SWEET POTATO CAKES WITH SPINACH AND COCONUT SAUCE

Caribbean Sweet Potato Cakes with Callaloo Sauce

Serves 2-3. Vegan, Gluten-free.

For the cakes:
1 large sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1″ cubes (550gr)
1 or 2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/2 tsp dried thyme
whole bulb of fresh garlic (outer leaves peeled off but still held together)
1 or 2 scotch bonnets chillies, deseeded & chopped
3 spring onions/scallions, chopped
salt & black pepper
a handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
the zest of 1/2 a lime
a few sprigs of fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 200C. On a lined baking tray, toss the sweet potato cubes with the olive oil, allspice, cumin, dried thyme, chilli flakes salt & pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes until soft. Roast the head of garlic at the same time.

Mash the sweet potato in a bowl with half of the roasted garlic cloves that have been squeezed out of their skins. Cook the spring onions and scotch bonnets with a pinch of salt, in a little oil for a few minutes until softened. Stir this into the potatoes with the chopped coriander and lime zest. Check for seasoning, add more salt or lime zest if necessary. Cover and leave to rest in the fridge while you make the sauce.

For the Callaloo Sauce:
1 tin coconut milk, 400 ml
100-150 g fresh spinach leaves
1 small onion, chopped
the rest of the roasted garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 scotch bonnet chilli (whole)
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
2 fresh thyme sprigs, whole
salt & black pepper
the juice of 1/2 a lime
a handful of fresh coriander, chopped plus extra for garnish

Put everything except lime juice & coriander in a med-large saucepan, season with salt & pepper and bring to the boil stirring to wilt the spinach. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, then remove the whole scotch bonnet (don’t throw it away) and thyme sprigs.

Carefully blend with a stick blender (cover with a towel) or in a food processor until smooth. Taste, if it is not hot enough cut the flesh from the scotch bonnet and add that to the sauce and blend again. Add the lime juice and chopped coriander and taste for seasoning, add more salt if necessary.

Pour the sauce back into the saucepan and keep warm while you cook the cakes.

Shape the sweet potato mix into 6 patties or smaller ones for canapes if you like. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan/skillet over a medium high heat. when the oil is hot add the cakes to the pan and cook for a about 2 minutes on each side until browned and crispy.

Pour enough sauce into your dishes to cover the base and top with 2 or 3 cakes. Sprinkle with some fresh coriander and serve with extra lime wedges to squeeze over.