Caribbean Sweet Potato Salad


	Photo by Jamie Winkelman
Caribbean Sweet Potato Salad

A small round scoop of this potato salad accompanies practically every meal in the Caribbean. The sweet taste is a wonderful counterbalance to spicy dishes, and the coolness sooths away the even hottest bite.

I especially like this recipe, adapted from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons, because it is rich and creamy without mayonnaise. Two colors of potatoes combine with yellow corn, red onion, and green cilantro to make this a festive side salad. The cucumbers give it an unexpected and refreshing crunch. If the rest of your meal isn't hot enough to make you sweat, douse a splash of hot sauce right on the potato salad. Colorful, spicy, cool, and sweet.

Serve this as a side to Stewed Chicken with Rice and Beans, and you will be transported to the warm island tropics.

Ingredients

1 large Russet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large sweet potato, peeled and quartered
1 cup corn
1 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and chopped
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts (optional)

Instructions

Put the Russet potato pieces into a large saucepan, and cover them with salted water. Bring the potatoes to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium, and simmer the potatoes for 10 minutes. Add the sweet potato pieces, and cook about 15 minutes more. Remove a piece of each potato, and cut in half to see if it has cooked enough. You should feel a bit of resistance with both potatoes; don�t let them cook until they are breaking apart. Once the potatoes are tender, promptly add the corn kernels, and cook another 30 seconds. Quickly drain the vegetables in a colander, and fill the saucepan with cold water. Drop the potatoes and corn into the cold water, and leave them for 5 minutes to stop the cooking.

In a large bowl, combine the mustard, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic. Stir with a whisk. Slowly add the oil while whisking. Add the salt and pepper.

Drain the cooled sweet and white potatoes, and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Add the potato, the cucumber, and the red onion to the vinaigrette. Toss well.

Serve the salad at room temperature or chilled. Toss the peanuts in just before serving. Covered in the refrigerator, this salad keeps for 3 to 4 days.

Serves 5.

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