Sweet Potato Pudding (Pen Patat)

PG tested

• 2 pounds white sweet potato, peeled
• 1 large ripe banana, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 18 ounces evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cloves, crushed
• Rind of 1 lemon, grated
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 3 teaspoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grate sweet potatoes into mixing bowl. Mash banana into sweet potatoes. Add all the ingredients (except 1 tablespoon brown sugar), mixing in 1 ingredient at a time until each is fully blended into the mix. Spread evenly into a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (I greased mine) and sprinkle reserved brown sugar over top of pudding. Bake for 11/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Serve warm or cold and refrigerate leftovers.

-- "A Taste of Haiti" by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas and the Thomas Family (Hippocrene, 2002)

Rice and Red Beans (Diri Kole Ak Pwa Rouj)

PG tested

I was not able to locate Scotch bonnet peppers in my store, so I subbed two jalapeno peppers, and the dish came out great.

-- Rebecca Sodergren

• 1 cup dried kidney beans (or 12-ounce can cooked beans)
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste, divided
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 scallion, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 green Scotch bonnet pepper, optional
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1 parsley sprig, optional

Wash beans and drain. Place in saucepan with 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and boil on medium-low heat, uncovered, for 1 to 11/2 hours. When their skins wrinkle, taste to see that they are fork tender. Drain and keep liquid for cooking the rice.

(If using canned, wash and drain beans.)

Heat oil in cast-iron pot on medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion, scallion, 2 teaspoons salt, and black pepper for 2 minutes. Add and stir the cooked or canned beans and fry for 5 minutes until the beans are crisp. Add 4 cups liquid from cooked beans (or use water if not using bean liquid) and bring to a boil. Add rice and cloves, stir, and boil until water evaporates. Lower heat, stir rice, and place the whole Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and parsley on top of rice. Cover and let cook for 30 minutes. Remove hot pepper, thyme and parsley. Stir before serving.

Serves 6.

-- "A Taste of Haiti" by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas and the Thomas Family (Hippocrene, 2002)

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