A sit down with Marcus Samuelsson

Where did the idea for Red Rooster come from?
The original Red Rooster opened in 1933 in Harlem. Back then, some clubs were closed for whites only, but Red Rooster welcomed all. I wanted to recreate a place like that.

Why did you choose to open in Shoreditch?
Growing up in Sweden, we would come to London for football games. This city has a lot of mystique for me and I really like the cultural scene here.

Where do you like to eat in East London?
I really like going to Dishoom and Brick Lane Beigel Bake.

How does Harlem compare to Shoreditch?
Both neighborhoods have experienced a lot of change – and are still. Both Shoreditch and Harlem are rich in culture with food, art, music, and a certain lifestyle, so in those ways I think they are similar.

Is your fried chicken the best in the world?
Before opening, I tasted almost every fried chicken in Harlem; It took me years to figure out my own recipe and I think we have a pretty good version now.

Who is the most famous person you’ve cooked for?
I’d say the fundraiser for President Obama. We got the call and it was like, ok, we are doing this. We served a menu with short ribs, which we named the “Obama’s Short Ribs”. You can order them in Shoreditch now.

Sunday Tomato Eggs
Marcus' handpicked recipe - try this at home!

Tomatoes, celery, capers, horseradish — these ingredients remind me of a Bloody Mary. And that would not be a bad choice to accompany these eggs.

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
115g/4oz cooking chorizo, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, chopped
400g/14Oz tomato passata
1 tbsp capers, drained
3 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 chipotle in adobo, finely chopped
60ml/2fl oz water
1 ½tsp horseradish, preferably freshly grated
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large eggs
4 slices country bread, toasted
230g/8oz burrata, at room temperature,
cut into pieces (optional)
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 fresh basil leaves

Method
1. If you can find Mexican soft chorizo, you won’t need to chop it. But the commercial stuff comes in casings, which need to be removed, and the sausage will have to be chopped.
2. Think about who you’re cooking for. If your guests aren’t fans of runny yolks, cover the pan while you cook the eggs.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo, onion, celery and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the passata, capers, olives, chipotle and water, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce is thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the horseradish and season with salt and pepper.
4. Crack each egg into the sauce and cook until the whites are set, 5 to 6 minutes.
5. Put a piece of toast on each of four plates. Spoon 2 eggs onto each piece of toast and divide any sauce left in the pan. Top the eggs with burrata if using, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, tear the basil leaves and drop on top, and serve.

(Serves 4)

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