Loaded Sweet Potato with Cilantro Lime Cream

Blah Blah Blah Potato!!

Briana Riddock

Give that boring Idaho potato a break this week and trade it in for a bright orange sweet potato. This sweet starch is a good alternative for your carbohydrate fix during the week. Pop it in the oven right when you get home as you spend time to decompress from the day. Within an hour load your potato with fresh goodies!

For those that do not eat pork, you can substitute the ham for beef or turkey sausage. However, it’s always heaven when brown sugar and pork link up! Cooking the ham in the brown sugar and butter gives it an amber caramelized color and an added note of sweetness.

This recipe is a guideline, not the rule. You can mix and match whatever toppings you prefer, but make sure you always have a fresh element to balance out the sweetness of the potato. I wanted to add fresh jalapeño, but I forgot to pick it up when I was at the grocery store!

The cilantro lime cream brings a tangy earthy tone and is used as a topping. You can also make this cream and dollop on tacos or fajitas. I chose red onions because the bite is far less abrasive than a yellow or white onion. Red onions are slightly softer in pungency while green onions are even milder and refreshing.

Loaded Sweet Potato with Cilantro Lime Cream

Recipe Type: Easy

Cuisine: American

Author: seasoningbottle

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 2

Spruce up this sweet spud with a few fresh ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes

• 1/2 cup cubed ham

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 garlic clove

• 4 oz. sour cream or plain greek yogurt

• 1/2 lime

• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped

• 1 green onion stalk chopped

• 1/2 small red onion chopped

• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

• salt (to taste)

• pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper

3. Throughly wash potatoes removing any dirt

4. Place potatoes on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour until tender

5. In a small saucepan saute garlic, ham, and brown sugar in butter on medium to low heat for 10 minutes.

6. In a small mixing bowl combine sour cream/greek yogurt, juice of 1/2 lime, and fresh cilantro together.

7. Once potatoes are soft, remove from oven

8. Slice open the potatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper.

9. Add remaining ingredients as toppings – green onion, red onion, parmesan cheese and cubed ham

10. Finish with a dollop of cilantro lime cream!

Jamaican Escovitch Red Snapper

Blah Blah Blah Fish

Briana Riddock

As a child, my mom sent my siblings and I to Jamaica for summers. Aunt Judy’s house is where we stayed. As soon as I stepped foot into her driveway, the sweet aroma of mangoes from the trees outside floated around me. Aunt Judy was never an avid cook but, her kitchen was filled with cooks. 

I saw Escovitch Fish prepared for the first time when my aunt’s friend brought over fresh snapper to fry for us. Seasoned with spices, she put the whole fish in a frying pan filled with oil. The oil bubbled around the fish as she added the scotch bonnet peppers. The air immediately filled with a pungent peppery smoke. Afterwards she sauteed the peppers and onions with vinegar to make the warm pickle. The fried fish laid flat on a layer of paper towels soaking up the oil. The fish were transferred to plates and smothered with the pickled peppers. Escovitch Fish is a classic Jamaican dish that I love preparing. I’ve officially become an expert at maneuvering around those tiny fish bones.

When we traveled from Kingston to Ocho Rios, I remember grabbing food from street merchants. We stuck our hands out the car to buy bags of guinep, peppered shrimp, mangoes, and coconut water. Guinep is a peculiar fruit. I snapped the leathery skin open to reveal a pulpy flesh reminiscent of lychee with notes of a sweet and sour. The fruit was mostly seed, so we devoured a bag quickly. It was the perfect snack for traveling cross country.

Roads were narrow, filled with potholes, and the drivers drove fearlessly around mountainsides. We ventured through Fern Gully, a magical winding road covered in thick fern that was once a river. The sun rays bounced everywhere as it peaked through the greenery. When we reached the Ochie, we made a stop at Dunn’s River Fall, the most popular waterfall in Jamaica. I would grab the hands of my brother and sister, while the fresh water gushed over our faces as we climbed the slippery waterfall rocks. Memories of Jamaica will always make it my piece of paradise.

Jamaican Escovitch Red Snapper

Author: seasoningbottle

Ingredients

• 4 medium sized fresh Red Snapper, scaled and clean

• 1-2 scotch bonnet peppers

• 10-15 pimento seeds/ allspice seeds

• 1 large white onion, thickly sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, cut lengthwise ½ inch wide

• 1 green bell pepper, cut lengthwise ½ inch wide

• 1 carrot, grated

• 1 lemon

• ½ cup rice wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon celery powder

• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• Canola or Vegetable Oil

• Cooked Jamaican style rice and peas – Optional

Instructions

1. Rinse and clean fish with juice from lemon. Pat dry. Cut 3 diagonal lines across the sides of each fish.

2. Mix spices sea salt, cracked black pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, celery powder, and cumin in a small bowl.

