We’ll admit it: We’re greedy.
In fact, we’re so greedy for the kind of deliciousness that chef Joseph “JJ” Johnson regularly serves at Minton’s in Harlem that we had him bring Minton’s to the MUNCHIES Test Kitchen in Williamburg.
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Now, this wasn’t the first time JJ had a chance to work some of his magic in our kitchen. Back in December, he rolled through to show us how to make the easiest, most umami-packed rice noodle stir-fry we’ll ever have the luck to not-so-soberly throw together at 3 AM.
But on Monday night, JJ and his expert crew held an exclusive dinner in the kitchen (with ingredients provided by Baldor), where they had the chance to show off some soignée-suffused African-Asian-American comfort cuisine blasted through a fine dining lens.
Yes, that’s a mouthful, and it tastes even better than it sounds.
Chicken skin with caviar. All photos by Suzanne Abaza.
amuse-bouche
JJ started things off with a little of fried chicken skin topped with caviar—a salt-on-salt assault paired with a forbidden rice sake highball concocted by William Sears. Kampai!
For the next course: Ridiculously beautiful hamachi crudo, dressed with serrano chilies, mustard seed oil, blood orange, puffed grains, and a Japanese rice broth.
Chef JJ assembles the hamachi crudo.
That was followed by chicken dumplings in jerk coconut broth, and a massive “butcher’s kebab” served with mustard greens, a curry grain puree, and Indian corn bread.
Nothing says dinner like a log-sized kebab, flame-roasted tableside.
To quench the fire: a cocktail blending Suntory Toki whiskey, lemon, and our very own Old Blue Last beer.
Up next was braised heritage lamb with rice porridge, scallions, maduros, and shaved truffles. Oh, and also some pineapple-lacquered halibut atop a bed of Chinese black fried rice with yogurt crema and peanuts. Oh, and also a pork rib with royal basmati rice, Chinese chives, and “Harlem curry,” all crowned with a duck egg yolk. (We washed it all down with a 2011 Crozes-Hermitage from Alain Graillot.)
And as if that weren’t enough, we finally came to dessert: a Rice Krispies treat topped with blueberry compote and foie gras.
Just read that one more time: A Rice Krispies treat. Topped with blueberry compote. And foie.
Excuse us while we go back to bed, because we’re still recovering from this gut-punch of deliciousness. JJ, you will be in our dreams tonight.
