mitzireddy

Browsing in a bookstore is high on my list of favorite things especially cookbooks and food magazines.Feeling a bit guilty because I had spent some time going through some books I purchased my first copy of Food and Home magazine and came across this recipe for the sweet potato salad.

Sweet potatoes are currently in season – a salad is still keeping in theme with my healthy eating plan – and the vegetable ingredients needed were already in my fridge – and it is also perfect for meatless Monday.

It is interesting to note that China is the world’s largest grower of sweet potato and there are over 100 varieties. Uganda (the third largest grower after Indonesia), Rawanda, and some other African countries also grow a large crop which is an important part of the peoples’ diets.

As hubby is not in favour of meatless any day I made some kassler chops to accompany the sweet potato salad.

Both the sweet potato salad and the kassler chop recipes are easy and require minimum effort to put together.

SWEET POTATO, BABY SPINACH AND PINE NUT SALAD

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthways

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

¼ cup pine nuts

200g baby spinach

DRESSING

¼ cup honey

2 Tablespoon lemon juice

3 Tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 200C.

Place the sweet potatoes on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Pour the olive oil and season.

Bake until golden brown – approximately 30 -40 minutes

Sprinkle the pinenuts over the sweet potatoes and continue to bake for a further 2 minutes until the nuts are golden brown.

Arrange the sweet potatoes and pine nuts with the spinach on a serving plate.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing, pour over the salad and serve immediately.

Kassler chops are pork chops that have been smoked and ripened in a salt brine and therefore need very little cooking time.The “Kassler” process was invented in 1880 by a butcher in Berlin (last name Cassel) and is a favorite in and around Berlin. Its popularity spread throughout Germany where it remains a favorite dish today.

KASSLER CHOPS

Method

Heat the olive oil in a heavy based frying pan.

Fry the kassler chops on moderate heat until just cooked. (do not cook the chops until they are dry)

Add the honey and lemon juice to the pan.

Stir until heat through.

Serve hot with vegetables or salads.