caribbean-pork-with-sweet-potatoes

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons Pickapeppa sauce*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon snipped fresh thyme or 1/4 dried thyme, crushed
1 2-pound boneless pork loin roast (single loin)
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (1 to 1-1/4 pounds total)
1 recipe Mango-Jicama Salsa
Fresh cilantro (optional)



In a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons of the Pickapeppa sauce, the garlic, and thyme; set aside.

Trim fat from roast. Brush garlic mixture on all sides of roast. Place roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert an oven-going meat thermometer into center of roast. Roast in a 325 degree F oven for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook sweet potatoes in boiling, lightly salted water about 8 minutes or just until tender; drain. Toss sweet potatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon Pickapeppa sauce. Place sweet potatoes around roast in pan. Continue roasting for 30 to 45 minutes more or until internal temperature registers 155 degrees F. Cover meat with foil and let stand on a wire rack for 15 minutes. The temperature of the meat after standing should be 160 degrees F.

To serve, slice roast. Serve with sweet potatoes and Mango-Jicama Salsa. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Makes 8 servings.

Mango-Jicama Salsa: Drain one 8-ounce can pineapple tidbits (juice pack), reserving 2 tablespoons of the juice. In a medium bowl combine pineapple; reserved pineapple juice; 1 cup peeled, chopped jicama; 1 medium mango, peeled, seeded, and chopped; 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped; 1 green onion, sliced; 1 or 2 fresh jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped;** 1 tablespoon lime juice; and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving time or up to 24 hours.

*NOTE: If you can't find Pickapeppa sauce, substitute 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce mixed with a dash of bottled hot pepper sauce.

**NOTE: Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.