A Thousand Hills of Heaven

I had the pleasure of reviewing  an advanced copy of the new book  “A Thousand Hills of Heaven” by Josh Ruxin , it’s a couple’s inspiring memoir of healing a Rwandan village, raising a family near the old killing fields, and building a restaurant named Heaven. Here is a brief description of the book.

Newlyweds Josh and Alissa were at a party and received a challenge that shook them to the core: do you think you can really make a difference? Especially in a place like Rwanda, where the scars of genocide linger and poverty is rampant?

While Josh worked hard bringing food and health care to the country’s rural villages, Alissa was determined to put their foodie expertise to work. The couple opened Heaven, a gourmet restaurant overlooking Kigali, which became an instant success. Remarkably, they found that between helping youth marry their own local ingredients with gourmet recipes (and mix up “the best guacamole in Africa”) and teaching them how to help themselves, they created much-needed jobs while showing that genocide’s survivors really could work together.
While first a memoir of love, adventure, and family, A THOUSAND HILLS TO HEAVEN also provides a remarkable view of how, through health, jobs, and economic growth, our foreign aid programs can be quickly remodeled and work to end poverty worldwide.

Heaven’s Signature Cassava Chimichurri Filet Mignon

Serve the filet mignon with grilled corn and potatoes, any style.

Beef Filet

• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds filet mignon

Cassava Chimichurri Sauce

• ½ cup cooked cassava leaf puree (or substitute a mix of parsley and cilantro leaves)
• 1 small red onion, cut into quarters
• 15 garlic cloves
• 2 bunches fresh cilantro
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Pinch of dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed

Direction

For the beef,

• Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the filet mignon and turn to coat it thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight, turning the meat occasionally in the marinade.

To make the sauce,

• Puree all of the ingredients in a blender, adding olive oil as necessary to make a smooth puree. Refrigerate.

Preheat your grill or broiler. Remove the beef from the marinade and cook to your liking. Slather chimichurri on top and serve.

Serves 6-8.

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