Don’t Mind the Gap – Let me bridge it for you!

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A true International Voice as authentic as they come, I was raised in England (Midlands to be exact!) by a pair of Jamaican parents. With strict do’s and don’ts and a little Jamaican “brought-upsy” I traveled to the US in my teens and found myself living in Chicago, San Francisco, Berkeley and Los Angeles with a stint in London somewhere in the middle of that!

I have spent my life moving between people, bringing them together and helping people from different backgrounds communicate and understand each other. This is what makes me stand out from the crowd, my versatility and acting.

It’s been my life to shift to what is needed, like a chameleon I blend in with my husband’s family in the Southern Midwest (Indiana!), and float from city to city in the States and the UK studying dialect and nuance of regional vernacular.

people and vehicles on bridge
Photo by Naveen Annam on Pexels.com

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Puttering about in the kitchen:

~ nixinla ~ Leave a comment

So by popular demand I am adding the recipe for my “Brazilian soup”

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The full story is on insta, see the link below!

I am not completely sure it is actually a Brazilian thing, but it was told to me by a Brazilian restauranteur in San Francisco, and I LOVE it. I make it a couple times a month, and I am always sure to jar it or freeze it for later use.

Enjoy! Stay warm!

 

Recipe:

2 Links of Italian sausage (hot or mild or combo)

2 cups of cooked black beans (drained if using canned)

1tsp chopped basil (frozen one from the store is great too!)

2-4 cloves (to taste) of garlic – crushed

1 medium onion – chopped

6 cups (aprox. 2 boxes of pre-made) chicken broth or chicken bone broth

bay leaf

4 cups  kale – chopped

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

salt to taste.

Method:

Chop onion, crush garlic and chop basil. Remove sausage from casings.

Heat Large pot add oil. (cast iron is best, but any soup pan will work – even an Instapot set to Sauté)

Sauté onions, garlic and basil over medium heat until tender and fragrant. Remove from pan.

Return pan to heat, add sausage and sauté until just cooked through.

Add the onions, garlic, basil, and chicken broth, bring to a boil.

Lower to a simmer and add the bay leaf and black beans.

Simmer on low for 30 minutes. Taste, add salt as needed.

Add chopped kale, cook until kale is wilted.

Serve with a hunk of bread on the side.

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Cooking this Morning: I ate this soup years ago at a Brazilian restaurant near Fisherman’s Wharf. I would stop there to eat a bowl of soup and a hunk of bread before the show. I was doing The Sea Plays on the Historical Ships on the Pier. The amazingly talented Rod Gnapp was directing. (He was my mentor and inspiration for years.) It was early in my career, I had very little money, and after many visits to the restaurant the owner told me how to make the soup. It has become a staple, and a regular reminder of the journey I have taken. Now pack some up for the hubby’s lunch, and look forward to the adventure ahead. #lifeisbeautiful #Braziliansoup #memories #NicolaSays #rememberyourjourney #actorslife #RodGnapp #tbt @goyafoods #goyaorgainic

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