7 Nina Compton Recipes Combining the Flavors of New Orleans and the Caribbean

Nina Compton pushes the boundaries of regional New Orleans cuisine with her native Caribbean island vibes for unparalleled flavor.

Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

When the weather starts to cool, Nina Compton knows it’s time for this soothing, hock-stocked soup, rich with okra and laden with lentils. Ginger and lemongrass bring an aromatic note of Compton’s childhood in St. Lucia, while local okra beckons her back to her now-chosen home in New Orleans.

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Lemon-Buckwheat Shortbread

Victor Protasio

Lemon filling highlights the nuttiness of buckwheat flour in these shortbread cookie sandwiches from James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton, who uses Bellegarde Bakery’s stone-ground flour.

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Tuna Tartare with Coconut and Jerk Peanuts

Abby Hocking / Food & Wine

Nina Compton lived in Jamaica for a few years and created this jerk-style rub, which she uses here on meaty pork shanks before slowly braising them in the oven. For balance, she serves the rich shanks alongside a summery grilled peach salad.

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Rosemary Chicken with Corn and Sausage Fricassee

© Con Poulos

For juicy, flavorful chicken, Nina Compton soaks her drumsticks in a simple brine for 45 minutes before she grills them. Olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper are combined for a bright, fresh marinade. Feel free to swap out the veggies in the fricassee according to the season.

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Snapper Escovitch