With Memorial Day Weekend right around the corner, what better way to celebrate the unofficial start to summer than a cookout? Spice up your menu for your family and friends with Chef Eddie Garza’s tried-and-true plant-based recipes paired with a delicious cocktail made with Buchanan’s 12-Year-Old DeLuxe Blended Scotch Whisky.

Vegan chef and cookbook author Eddie Garza merges the tropical flavors of the Caribbean and accessible ingredients found in any grocery store with his Caribbean Island Sliders recipe. The easy-to-make Buchanan’s Pineapple Smash cocktail complements the meal perfectly and is sure to be a crowd favorite.

Buchanan’s Pineapple Smash

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Buchanan’s 12-Year-Old DeLuxe Blended Scotch Whisky
• .25-inch wedge grilled pineapple
• 4 mint leaves
• .5 oz simple syrup
• 1 oz aquafaba
• .5 oz fresh lemon juice
• .25 oz lime juice
• 3 dashes of orange bitters

Preparation:

1. Place grilled pineapple, mint leaves, and simple syrup in a tumbler and lightly press with a muddler.
2. Leave the muddler in the tumbler and add Buchanan’s, pouring it over the muddler to rinse it off.
3. Add aquafaba, lemon juice, lime juice, and orange bitters.
4. Shake dry (no ice).
5. Once foamy, add ice and shake again for 10 seconds.
6. Serve in a coupe glass. Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel.

Caribbean Island Sliders with Grilled Pineapple
Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups canned black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for cooking
• 1 small red onion, one half diced small, one half cut into rings (for topping)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 medium-ripe plantain, cubed
• .5 cup quick oats
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Jamaican curry powder
• 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
• .25 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 small slider buns, split and toasted
• .25 cup vegan mayo
• 1 cup mixed greens
• 8 pineapple rings, grilled

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spread the beans evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Let cool briefly.
3. In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the diced onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the plantain and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until mostly tender.
5. Add the roasted beans, oats, cumin, Jamaican curry, salt, and pepper. Using a potato masher, combine well. Remove from the heat and let cool.
6. Lightly oil a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
7. Form the bean mixture into 8 patties. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, until nicely browned.
8. Spread each bun with some mayo, add mixed greens, onion rings, a Caribbean patty, and top with grilled pineapple ring.