Barbados Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse.  And, what a wonderful-tasting powerhouse!  I can't say that I've ever found a sweet potato recipe I've hated.  Those that goo them up with lots of butter and sugar and marshmallows.  Well, that's not a real sweet potato to me.  I love the recipes where the natural sweetness of the sweet potato shines.  Where the flavor comes barreling through.  This is absolutely a make again.  It's the third in the Cat Cora dinner and was Connie's favorite.  (My favorite was the grilled guacamole.)  The original recipe called for peeling the sweet potatoes.  I found long ago that the vast majority of recipes that call for peeling potatoes or carrots or any number of other goodies are just as good if not better when the peels are left on.  So, peel if you want but just remember how many great vitamins you're tossing away (hopefully at least into a compost pile!)

Barbados Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes
1 T vegetable oil
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1/2 t chile powder
1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
3 T grated fresh ginger (easiest way to peel it is with a spoon)
2/3 c orange juice
2 T lime juice
1 T Jamaican dark rum
1/2 t ground allspice

Prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork.  Microwave them til they're done.  The amount of time will depend on the size.  Slice them about 1/2" thick.  Lay them in a buttered cast iron skillet if you're doing them on the grill or a buttered oven-proof dish if you're going to bake them. 

Make a sauce with the rest of the ingredients.  Pour the sauce over the potatoes. 

Cover your skillet or dish with aluminum foil.  If grilling, grill them covered for about 10 minutes on direct heat.  If you're baking them, do so at 350 for about 15 minutes.  No matter which cooking method you're using, remove the foil and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.

adapted from Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist