Two dishes with West African-Style Peanut Sauce by serene laine

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

•  

• 6 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds) 
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion  
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce  
• 1/4 cup peanut butter  
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork, and bake at 375° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool potatoes slightly.
3. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; cook 3 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Add 3/4 cup water and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring until smooth; bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes or until thick.
4. Split potatoes lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side. Spoon about 1/4 cup sauce into each potato. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon cilantro.

Roasted Carrots & Cauliflower with West African Peanut Sauce and Wild Rice

• 3 carrots
• ½ head of cauliflower
• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp dried ginger
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop cauliflower into bite-size florets. Peel carrots and chop into 1” pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil – enough to lightly coat veggies. Place in oven and roast for about 30 minutes. Vegetables will be fork-tender when ready.

Prepare wild rice according to package directions. I make mine in a rice cooker, which takes about 30 minutes.

Heat 2T of peanut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and spices, and cook for 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add the vegetable stock, tomato sauce, and peanut butter, stirring until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir occasionally.

Remove the cauliflower and carrots from the oven and add to the peanut sauce. Stir until veggies are evenly coated.

Serve wild rice in bowls or on plates and top with a hearty portion of veggies & peanut sauce!

Wine pairing: You really want the unique spices to shine through on this one, so I would go with something that won’t interfere much, like a Chardonnay or a Merlot.