SOUTH AFRICAN SAUSAGE WITH COLLARD GREENS, ETHIOPIAN SPICED BUTTER, AND CASHEW RICE

South African Sausage with Collard Greens, Ethiopian Spiced Butter, and Cashew Rice image

In this pan-African menu, disparate parts of the continent are melded in a culinary way. The sausage is inherited from the Dutch colonialists in South Africa; the cashews, which were first brought from Brazil by the Portuguese, import a taste of Nigeria on the west coast and Mozambique on the east coast; and the spiced butter, called niter kibbeh, wafts in gently from Ethiopia. The rice and collard greens are pan-global.

Yield serves 4 to 6

Number Of Ingredients 25

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Ingredients

1/2 pound unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow or white onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 cardamom seeds
1 whole clove
Small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Small pinch of ground cinnamon
1/2 pound ground beef
3 ounces salt pork, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Tiny pinch of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Tiny pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons water
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons spiced butter
1/2 cup salted roasted cashew nuts
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
3 cups water
6 cups coarsely chopped collard greens, leaves only
2 tablespoons spiced butter

Steps:

To make the spiced butter, place the butter in a small, heavy saucepan and melt it slowly over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients, increase the heat slightly, and bring slowly to a boil. Decrease the heat to very low and cook, uncovered, until the milk solids on the bottom are golden and the butter fat on the top is clear, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth into a small bowl. Transfer the clear liquid to a small jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the sausage, place all the ingredients except the salt in a medium bowl, and knead with your hands until thoroughly blended. Cook and taste a small sample, then add salt if needed. Form into 1-inch balls, place on a plate, cover, and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use, or for up to overnight.
To make the rice, heat the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cashews and cook, stirring, until beginning to turn golden. Add the raisins and rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the water and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat until the water is barely shuddering. Cover the pot, set the timer for 22 minutes, and let the rice cook without lifting the lid. When the timer sounds, the water will have been absorbed and the rice will be tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam dry and finish cooking for 10 to 15 minutes. Fluff up the rice with a fork just before serving.
To prepare the collards, bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the collards and parboil until wilted and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
To finish the dish, heat the 2 tablespoons spiced butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sauté until browned all around and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the collards to the pan and continue cooking until they are tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve right away, with the rice on the side.