Bison and Wild Boar Meatloaf with Chile Molido BBQ, Sweet Potato Mash

Free-range bison from Thunder Heart is loosely mixed with coarsely-ground wild boar from Broken Arrow Ranch, browned onions, garlic, a pastured egg, a little chile molido BBQ sauce and just enough bread crumbs to hold it all together.

Baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then slathered with more BBQ sauce and returned to the oven until done.  Thickly sliced and served over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with cracked cumin and coriander..

For thousands of years the Coahuitecan people have lived as indigenous hunter-gatherers in extended family groups or tribes from just north of present day San Antonio south to the Rio Grande and the Northern Mexico state of Coahuila. They were a Bison culture whose lifeways, religion, and culture revolved around their relationship with the sacred animal that sustained them.

For the Native American people the Bison is the symbol of abundance; a powerful reminder from the natural world that through respect for our earth and the creatures who inhabit it, we are provided for. –Shape Ranch

(Vegetarian) Sweet Potato Curry with Aged Cashew Basmati

Deep crimson in color with a slightly fruity flavor and mild to medium heat, Kashmiri chiles (Kashmiri mirch) are in such demand that there just aren’t enough to go around.  Combined here with ghee-fried onions, garlic, fresh ginger, Ceylon cinnamon and diced sweet potatoes..

Sweet Potato Curry with Aged Cashew Basmati

 

2 tablespoons ghee (substitute raw coconut oil)
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1-2 small green chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1 4″ section fresh curry leaf
1 3″ piece Ceylon cinnamon
2 tablespoons Kashmiri mirch
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut cream, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaf, chopped
sea salt and black pepper

Melt the ghee in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering.  Add onions and chilies and gently fry until tender.  Add cumin, curry leaves and cinnamon and cook 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add Kashmiri murch and turmeric and stir to form a paste.  Continue to stir and fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add tomatoes, sweet potatoes and stock, partially cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in coconut cream and coriander.  Season to taste and serve immediately over aged cashew basmati.

Like fine wine, basmati rice tends to improve with age.  High quality basmati may be stored for up to 10 years to enhance its flavor, bouquet and cooking characteristics.

This post is part of Meatless Monday!

Black Pepper and Rosemary Sweet Potato Crisps

Move over, junk food.. these healthy, real-food crisps taste great!

Black Pepper and Rosemary Sweet Potato Crisps

Black Pepper and Rosemary Sweet Potato Crisps

Fresh sweet potatoes or garnet yams, peeled, rinsed and patted dry
Fresh rosemary, minced
Cracked black pepper
Sea salt
Olive oil for misting

Don’t like rosemary or want something different?  Try homemade smoked chili powder!

Peel and slice sweet potatoes or garnet yams into 1/16 inch rounds.  Rinse briefly in cold filtered water and pat dry.

Arrange rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and lightly mist with virgin (not extra virgin) olive oil (an oil atomizer works best for this) and bake at 320 degrees for 20 minutes.

Remove tray from oven, flip the potatoes over and lightly mist with oil once again.  Sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and rosemary and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the edges just barely begin to brown.

The chips will crisp as they cool.

Serve with homemade fermented ketchup.