Pig Beach BBQ Cookbook by Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride. Copyright © 2022 by Matt Abdoo and Shane McBride. Reprinted by permission of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Chef, memoirist, and Top Chef alum Kwame Onwuachi returns to the show to discuss his debut cookbook, My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef, featuring the cuisine of Onwuachi's family and ancestors.

Suya

Origin: Nigeria

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Suya is the grandfather of American BBQ. In Nigeria, the spices draw out and fire up the meats, often cooked over an open flame. Here I do the same. But if you don’t have a grill, use a well- oiled cast- iron skillet over high heat in a kitchen with open windows. The open windows are very important, unless you find the blare of a smoke alarm harmonious and enjoy fits of sneezing. I find the sweetness of the char plus the heat of the spice totally irresistible. I did when I first smelled it from beyond the walls of my grandfather’s compound in Nigeria, or when we went to market when I could sneak a skewer. (Since my grandfather was an obi, or chief, there were many customs and rules around what he and his family could eat.) When I opened my second restaurant, Kith and Kin, I wanted to suya everything. The reaction from the diners, at least initially, was mixed. Many Nigerians scoffed at the idea that suya could be applied to, for instance, brussels sprouts. They were, on the whole, proud that Nigerian cuisine was being given the attention it so much deserved but arrived at the table with some strong opinions. Judging from the empty bowls that came back to the kitchen, I think I won them over. But it was always a battle.

In this recipe, I stick to the traditional proteins— steak, chicken, and shrimp. In Nigeria, suya is served with sliced tomatoes and onions, which help mellow the heat. Here that role is played by a tomato- ginger soubise and a traditional onion cream sauce from France, and I keep the tomatoes and onions in the form of pickles, whose burst of acidity rounds out the flavors.

For the suya and to assemble

1 pound large (16– 20 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound boneless ribeye steak, excess fat trimmed, sliced into ¼- inch strips

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into ¼- inch strips

4 1/2 tablespoons Suya Spice, divided, plus more to garnish

*Note: Kwame makes this from scratch, but you can find it at most grocery stores or online. Kwame’s recipe is included in the cookbook.

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

Tomato-ginger soubise, to serve

Pickled tomatoes and onions, to serve

Lime wedges, to serve

For the tomato-ginger soubise

1 Roma tomato, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Purée (GGP)

*Note: Kwame makes GGP from scratch, but you can find it at most grocery stores or online. Kwame’s recipe is included in the cookbook.

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

For the pickled tomatoes and onions

1 cup Spice Pickling Liquid (below)

1 medium red onion, large dice

1 medium ripe tomato, large dice

For the suya

Place the shrimp, steak, and chicken in three separate bowls. Season each with 11/2 tablespoons of suya spice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, mixing well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You can marinate the shrimp for up to 12 hours, and the steak and chicken for up to 48 hours.)

For the tomato-ginger soubise

Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt. Spread evenly over the sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, until deep red and a little wrinkly.

Meanwhile, heat the grapeseed oil in a medium pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the GGP and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook until translucent and soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes, along with the cream and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until reduced to about 1 cup— watch carefully, as cream has a tendency to boil over, so reduce the heat as necessary to keep it from sputtering or burning— about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and purée until velvety smooth. Season to taste with salt and set aside. You should have 1 cup of soubise.

For the pickled tomatoes and onions

Bring the spice pickling liquid to a boil in a small pot. Place the onions and tomatoes in a nonreactive bowl and pour the hot liquid over them, stirring to combine well. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour before serving. You should have about 3 cups of pickled tomatoes and onions.

To assemble

When ready to cook, prepare a grill for high heat. Let it heat for 10 minutes. Grill the shrimp, steak, and chicken, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes for shrimp and steak and 4 to 5 minutes for the chicken.

In a small pot, warm the soubise over low heat. Place the grilled items on a platter, dust with extra suya spice, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with warm soubise, pickled tomatoes and onions, lime wedges for squeezing, and jollof rice.

Note: Cooked suya shrimp will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day, chicken and beef suya for up to 4 days. Tomato-ginger soubise will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Pickled tomatoes and onions will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Spice Pickling Liquid

Origin: American South

Yield: 3 cups

Pickling is an act of food preservation and also, thankfully for us, adds an entire dimension of bright angular flavors. This pickling liquid includes a touch of spice but it largely neutral, allowing the flavors of the pickled vegetables to emerge. I like the balance between the thyme and coriander on the softer herbal side with the habanero and ginger more biting, but play around as you like. Garlic goes well, ditto allspice, cloves, and bay leaf. Here’s your chance to go freeform and experiment with what aromatics you use in the pickling liquid and what you pickle. Among my favorite vegetables to pickle are onions, mushrooms, and pig’s feet—which aren’t a vegetable at all, of course, but are delicious.

1 ¾ cups white wine vinegar

¼ cup granulated white sugar

3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon kosher salt

12 fresh thyme sprigs

4 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

½ habanero pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped

2 thin slices ginger, about 2-3 inches long

2 cups water

Place all the ingredients into a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat. Let cool completely, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve and transfer to a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Note: Spice pickling liquid will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

From My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein. Copyright © 2022 by Kwame Onwuachi. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Diet culture is pervasive and sometimes sneaky. As we enter into the unofficial start of summer, you will no doubt start to hear words like "beach body." You'll hear about diets wrapped in packages described as "wellness" and "health." Studies have shown that people in bigger bodies often don’t receive the healthcare they need because when they get in front of some healthcare professionals, their weight becomes the focus; on top of that, people of color also contend with racial bias and women face gender bias. Dalia Kinsey, author of Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation, joins us.

British director Mike Leigh joins us to discuss his career ahead of the retrospective running at Film at Lincoln Center, featuring movies like, "Secrets & Lies," "High Hopes," "Naked," and "Mr. Turner." Human Conditions: The Films of Mike Leigh, is running at Lincoln Center from May 27 through June 8.

Apsáalooke (Crow) artist Wendy Red Star has become one of the most celebrated Indigenous artists working today. Her work often tackles stereotypes, misconceptions, and historical inaccuracies in portrayals of Native Americans throughout history. She joins us to discuss her first comprehensive monograph, Delegation (copublished by Aperture and Documentary Arts, 2022) and her upcoming solo exhibition at Sargent’s Daughters, opening May 26.

Even before COVID, the United States faced a mental health crisis which caused people to lose their loved ones every eleven minutes to suicide. A new book, Healing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health, examines the quality of care throughout the nation. National Institute of Mental Health director Dr. Thomas Insel joins us to talk about his new book.

Today marks 10 years since the passing of Marina Keegan, a promising young writer who was killed in a car accident just days after graduating college. Following her death, her essay, “The Opposite or Loneliness,” was shared online and read all over the world.Two weeks ago on All Of It, composer Shaina Taub shared a song she had written for Keegan during a Listening Party. After that interview, Marina’s mother, Tracy Shoolman, reached out to us to express her gratitude. Shoolman joins us on the show today to commemorate her daughter’s life and the message of her writing that has resonated with many.

Since her 1971 self-titled debut, Bonnie Raitt has consistently proven to be a masterful songwriter and a perceptive interpreter and singer of others' work. On her 18th album, titled, Just Like That..., she shows that both talents are as strong as ever. Raitt joins us for a Listening Party.