If you love sweet potatoes you’ll love this recipe.  I can eat sweet potatoes right out of the oven with just butter and S&P but this gratin is even more savory and sumptuous with fresh herbs and cream.  Serve it with any roasted meat.  With all the vitamin A and C ingested you’ll see right past the calories.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of fresh sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
• 1-1/2 cups of whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves chopped fine
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves chopped fine
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 4 ounces of Bleu Cheese or Gorgonzola Cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a 9″ X 11″ rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl mix together the rosemary, thyme, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. 
4. Use a mandolin or slicer blade on a food processor to slice sweet potatoes 1/8″ thick. 
5. Arrange 1/3 of the sweet potato slices in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, over-lapping each slice slightly. 
6. Pour 1/2 cup of whipping cream over the layer and sprinkle 1/3 of the herb mix over the cream and half of the bleu cheese. 
7. Repeat layers, ending with the sweet potatoes, cream and the herb mix. 
8. Cover pan with foil or glass lid if using pyrex and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes or until top is nicely browned. 
9. Remove from oven and let stand for 20 minutes before slicing into squares.

Variations:

1. Add 2 scallions, sliced thinly, tops and bottoms both, to the herb mix.
2. Top each layer of potatoes with fresh spinach before applying the cream and herb mix.
3. Top each layer of potatoes with crisp bacon bits or slices of proscuitto.
4. Crumble feta cheese over each layer.

The secret to making these lofty pancakes is in the whisking – don’t over beat the batter!  The batter should be a bit lumpy and then let it rest while the griddle heats up.  You can also use a non-stick skillet to bake these cakes.  Pancakes should be light and fluffy, and uniformly golden brown on both sides.  There’s only 2 tsp of sugar in this recipe because you’re going to serve them with sweet syrup or fruit.  At Coco’s, we baked them with sliced bananas, apples and of-course blueberries.   Although we paid $8 for 1/3 cup of imported blueberries, blueberry pancakes were still profitable and a good seller.   We served them with a variety of tropical fruit syrups or with fruit coulis, fresh sliced fruit and whipped cream.  

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 eggs

Method:

1. In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
2. In a bowl, whisk together milk, water, oil, and eggs.
3. Pour wet mix into dry mix.  Whisk to just moisten dry ingredients. 
4. Preheat griddle, brush with oil.
5. When griddle is hot, wipe off excess oil with paper towels.
6. Pour batter onto griddle and cook until a few bubbles pop and the edges look dry.  Flip and continue cooking until done.  Lightly press tops, if they spring back, they’re done.

To Prepare Napalitos

It’s important to scrub each paddle before cooking with a brush and remove any node where new thorns are developing.  Slice the  paddles from top to bottom about 1/2 inch wide and dice to 1/2 inch.  Place in cold water and bring to a boil for 5-6 minutes, drain and repeat the boil until the napalitos are fork tender.  This will remove the slimey liquid ( called babas) similar to aloe vera juice.  Napalitos can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and are best added to soups, stews, burritos, salads, salsa and scrambled eggs with chorizo.

Ingredients for Salsa

• 1 lb napalitos, prepared and chilled
• 6 to 8 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 or more jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced (or minced chipoltes)
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 or 2 Mexican oregano leaves, minced (or 1/4 tsp dried oregano)
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 or 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 small can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup or more of shelled pumpkin seeds

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or longer so flavors will blend.  Serve with tortilla chips, nachos, burritos, or as a condiment with meat dishes.  Substitute sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or almonds for pumpkin seeds.  Use northern beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans instead of black beans or a combination of beans works well also.

2 cups basmati rice

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup  fresh coconut milk (or 1 cup of  unsweetened coconut milk in the can)

1 knob fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground turmeric)

1 lemon grass bulb, bruised

1 kaffir lime leaf (or zest of half a lime)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine

Break coconut, shred meat, soak in 3 cups warm water, place in a fine sieve , and push solids to extract milk.  You need 1 cup of coconut milk.  Use the remaining coconut milk  in another recipe (see below). Crush fresh turmeric in a blender with 1/4 cup water, place in a fine sieve and push solids to extract juice.  You want 2 Tbsp of the extract.  Place everything in your rice cooker, give it a stir and push the switch to cook.  Remove lemon grass bulb, bay leaf and kaffir lime leaf.  Fluff with a fork.  Serve with your favorite curry dish, chicken, fish, or Thai dish.

Use leftover coconut milk in curries, baked chicken, mix with shaved watermelon for a fruit dessert, add it to your favorite ceviche, cook octopus with it, cook green bananas or plantains in coconut milk for a starch dish, cook ripe bananas with coconut and honey for a hot drink  like the Tongans do.  Dry the grated coconut and toast it for cakes.

2 lbs fresh spinach, washed and chopped

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 small onion, minced

1 Tbsp fresh dill leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Butter a quiche pan or line a 9-inch square baking pan with kitchen parchment and set aside.  Mix all ingredients, except parmesan cheese,  in a large bowl and pack into prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until browned on top and a knife comes out clean.  Cool and cut into serving pieces.    Serve with chicken soup and tomato salad for lunch or a light supper.  Great for lunchboxes too.