The Many Faces of Ede bu ji aka Coco yam (Melanga...)

much ado about potatoes...ok? anything potatoes can do, ede bu ji can do! whether cooked, boiled, roasted, grilled, broiled, you name it...ede bu ji will match it and beat it. Hmmm, are you in doubt? bring it ooooon!!!

for instance the English say hasselback potatoes, Nigerians say hasselback ede bu ji/Coco yam
this is how you cook my hasselback herby ede bu ji with broiled rib eye steak & herby compound butter...mouth watering huh?

ingredients;
1 large ede bu ji (melanga white -you could use lila...red type)
1 tbsp garlic infused oil

compound butter
2 tbsp. room temperature unsalted butter (real butter please)
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 handful cilantro (you may use parsley)
1 tbsp. minced onions
1 clove of fresh garlic - minced
1 green scotch bonnet - minced
salt to taste
direction 
combine all herbs and butter and mix thoroughly till incorporated, set aside.

Rib Eye Steak
set oven on broil (usually 500 degree Fahrenheit). Season steak with Priscilla's Steak Seasoning  -1 Tbsp. and sea salt to taste. Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes on each side till charred.,  Half way through, baste with same butter sauce. Remove and preheat oven to 400 degree F. While coco yam is cooking, finish steak in oven for 3-5 minutes if you like it medium well and more if well done is your choice.
Note...Nigerians don't eat rare meats Period!

Hasselback ede bu ji/coco yam

peel, wash ede bu ji and pat dry  so it doesn't get slippery. 
season with salt. scoop and set aside 1 tbsp of compound butter (this will go on broiled rib eye steak).
melt remaining butter and baste all over coco yam. bake or roast in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit for 35 -40 minutes. Pull out and baste every 10 minutes interval. Also, half way through cooking, turn yam for golden brown color. once tender, pull out and finish with same basting butter sauce.

Pearl Onions
These were m choice of vegetables.
1 cup of pearl onions. I boiled it for 3 minutes, strained water and peeled them. It's easier to peel if boiled. Then I roasted in same pan with coco yam for 20 minutes while turning them twice.

Listen...this is one of those times I over eat, because it was that dawn gooooooood. you can see my coco yam is half now. my finicky eating son, tried it and swooped half off my plate. the steak? geeeez, well crusted/charred but very juicy. Onions became sweet and choice of herbs tied it all together!
try this and let me know what you think....
tune in for what next I will make with coco yam. till then, keep it simple, quick and tasty!!!