A self-proclaimed grill man, Amar’e admittedly stepped up his culinary game when he started taking notes from his personal chef, Maxcel Hardy. The two teamed up in 2014 to coauthor Cooking With Amar’e: 100 Easy Recipes for Pros & Rookies in the Kitchen (It Books, $28). The book is full of simple dishes that the Stoudemires have come to love, and according to Hardy, “features all the meals I’ve created over the past five years that fuse Caribbean, Italian and southern cuisines.” The collection amounts to more than just a publication for Amar’e, who credits cooking with helping him become a better family man. “It’s great for young men to see a cool, married couple having fun in the kitchen,” he says.
BON APPÉTIT
Cooking With Amar’e delivers flavorful, family-friendly recipes like jerk chicken.
Jump Shot Jerk Chicken
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
2 teaspoons ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ large yellow onion, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
3 scallions, sliced
Juice of 3 limes
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 sprigs fresh thyme, stemmed and chopped
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, halved
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 whole free-range chickens (2 to 3 pounds each), cut into quarters
Lime wedges and parsley sprigs for garnish, optional
Prepare the jerk marinade: In a blender, combine the allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, onion, garlic, ginger, scallions, lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper, thyme, Scotch bonnet pepper and brown sugar. Process until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Place the chicken in a large, resealable plastic bag. Pour in the marinade and seal the bag. Place it in a baking dish and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the grill until the coals are gray. Add some mesquite chips, if preferred. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, for 20 minutes on each side. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Transfer the chicken pieces to a baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil. Bake in the oven “low and slow” until the chicken is tender, about 1 hour. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165°F. Remove chicken from the baking sheet to a serving platter, and garnish the platter with lime wedges and parsley sprigs.
Lay-up Pizza
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
2 10-inch unbaked pizza crusts
1 cup marinara sauce, divided
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup diced yellow onion, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, divided
2 fresh basil leaves, cut into very thin slices, divided
½ cup thinly sliced turkey pepperoni, divided
8 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place a large pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the pizza stone from the oven. Place the crusts on the pizza stone. Spread each crust with ½ cup of marinara sauce. Sprinkle crusts with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup diced onion, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 slivered basil leaf and ¼ cup turkey pepperoni. Top each pie with sliced mozzarella cheese. Bake the pizzas for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the crust is crispy and golden.