Welcome to the second in a series of recipe posts that feature Blak Fire, a spicy hot sauce that we become rather partial to in 2024.
Below, creator and chef Matthew Burgess has a rather unique approach to combining pasta with marinated chicken legs smoked in the BBQ, all infused with some extra creamy Jamaican flavour.
It’s a mash up that might give your Nonna the complete hibbie jibbies. But believe us, it works and will definitely raise some big thumbs up this summer.
We’ve also got the lowdown on the man himself. His CV speaks for itself but given the variety and influences that Matt has experienced over the last 30 years, as a BBQ chef, you can easily understand his enthusiasm for fusion and fire
Matt Blak’s Story
A proud New Zealand Maori, Matt started his career in Wellington, cutting his teeth in some of the city’s most iconic restaurants; Dockside, Cafe Laffare and the legendary Matterhorn.
Matt moved to London in 1998 starting at the newly opened Soho House in Greek Street. He went on to work as a Senior Chef at Bluebird in Chelsea, Gordon Ramsey’s Maze Grill and Jamie Oliver’s Threadneedle Street.
In 2015, he was snapped up as the Group Executive Chef at Caravan and Vardo Restaurants, where he was part of the team growing the brand from two to seven sites - before stepping into his own food consultancy business, Kaiwhenua, in 2022.
At Kaiwhenua, which means food from the land in his native Maori, Matt now creates innovative recipes for companies including Goodman Steak House Group, Beast restaurant, London shuffle club and premium ceramic BBQ brand Big Green Egg, to name a few.
Last but not least, Matt runs a seasonal sell out supperclub, also called kaiwhenua, held at various locations like the prestigious Fortnum and Mason, Hunter gather cook in East Sussex and numerous London locations.
For more information, make sure that you follow Matt on Instagram - @matblak
About Blak Fire
Born during lockdown 2020, the first renditions were designed to complement meals sent out from his tiny one-bedroom flat in west London. The intention was to help local families who were isolating at home and navigating home-schooling, a delicious home cooked restaurant quality meal lighting the darkest times during the great pandemic of 2020.
Now in its fourth cycle, BLAK FIRE is a perfect blend of spices and fresh ingredients uniquely blended to enhance your food experience.
Ingredients - serves 4
8 tbs BLAK FIRE
3 whole peppers diced (red, yellow, green)
250ml double cream
3 tbs Dunns River Jerk seasoning
1 scotch bonnet chilli thinly sliced (optional)
1 sprig fresh thyme
500ml chicken stock good quality
1/4 cup sliced spring onions
250g cooked rigatoni (penne or fusilli would also work)
2 tbs runny honey
1 tbs sea salt
Grated parmesan to finish
1 tbs olive oil
Method
Set up your BBQ for indirect cooking, make a few incisions of the chicken legs to help absorb the BLAK FIRE, pour over 4 tablespoons of sauce and massage into the legs and leave for 4 hours to marinate.
Place the chicken legs onto the BBQ and cook for 1 hour 160-180°C
After 1 hour, brush the chicken legs with the remaining BLAK FIRE and cook for another 20 minutes or until the internal temp of the chicken legs has reached 70°C
Heat a heavy based pan, pour in the olive oil and start to cook the peppers.
Once softened and nicely charred add the jerk seasoning while constantly stirring the vegetables.
Now add the honey and sea salt keep stirring until the honey evaporates and coats the peppers.
Carefully pour in the chicken stock into the pan, bringing back to the boil and cooking for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced.
Add the double cream and bring to the boil until it thickens slightly for around 8 minutes.
Add the pasta and keep stirring until thick and creamy.
Pour onto your serving dish, top with spring onions the Scotch Bonnet chilli and a heap of grated parmesan.
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