Caribbean Vegan (The Experiment, 2016) by Taymer Mason makes the colorful flavors of the Caribbean available to vegans, with over 200 authentic recipes straight from the islands. These recipes range from the classic Caribbean dishes to new and inventive recipes cooked up by Mason. The following excerpt is her recipe for a classic Barbadian sweet potato pie.
This sweet potato dish is traditionally served on Sundays or on special occasions. The topping is stunning: pineapple slices and cherries—you have to love that. Feel free to double or triple the recipe, but I prefer this pie in small quantities, served with a bit of Onion Gravy. Ordinarily, this pie is baked in a baking pan and then cut into squares for serving, but my version calls for making individual pies.
Try growing your own sweet potatoes, or even trying your hand at growing pineapple wherever you live, to make this Caribbean treat a local dish regardless of where you are.
Ingredients
- 1 pound, 6 ounces (620 grams) white- or yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegan margarine
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) pineapple juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cassia
- Pink or sea salt
- 2 pineapple slices
- 2 cherries
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Onion Gravy
- 1 tomato, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram minced, or a scant 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon mild paprika
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon Caribbean Caramel or browning
- 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon American-style prepared mustard
- 1 tablespoon vegan margarine or olive oil
- 1 medium-large onion, thinly sliced
Directions
- Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until tender.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Grease two 8-ounce (240 milliliter) ramekins.
- Drain the sweet potatoes, add the margarine, pineapple juice, and cinnamon, and mash until smooth. Season with salt to taste.
- Transfer to the prepared ramekins. Top each pie with a pineapple slice and a cherry and sprinkle with sugar. Broil for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve warm.
- Onion Gravy Heat the margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomato, and garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is slightly tender.
- Add the marjoram, thyme, onion powder, adobo seasoning, and paprika, then stir in the water. Cook for another 5 minutes, then stir in the ketchup, soy sauce, Caribbean Caramel, cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water, and the mustard.
- Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the sauce starts to get slightly thick. You can omit the Caribbean Caramel if you don't care about the brown color. Serve hot.
Makes 1 cup (240 milliliters) of Onion Gravy
More from: Caribbean Vegan
• Trinidadian Doubles Recipe
• Caribbean Island “Burger” Recipe
• Authentic Caribbean Rum Cake Recipe
Recipe from Caribbean Vegan: Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Authentic Island Cuisine for Every Occasion, Expanded Second Edition © Taymer Mason, 2016. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com.