3. Season the outside and inside cavity of the fish with the spice mix.

4. Fill a large frying pan with oil, about ½ inch deep, to high heat.

5. Season the oil by adding 6-8 pimento seeds and ½ of the scotch bonnet pepper (or a whole pepper for a more intense heat) into the oil. The scotch bonnet pepper will eventually turn black as it cooks. That’s ok!

6. Place fish in the frying pan away from you. Adjust the heat between medium and high to avoid the fish being burned.

7. Fry for 5-6 minutes on each side. The fish should be slightly brown to blackened.

8. Remove fish from frying pan and allow to drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

9. Allow oil to cool and strain, reserving ½ cup of oil. Discard remaining oil.

10. In a large sauce pan, warm reserved oil to medium heat. Add fresh oil if needed.

11. Add onions, remaining allspice seeds, red pepper, green pepper, carrot, and remaining scotch bonnet pepper to lightly saute.

12. Saute for about 5 minutes, you want the vegetables to keep their body and crunch.

13. Add the vinegar, and cook for another 5 minutes.

14. Place onions and pepper sauce over the fish.

15. Serve with Jamaican Rice and Peas.

Honey Turmeric Skillet Chicken + Black History Month Potuck

I became aware of the dynamic healing powers of turmeric and honey when I lived in New York, and had an annoying sniffling nose and congested chest. I was experiencing the onset of a seasonal cold because of the changing weather from the blistering summer days to chilly fall afternoons. I was determined to find an all-natural remedy to prevent my symptoms from developing into a full-fledge-in-the-bed-cold. I remember reading a fleeting Instagram post about how turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties were good for combating the common cold.

I ran to the local grocery store to grab a bottle of the yellow spice along with a jar of honey. In my kitchen, I concocted the magical elixir, mixing the two ingredients into a thick paste. I scooped out a heaping spoonful, took a deep breath and swallowed the sticky mixture in one gulp. It was bitter and gritty, but it went down smoothly. After a few hours I took another spoonful and saved the rest for another dosage. For three days straight, I practiced the same turmeric and honey ritual. On the fourth day, I felt back to normal. After those days of experimentation, I was convinced that turmeric’s healing powers were real.

I wanted to find more creative ways to incorporate turmeric in my daily meals. It’s a bold pungent spice that can warm any dish its added to. Sticking with the basic formula of the paste, I knew it would be stellar on chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are really affordable and absorb whatever flavor it’s seasoned with. And, if you pan-sear them on the stove, you can get a very crispy crust while the inside remains juicy.

I love to utilize a cast iron skillet for this kind of recipe because it can move straight from the stove directly into the oven. This recipe is not overly fussy. The subtle coriander powder, breaks down the strength of the turmeric and it also complements the fresh cilantro used to finish the chicken. Consider this Honey Turmeric Skillet Chicken one of those easy weeknight dinner meals you are always searching for.

This blog post is in partnership with 27 other talented black bloggers across the web. We all came together to celebrate Black History Month with a virtual potluck. Check out all the other bloggers and their recipes following this recipe.

Honey Turmeric Skillet Chicken

Author: seasoningbottle

Prep time: 3 mins

Cook time: 22 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 – 2 lbs chicken thighs, bone in, skin on (about 4-5 pieces)

• 1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, divided

• 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 ½ tablespoons honey

• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

• juice of ½ lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to broil high.

2. In a large bowl, season chicken with 2 teaspoons turmeric, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and coriander powder.

3. Bring a heavy-bottomed skillet to medium-high heat and add coconut oil. Arrange the chicken skin-side down in the skillet. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown. Flip and cook for another 6 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, mix remaining ½ teaspoon turmeric and honey. Flip chicken again and spoon honey mixture evenly over the chicken skin. Broil in the oven for 5 minutes or until the honey has caramelized. Sprinkle the cilantro and squeeze juice of lemon over chicken to finish. Season with additional salt to taste.

Beautiful Eats & Things | Turkey Sausage Stuffed Collard Green Wraps

Better With Biscuits | Fresh Corn Pudding

Beyond The Bayou Food Blog | Creole Seafood Courtbouillon

Brandi’s Diary | Better than Jiffy Cornbread from Scratch

Butter Be Ready | Southern Style Mac and Cheese

Chef Kenneth | Fried Sweet Potato Hand Pie

Chocolate For Basil | Pilau and Kachumbari (Spiced Rice with Pico)

Cooks with Soul | Braised Short Rib Meatloaf

D.M.R. Fine Foods | Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding with Maple Glaze

Dash of Jazz | Nigerian Jollof Rice

Domestic Dee | Fried Peach Pies

Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Olive Oil Braised Collard Greens

Food Fidelity | Mofongo Relleno (Mashed Plantains with Garlic Shrimp)

Food is Love Made Edible | Buttermilk Biscuits with Fried Chicken and Tabasco Honey

