Caribbean cooking

Posted by Liz

Last night we were treated to a delicious dinner prepared by Fay on New Morning. Believe it or not, here we are living on the ocean waters for the last full month, and it's been next to impossible for us to come across fresh fish. Fay and Russ had a freezer full of wahoo, and grilled some up with Fay's special marinade consisting of garlic, fresh lime juice, soy sauce, etc.

She also made a fantastic Sweet Potato/Leek Gratin casserole. To all of you on land, I know it seems like we talk a lot about food - but nothing tastes better on a boat than really fresh, local food prepared creatively and shared with new friends.

Here is Fay's recipe for the Au Gratin casserole - and link she shared with me to a really great website (for all of my paks back home who love to cook, this site will give you some great ideas plus some fun stories about island living).

Abigail Blake website

SWEET POTATO AND LEEK GRATIN - MAKE AHEAD !!
Fay Mark & Kathy Wellen

Serves 6

If you want to prepare the gratin a day ahead, reheat it covered in a 300 degree oven until bubbling around the edges and warmed through.

2 large leeks (1 lb total), trimmed, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise, washed and soaked in enough cold water to cover
2 tablespoons unsalted butter; more for the pan
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 oz pancetta or country ham, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 cups heavy cream (I substitute chicken stock)
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp course salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 medium sweet potatoes (1 pound total), peeled
3 medium Idaho potatoes (1 1/4 pound total), peeled
1/2 cup grated gruyere or machego cheese


• Lift the leeks gently from their soaking water so that any grit stays behind. Drain them in a colander. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the pancetta or ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 9 min. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.
• Add the leeks and garlic to the pan, cover and reduce heat to low. Sweat the leeks and garlic, cooking slowly and stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened, about 5 min (don’t let the leeks or garlic brown)
• Add the cream (or chicken stock), bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the pancetta or ham, the thyme, and the salt; add pepper to taste. Set aside
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-qt casserole dish. Slice the sweet potatoes between 1/4 and 1/8 inch thick. Repeat with the Idaho potatoes.
• Arrange one overlapping layer of Idaho slices on the bottom of the casserole. Season lightly with salt and pepper; and spoon 2 tablespoons of the leek sauce. Repeat with the Sweet Potato and continue to layer in this manner.
• Press down firmly on the potatoes with your hand or rubber spatula and drizzle the remaining leek sauce over them.
• Top with cheese
• Bake until the gratin is golden on top, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Let rest in a warm place for 15 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.