Kansas City native Chef Nicole Shute is launching Verde, a 4,800-sqft casual, modern restaurant designed for community + authentic local food. The space will be a part of the new Strang Chef Collective at Lightwell — located at 1100 Main St., KCMO.

Verde's concept is designed to feature bold flavors, vibrant colors, fresh ingredients, and mindfully made food interpreted in an approachable way.

“The roots of Verde stem from my love of Latin American cuisine and other island flavors. Guests will also be able to taste some Spanish influences,” says Shute.

This recipe is inspired by Jamaican jerk preparations and highlights a colorful and nutrition-packed array of root vegetables, readily available in the fall. 🍂

Hungry yet? Luckily, you can make this dish at home. Here’s what you need to get started.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Ingredients:

1 chipotle in adobo
1⁄2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeño, stem + seeds removed
1⁄2 tablespoon 5-spice powder
1⁄2 tablespoon ground allspice
1⁄2 tablespoon black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon ground thyme
1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
1⁄2 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup orange juice
1⁄2 tablespoon canola oil
1⁄2 tsp kosher salt
6-8 boneless chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer)

How to prepare:

Blend all ingredients except the chicken in a food processor or blender until smooth to create a jerk sauce.
Marinate the chicken in jerk for at least 30 minutes, or as long as overnight.
Remove the chicken from its marinade and discard the liquid.
Pat the chicken with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture and season with salt + pepper.
Grill or bake the chicken at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Root Vegetable Hash

Ingredients:

3-4 cups diced assorted potatoes and root veggies of your choice (see note).
1 large yellow onion, small dice
2 poblano peppers, seeds + stems removed, small dice
1 red pepper, small dice
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1⁄2 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil

Note: Good options are sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, and beets.

How to prepare:

Blanch diced veggies separately by dropping it into boiling water and removing once you can slightly pierce through the vegetable.
Cool each batch in ice water and drain. (You want to do each veggie separately as some cook faster than others). Set aside.
In a large skillet, sauté onion, peppers, and garlic in canola oil for a couple minutes.
Add root vegetables and mix well; allow this to cook until they start to caramelize and soften, about 10-15 minutes. Stir every few minutes to avoid sticking.
Add cumin, paprika, salt + pepper and mix well.
Continue cooking veggies until softened and easily pierced with a fork, about 3-4 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings.

Corn Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth
4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from the cob
2 spring fresh thyme (optional), stem removed
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoon heavy cream
1⁄2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

How to prepare:

In a small sauce pot, add chicken broth, corn, and thyme.
Once this mixture boils, reduce and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Blend the corn mixture with butter and heavy cream. Blend to smooth; some texture is okay.
Season with salt.

Voila. Let us know if you try the dish by tagging us in a picture on social media. Phone eats first, remember? love this ending