High Heels and Good Meals | Crawfish Etouffee

HomeMadeZagat | Shrimp with Spicy Curry Cream Sauce

Houston Food Fetish | Sweet Almond Tea Cakes

In the Kitchen w/Kmarie | Pineapple Lemonade

Marisa Moore Nutrition | Bourbon Peach Glazed Salmon

Meiko and The Dish | Candied Bourbon Peach Cobbler

My Life Runs On Food | Lentil Soup and Roast Okra

Orchids + Sweet Tea | Carrot and Zucchini Noodles Stir Fry with Shrimp

Raised on Ramen | Orange Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Savory Spicerack | Creamy Seafood Stew

Simply LaKita | Blackberry Cobbler

The Hungry Hutch | Orange Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze

The Kitchenista Diaries | Smothered Turkey Wings

Braised Guava Short Ribs

I dusted off my camera to make this post because the last time that I blogged was around this time last year. A lot of things have changed and now I’m back in the city where The Seasoning Bottle was born—Atlanta. My enthusiasm for creating recipes is renewed and I’m thrilled to connect with my readers again. It’s even more exciting that I’m kicking off this new recipe for my Braised Guava Short Ribs as part of the 3rd Annual Digital Black History Month Potluck with a group of 27 other talented black bloggers.

I thought short ribs would be the perfect rich and cozy recipe to develop for the chilly weather. Short ribs are a tough cut of beef that cannot be rushed when preparing; it needs time to simmer in its cooking liquid in order to become fall-off-the-bone tender. I recently made short ribs at a dinner party that I hosted and when I was ready to serve, to my dissatisfaction, they were not as tender as I’d hope. I realized the oven was set too low when I put them in after baking a cheesecake which requires a low and slow cooking process. I popped them back in the oven, jacked up the heat and baked them to tender perfection. I learned my lesson and I’m here to give you the short ribs gospel.

My short ribs include the usual suspects that you see in a short ribs recipe such as red wine and beef broth, however, I wanted to make my version different with the addition of sweet and smoky notes. Guava paste is guava pulp, sugar and water processed into a sticky pliable block that can be found in most Caribbean or Latin sections at the grocery store. It brings sweetness to the ribs in a similar fashion to a sweet barbecue sauce. Ancho chili powder gives the dish the best of both worlds; it brings heat and smokiness to balance the sweetness. Lastly, a splash of vinegar at the end ties everything together.

Braised ribs are great to make ahead of time during the day to reheat and serve later at night for dinner. If you are wondering about sides, I think something super starchy such as mash potatoes and a pot of white rice would be an excellent match. But please, this is not something you can make last minute, don’t get yourself into a jam by not properly planning to the amount of time needed to make these delicious ribs.

Black Blogger Love

Here are all the bloggers and their recipes that contributed to the potluck. Be sure to check them out. There are a few classic favorites amongst the bunch.

Beautiful Eats & Things | Okra, Corn, & Tomato Chicken Stew /// Beyond The Bayou Blog | Mackerel Balls With Biscuits & Cane Syrup/// B Sugar Mama | Red Beans and Rice/// Butter Be Ready | Caribbean- Curry Goat with Rice and Peas/// Cooks with Soul | Boudin balls/// D.M.R. Fine Foods | Spice Roasted Chicken/// Dash of Jazz | Soul Food Power Bowl/// Dish it with Tisha | Jamaican Curry Chicken/// Domestic Dee | Chicken Sliders/// Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Bourbon + sweet potato pie/// First and Full | Homemade Peach Pie/// Food Fidelity  | Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich/// Food is Love Made Edible | Smothered Okra with Chicken and Smoked Sausage/// Foodie In New York  | Chess Pie/// Immaculate Bites | Pimento Cheese/// Kaluhi’s Kitchen | Pilipili & Rosemary marinated mbuzi choma with Kachumbari/// Kenneth Temple | Chicken & Sausage Gumbo/// Marisa Moore Nutrition | Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cabbage/// Meiko And The Dish | Hot Buttered Rum Biscuits/// My Life Runs On Food | Southern Style Caesar Salad/// Rosalynn Daniels | Osso Bucco/// Savory Thoughts | Haitian Patty/// Simply LaKita | Fried Okra/// Sweet Tea & Thyme | Spiced Peach Shortcakes/// That Girl Cooks Healthy | Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce/// The Hungry Hutch | Cornbread Dressing/// Whisk It Real Gud | Banana Bread

Braised Guava Short Ribs Recipe

Serves: 4 /// Prep time: 30 minutes /// Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes /// Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds short ribs

• 2 teaspoons salt + more to taste

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 cups red wine

• 1 cup beef broth

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally or cloves peeled

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/4 cup guava paste

• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Generously season short ribs with salt.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven to high heat. Sear short ribs for 5 minutes on each side or until dark brown.

4. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiled reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes covered with lid.

5. Place Dutch oven in the oven and bake for 2 hours or until meat is tender.

6. Place Dutch oven back on the stove top and remove lid. Remove any chunky bits with a slotted spoon and discard. Simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes to reduce cooking liquid. Add additional salt as needed.