CHEF’S PHILOSOPHY IS ‘EAT IN COLOR’
Story and photos by Yasmine Charles
From a very young age, I was mesmerized by culinary school commercials. That curiosity became a journey—one that carried me through New York City restaurant kitchens, aboard U.S. Navy ships and into the classroom teaching culinary arts at Stratford University, while also bringing my work to television audiences through recurring appearances on Virginia This Morning in Richmond and Yasmine’s Cooking Show online.
Rooted in my Haitian heritage, I learned that food is not just a source of nourishment—it is a living form of art, a memory, a culture, and a universal glue that connects us. My cooking blends Caribbean, Asian, and classic French influences with a focus on nutrition and wellness. Guided by my philosophy, “Eat in Color,” each plate becomes a canvas.
In this collection, Double Chocolate Cake with Haitian Rum offers deep, layered brushstrokes of Caribbean warmth and richness, Lamb Curry moves with bold spices and texture, and Pan-Fried Red Snapper with Garlic and Thai Chili Sauce transports our taste buds to Asia—and brings brightness, contrast, and fluid motion together, forming edible and memorable expressions of color, culture, and artistry.
Double Chocolate Cake with Haitian Rum
SERVINGS: 4
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup of pastry flour
¼ cup of Dutch-processed 100% cocoa powder
⅛ tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
6 oz of dark chocolate chips
1 ½ sticks of Irish butter, unsalted
1 star anise
1 tsp of coconut extract
¼ cup of Rhum Barbancourt, or any Caribbean rum
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
½ cup of sugar
For garnish: Powdered sugar, strawberries, raspberries, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, Pocky chocolate sticks.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450° and adjust rack to the middle.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and nutmeg.
In a double boiler, under low heat, melt butter, chocolate chips and star anise. Remove from heat. Discard star anise. Add extract, rum, and cake flour mixture, and whisk evenly.
In a mixer, whip the eggs, yolks, and sugar together on high speed until thick and foamy, stopping and scraping the bottom.
With a spatula, slowly fold the egg mixture into the chocolate rum batter. Blend well.
Pour batter in buttered ramekins. Fill them two-thirds full.
Bake for 10 minutes in a 450° oven on a sheet pan. The cakes are ready when they start to rise. Do not bake past 10 minutes. We want them moist inside.
Remove cakes from the oven. Cool for 10 minutes and use a paring knife to loosen the corners. Invert carefully onto plate.
Garnish with suggested items listed above.
Chef’s tips: Be sure to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. The cocoa beans are washed with potassium carbonate to neutralize acidity in the beans. The result is more chocolaty beans.
Cake batter can be made in advance. Portion in ramekins, cover with plastic, and chill. Bake for two additional minutes.
Lamb Curry
SERVINGS: 6-8
INGREDIENTS:
3-4 lbs. of lamb, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp of Adobo seasoning
Juice of ½ a lime
4 garlic cloves
2 green onions, chopped, white parts only. Save green parts for garnish.
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 large red onion, large dice
3 large tomatoes, large dice
1 tbsp of shrimp paste
2 tsp of curry powder
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves
¼ tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 cup of Pinot Noir
1.5 cups coconut milk, unsweetened
2 tbsp of brown sugar
4 whole cloves
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 scotch pepper bonnet or habanero pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Trim off excess fat from lamb, rinse with cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, Adobo, and lime juice. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
In a spice mortar, crush the garlic and green onion to create a paste.
In a medium stainless pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions until soft. Add the garlic/green onion paste and cook for 20 seconds. Do not brown garlic.
Add the curry powder, tomatoes, shrimp paste, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir, cover, and allow the tomatoes to release their juices for 5 minutes.
Add wine, coconut milk, sugar, cloves, meat, and stir. Add scotch pepper bonnet and cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring periodically until the meat is tender. Adjust seasoning.
Turn off the heat, remove scotch bonnet, and serve with roast beets and rice.
Chef’s tip: A spice mortar is an essential tool in the Asian and Caribbean kitchen. It elevates dishes by releasing more flavor from ingredients than the edge of a traditional knife.
Pan-Fried Red Snapper with Garlic and Thai Chili Sauce
SERVINGS: 2
INGREDIENTS:
2 small snappers, cleaned and scaled
6 whole black peppercorns
1 green onion
1 tsp of kosher salt
1 Thai chili pepper, deseeded
1 tbsp of fish sauce
Peanut oil, for frying
Flour, for breading
DIRECTIONS:
Wash fish inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Cut 3 diagonal slashes into the thickest part of the fish on both sides.
Place peppercorns, green onion, salt, and Thai chili in a spice mortar, and grind until a paste is formed. Add the fish sauce and brush the paste inside and outside of the fish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
In a medium-size skillet, heat the peanut oil 280-300° F.
Bread fish with flour and pan-fry each side for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Rest on paper towels.
Transfer fish on a serving plate topped with cilantro, green onions, and serve with garlic and Thai chili sauce, steamed rice, and bok choy.
Garlic and Thai Chili Sauce
In a small bowl, combine:
3 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ cup of lemon juice
2 tbsp of fish sauce
2 Thai chili peppers, chopped
1 tbsp of brown sugar
