African American Jewish Food: Lecture and Recipe by Chef and Author Michael Twitty

Recipe by Michael Twitty, created for the Posen Library:

Kwanzaa Potato Salad

Serves 4–6

2 pounds white, yellow, or orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 pound red or white baby potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon preserved lemon
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce or hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper (I like coarse ground)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, preferably lightly toasted (we call it benne from Wolof and Bamana!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon powdered
4 tablespoons minced scallion

Place the potatoes in a pot; cover with water, salted to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce and cook until potatoes are tender. This process should not take more than 15–20 minutes. Test potatoes with a fork between 10 and 20 minutes of cooking. Drain potatoes and toss with about a third of the lime juice and allow to rest and cool. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients except the scallion until smoothly blended. If you like your potato salad fresh, mix the dressing with the potatoes, stir it up, and toss it with the minced scallion. If you like it developed—as I do—mix the potatoes with the dressing and place them covered in the refrigerator. When brought to the table, garnish or toss with the scallion.