About Chef Nina Compton
Celebrity Chef Nina Compton was the runner up and fan favourite on the most recent season of Bravo’s TV’s Top Chef, a cooking competition television show. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Chef Compton Nina began her professional journey at Daniel in New York City, working and learning alongside Daniel Boulud and Alex Lee. She has trained in French, Caribbean and Italian cuisine.
Chef Compton is the daughter of Sir John Compton, the late Prime Minister of Saint Lucia. All of Chef Compton’s recipes are inspired by her native Saint Lucia and include her unique passion for cooking and vibrant personality.
Twitter and Instagram: @saintlucianow, Hashtag: #SaintLuciaNow
Twitter: @nina_compton
Instagram: @ninacompton
Facebook: Chef Nina Compton
Nina shares three of her amazing recipes with us…try them out!
Cocoa Tea Martini
Serves 4-6
1 cup of water
½ cup of grated cocoa (from a cocoa stick)
¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of milk
Sugar to sweeten (optional)
1 cup Chairman’s Reserve Rum
1 tsp chili powder
Method:
Pour 2 cups of water, grated cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla in a pot and bring to boil. Let it boil for a few minutes. Then add milk and chili powder and stir. Add the sugar to sweeten. Strain and serve and chill, place in a shaker, add rum and ice, shake and pour into a chilled glass and top with shave chocolate on top.
Chocolate BBQ Meat Balls
6-8 servings
BBQ Sauce
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 ½ cups ketchup
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup brewed coffee
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. cayenne
Method:
Melt butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onions; cook until soft, 4–6 minutes. Stir in chocolate, ketchup, sugar, coffee, honey, vinegar, cocoa, Worcestershire, mustard, chili powder, salt, pepper, coriander, and cayenne; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes.
Meat Balls
6-8
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 onions minced
4 tsp milk
1 garlic clove micro-planed
1 oz bread
2 tb chopped parsley
2 tb grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
Method:
Soak the bread in the milk until almost falling apart. Mix all the ingredients and then season with salt. Make a test to check consistency and flavour. Fry the meat balls and then toss on the hot BBQ sauce. Serve with cool yogurt on the side.
Image credit: The Social
Cocoa Dusted Tuna Tataki and Mango
6-8 servings
1 lb sushi grade tuna center cut
1 cup cocoa
olive oil
maldon salt
Method:
Dust the tuna in the cocoa and sear in a hot pan (with olive oil) on all sides and then slice paper thin. Season with salt.