Part 73 (1/2)

1 teaspoons baking powder

teaspoon baking soda

teaspoon salt

Sesame seeds (optional)

PREHEAT THE oven to 400F.

Prepare the filling: Heat the grapeseed oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the carrot and continue to cook until the onion is tender and starts to turn golden, another 5 to 6 minutes.

Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the steamed greens, beans, and 1 cup of the mole sauce. Stir to coat everything with the sauce; if the mixture looks a little dry, add up to cup more mole sauce. Place the mixture back in the skillet and smooth out the top. You should have a little over inch of s.p.a.ce between the veggies and the rim of the skillet; if it's filled to the top, remove a little, since the crust will require the extra room.

Prepare the crust: Combine the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup. Place the oil in a large bowl, beat in the soy milk mixture, and sift in flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just moistened (don't overmix).

Pour over the vegetables in your skillet and smooth to cover. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds, if desired, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is done and golden. Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes (or until the filling stops bubbling), slice, and serve with extra mole sauce.

JAMAICAN YUCA SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH SWEET POTATO, KIDNEY BEANS, AND PLANTAINS

SERVES 8.

TIME: 1 HOUR.

New York is home to a huge Jamaican community and since there are lots of vegan Rastafarians, there's tons of vegan food, or Ital, to be had. Jamaican curries differ from Indian curries in that they are often a bit sweeter. Jamaican curry powder also has a different blend of spices, typically including star anise, aniseeds, and coriander. This curry is one of our favorites-sweet potatoes, kidney beans, corn, and plantains (we also snuck some lima beans in there in hopes that you'll cultivate some love for the little guys) in creamy coconut milk. You can serve this as a curry over rice, but we've turned it into a shepherd's pie with a layer of yuca on top.

The easiest way to peel yuca is to remove the rough ends and cut the yuca widthwise into thirds. Place a piece vertically on the cutting board, secure with your nonwriting hand and use a paring knife to slice the skin off.

Scotch bonnets are a really hot pepper so, instead of cutting them up, it's common in Jamaican cuisines to just score the sides in four places. To do this, use a paring knife to cut slivers up the sides. It releases all the peppery flavor without the searing hot heat, so it's spicy but not too spicy. Be careful not to crush the peppers when stirring; keep them intact and remove them when the curry is done cooking. If you can't find Scotch bonnets, you can use two serrano peppers instead.

3-3 pounds yuca, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into -inch chunks