Recipe for Plum Basted Rack of Pork with Butter-Mashed Yams

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the yams on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan, and bake until soft, approximately 40 minutes. Spoon the hot yams out from inside their skins, and fork mash them in a bowl with the butter. Cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, place the prunes, water, red wine vinegar, salt and cayenne in a 4-quart non-reactive saucepot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook the basting sauce for 30 minutes, and allow to cool.

When completely cool, place in the blender, and puree. If the mixture is too thick to puree properly, add more water as needed. Reserve 1/3 of the basting sauce and set aside. Completely cover the entire pork rack with the remaining 2/3 of the basting sauce. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat a 12-inch skillet, preferably non-stick, over medium heat. Add the butter and the onions, and saute stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the grenadine syrup, the red wine, sugar and salt, and lower the heat to a simmer. Allow the liquid to completely reduce over the onions. When cooked, the onions should look silky, and be a deep rose color. Keep warm.

Liberally season the pork rack all over with salt and pepper, and place in a roasting pan in the middle of the oven. Roast the rack 30 minutes for medium, 40 minutes for well done. When cooked, remove the rack from the oven and allow to rest for the 5 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch skillet on high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and allow the butter to brown slightly. Immediately add half the washed spinach and allow it to wilt, stirring with tongs or a spoon. Add the rest of the spinach, and when it has wilted, season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, cut 2 or 3 ribs off the rack of pork and place in the top of the plate. Next to the rack place the mashed yams and spinach and garnish with sweet onions.