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Our sweet potatoes did not produce all that much last year, but we are eating them and they are good. Next year we will try to grow more of them. We grew 2 kinds, a fairly standard orange one and a white one called Frazier White. They do taste slightly different, although just as good as the darker ones. You can certainly use whatever sweet potatoes you like for this.

The Jamaican curry is something I picked up last time I was in Toronto and Im enjoying it very much. Mine is quite mild, so you may wish to adjust the amount of curry powder you put in, depending on what you are able to get.

4 servings
1 3/4 hours - 1 hour prep time


Make the Sweet Potato Topping:
1 1/2 kilos (3 pounds) sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Wash the sweet potatoes, and stab them with a fork. Bake for about 45 minute to 1 hour, until soft. Let them cool enough to handle, then peel and mash with the butter and salt. Meanwhile...

Make the Filling:
1 cup diced celeriac
1 large onion
2 medium carrots
2 cups frozen corn
500 grams (1 pound) ground beef
1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Jamaican or other mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Peel and dice the celeriac, onion and carrots. Set the corn out to thaw.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and crumble in the beef. Cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Add the celeriac, onion and carrots, and continue cooking and stirring until they are softened and browned in spots as well. Add the seasonings and cook for another few minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the corn.

Put the beef and vegetables into an 8" x 11" baking pan, and top with the mashed sweet potatoes. Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes to an hour and a quarter, until lightly browned and bubbling. (Baking time will depend on whether it goes straight in or whether you allow it to cool, and refrigerate it before proceeding.)




Last year at this time I made Cocoa Oatmeal, Dried Corn Baked with Cream & Cheese and Ambrosia.

I was thinking Singapore-style noodles here, although in a vegetarian incarnation. You could add some scrambled egg and mushrooms to the mixture, or even the traditional barbequed pork and shrimp (or chicken). We liked it fine as it was, though. Cabbage, carrots and onions is a combination of vegetables I never get tired of. Just as well. They are around for a long time.

4 servings
30 minutes prep time


2 cups finely chopped cabbage
2 cups grated carrots (2 medium)
1 large onion
2 stalks of celery
200 grams fine brown rice noodles
4 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
2 to 3 teaspoons Malaysian curry powder
salt to taste

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.

Chop the cabbage. Peel and grate the carrots. Peel and slice the onion into thin slivers. Wash, trim and slice the celery thinnly.

When the water boils, drop in the noodles and boil them for just a minute or so. Drain them and rinse them in cold water. Chop or snip them with scissors into short pieces.

Heat half the oil in a large skillet. Add the celery and onion, and sauté until they begin to soften. Add the carrots and cook for a minute or two more, mixing well. Add the cabbage and cook until soft. When the vegetables look done to your liking, remove them to a serving plate.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Add the noodles, and sprinkle them with the curry powder and salt. Cook for a minute or two, tossing them well until they are evenly coated in the curry powder. Add the vegetables back into the pan, stirring and turning until the noodles and vegetables are well mixed and hot through. Serve at once.





Last year at this time I made Roasted Pepper, Artichoke & Tomato Salad and Butternut Squash & Hazelnut Lasagne.