red rice with Drain the rice and set it aside.

roasted sweet potato 2 tablespoons plus

³/₄ teaspoon kosher salt,
2 (15-inch) loaves
soft-crusted French
spring vegetables In a medium saucepan, warm the peanut oil over
medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and
and asparagus po’boy plus more as needed or Italian bread
8 ounces asparagus, Creole Rémoulade
asparagus • spring peas • sugar snap peas bell pepper and sauté, stirring often, until well cara- creole rémoulade • heirloom tomato • trimmed and sliced into (page 237), for dressing
melized, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the habanero and dill-pickled fennel ³/₄-inch pieces 2 large heirloom
garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft and 1 pound Garnet yams, tomatoes, cut into
makes 4 to 6 servings
the garlic smells fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the peeled and sliced into ¹/₄-inch-thick slices
makes 4 sandwiches ¹/₂-inch-thick rounds
paprika, chili powder, and ¹/₂ teaspoon of the salt Freshly ground
In case you don’t know, there is some serious and stir well for a minute or so to combine. Add the 3 tablespoons white pepper
debate among West Africans about the origins tomato paste and the liquid aminos and cook, stir- extra-virgin olive oil
When I lived in New Orleans, ordering a vegetarian 1 cup Dill-Pickled Fennel
and supremacy of jollof rice (there is a particularly ring often, until well combined, about 3 minutes. po’boy meant you would get bread, mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons molasses (page 44)
fierce rivalry between Ghanaians and Nigerians). Add the diced tomatoes and their juices and cook, iceberg lettuce, and bland tomatoes. This recipe 2 teaspoons Bragg 2 cups shredded little
stirring often, until the sauce just starts to thicken, Liquid Aminos gem lettuce
I keep my Black American a** out of that dispute. is the type of sandwich that I wish my crew and I
5 to 7 minutes. While stirring, slowly pour in the 1 tablespoon Blackened
In fact, I refuse to call my version “jollof.” I stick could have eaten back in the day. I started con-
stock. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture Seasoning (page 239)
with the neutral “red rice” to play it safe. This is ceiving of this recipe in 2012 when I sandwiched
to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. While
my latest iteration of a jollof-inspired rice. I like it some leftover candied sweet potatoes from my
the stock is simmering, add the asparagus, spring
a little wet, so I include ample tomato juice and book The Inspired Vegan between bread for lunch. In a large pot, bring 3 quarts water to a boil over
peas, and sugar snap peas. Simmer the vegetables
stock. This version is a distinctly spring dish, with high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and
for 1 minute, then remove them with a spider or While sweet, the Garnet yams also had a savory
the asparagus. Remove from the heat and let the
bright, just-tender peas and asparagus topping skimmer and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with the essence from the miso, molasses, sesame oil,
asparagus sit for 30 seconds. With a spider or
the rich, tangy, umami-filled rice. remaining ¹/₄ teaspoon salt and drizzle with the pili and tamari in the marinade (in case there is any
tongs, transfer the asparagus to a colander and
pili oil, toss well to combine, and set aside. confusion, while labeled “yams,” Jewel and Garnet set aside. Gently slide the yams into the hot water,
Add the rice to the saucepan, cover, decrease yams are actually sweet potatoes). Since most cover, and set aside for 1 hour. Drain the yams in
1 cup brown basmati 1¹/₂ cups canned diced
the heat to low, and cook for 45 minutes, until folks can’t imagine a po’boy without some deep- a colander and set aside to dry for 30 minutes.
rice, rinsed and soaked tomatoes, with their
in water overnight juices most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove fried element, I was reluctant to share a recipe for Transfer to a large bowl.
3 tablespoons 2 ¹/₂ cups vegetable from the heat and let the rice steam, covered, one that was stuffed with sweet potatoes. That
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets
peanut oil stock (page 230) for 15 minutes. changed when I ran across a po’boy on the Food with parchment paper.
1 cup finely diced 8 ounces asparagus, & Wine website created by chef Kevin Nashan
To serve, fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to
yellow onion trimmed and sliced on In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the
a serving bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over the rice, that included roasted sweet potatoes dusted with
an angle into 1-inch olive oil, the molasses, liquid aminos, blackened
1 green bell pepper, Cajun seasoning. I coat mine in blackened season-
pieces place the vegetables over the rice, and serve.
finely diced seasoning, and ¹/₂ teaspoon of the salt and mix
1¹/₃ cups shelled fresh ing instead, and before roasting, I parboil them. In
1 large habanero chile, well. Pour the mixture over the yams and gently
spring peas (a little over culinary school, I learned that this method yields a
seeded and finely diced toss to coat. Gently transfer the yams to one of
1 pound in their pods)
1 tablespoon “Hello Africa” by Blitz the Ambassador from Diasporadical sweeter, creamier roasted sweet potato. I imagine the prepared baking sheets, spread them in an
4 ounces sugar snap this sandwich sitting at the crossroads of winter
minced garlic even layer, and roast until tender, about 50 min-
peas, trimmed and
¹/₂ teaspoon paprika sliced in half on an and spring, so I add roasted asparagus to the mix. utes, flipping the rounds once after 25 minutes to
¹/₂ teaspoon chili angle The dense, sweet-savory Garnet yams and the ensure even cooking.
powder 1 teaspoon Pili Pili Oil delicate, earthy asparagus are a perfect match. In a medium bowl, combine the asparagus with the
³/₄ teaspoon kosher salt (page 232), for drizzling The piquant Creole rémoulade brings everything remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and ¹/₄ teaspoon salt.
1 cup tomato paste 1 large lemon, halved together. While this sandwich may not visually read Toss well and transfer to the other prepared baking
1 tablespoon Bragg as a po’boy in the way that most people envision sheet. After you flip the yams at the halfway mark,
Liquid Aminos them, you best believe it has the spirit of a classic place the baking sheet with the asparagus in the
New Orleans “dressed” po’boy. oven. Roast for 25 minutes, until tender and crisp.

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Vegetable stems
Kingdom asparagus