Out of Africa: feast on Kwanzaa's fruit of the harvest

Vegetarian Times, Dec, 2003 by Carla Davis

Wine Suggestions

What better way to enjoy these tasty New Year's treats than with Champagne? An icy flute of Korbel Brut, a Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut or a Veuve Clicquot is the perfect companion to these crispy yet hearty patties. Be festive--open the bottle while you're preparing them.

Sugared Sweet Potatoes,
Plantains and Apples

SERVES 8

While candied yams are a typical side dish
in soul food cooking, combining them with
plantains, a Caribbean and African favorite,
and seasonal apples, which are plentiful at
this time of year, makes for a delicious side
dish or dessert. Black-ripe plantains are
very soft and sweet and are generally used
in desserts.

2 very ripe, blackened plantains

1 large sweet potato, peeled

3 Granny Smith apples, diced

3 Tbs. soy margarine, melted

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Cut ends off plantains, and halve lengthwise.
Remove peel by putting thumb
between fruit and peel, and pulling thumb
down length of fruit. Cut plantain on bias
into 1/2-inch pieces.

3. Quarter sweet potato lengthwise. Cut
each quarter into 1/4-inch pieces.

4. Mix apples, plantains and sweet potatoes
in large bowl in separate bowl,
combine melted margarine, brown sugar,
cinnamon, ginger, salt and water. Toss
sweet potato mixture with brown sugar
mixture, and place into ovenproof dish.

5. Bake for 20 minutes covered. Uncover,
and bake 20 minutes more.

PER SERVING: 200 CAL; 1G PROT; 4.5G TOTAL
FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 42G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
200MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 24G SUGARS

Wine Suggestions

With all that's going on in this dish, keep the wine simple. A not-too-sweet Riesling would work well, something light but not overpowering such as a Columbia Valley Riesling. For a little more adventure and for flavors of fruits and spices to complement this dish, try a German Sparr Gewurztraminer Reserve.