Grilled Jerk Chicken with Sweet Potato Cakes

Sorry if I could not avoid from anything grilled with Jerk seasoning. One of my favorite to season part of meat that I reserved it for only me since my family already tried some grilled meats with jerk seasoning--you should see them drink gallons of water after eating some.

Grilled Jerk Chicken With Sweet Potato Cakes
(Either way you want to use dry Jerk Spice or Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning--about 1-2 Tablespoonful of wet paste.)
=== JERK SPICE ===
1/2 Tsp coriander seeds
5 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods
10 allspice berries
1/2 Tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves -- crumbled
1/2 cinnamon stick -- crushed
4 garlic cloves
8 jalapeno peppers -- toasted, seeded
1 piece fresh ginger - (1" long) -- peeled
=== CHICKEN ===
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Lbs chicken thighs
Salt -- to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste
=== ONIONS ===
3 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp butter
6 large Vidalia onions= (or other sweet onions)
=== SWEET POTATOES CAKES ===
1 pound sweet potatoes -- grated
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1/4 cup minced onion
1 egg -- beaten
2 Tbsp olive oil

To prepare the Jerk Spice: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In small baking pan, combine coriander, cloves, cardamom pods, allspice berries, black peppercorns, bay leaves and cinnamon. Toast in oven for about 10 minutes, or until aromas are released. Puree spices with garlic, jalapenos and ginger, adding small amounts of water to form paste. Remove from blender. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 week. (Yields about 3/4 cup) (There are some excellent recipes that used bay leaves but I don't usually added it to anything but flavoring the liquid. I don't have to follow the amount of dry spices, I like to use wet paste like Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, I don't have to stink my home up very bad. With this seasoning, follow next step, using one or two tablespoonful or more if you desire very spicy chicken.)

To marinate chicken: Rub thighs with 1/4 cup olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss chicken with jerk spice in resealable bag until completely coated and refrigerate overnight.

To cook chicken: Prepare hot grill. Cook chicken on grill for 10 minutes. Turn over. Cook for 10 minutes, or until completely cooked. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To caramelize onions: Heat large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil, 1 tablespoon butter and onions. Cook for 10 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cook for 6 to 9 minutes more, or until onions are golden brown and caramelized. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare sweet potatoes cakes: In large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, flour, baking powder, minced onion, egg, salt and pepper to taste. Form mixture into 12 cakes. Heat saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook sweet potato cakes for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve: Spoon some of onions on 1 side of each plate. Place 2 sweet potato cakes next to onions. Lay chicken pieces on onions and lean against cakes.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Source:
"Pioneer Planet, 11-28-1999"
NOTES : Recipe from "Cooking With Patrick Clark" by Patrick Clark, (Ten Speed Press, 1999)