Sweet possibilities

Tubers not just for Thanksgiving anymore

You likely had your fill of sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving -- probably smothered in marshmallows. However, when you're ready to revisit the distant cousin of the potato, know that the tuber offers so many other possibilities.

The humble sweet potato is frequently relegated to being fried like the common french fry or baked -- when it can escape the marshmallows. But like a regular potato, it is an excellent medium for a myriad of other flavors and is equally easy to prepare in a number of ways.

For example, Donna Whittle of Fayetteville likes sweet potatoes baked, with butter and cinnamon; mashed with butter, cinnamon and coconut; in a casserole with a butter/brown sugar glaze with pecans and coconut; and even grills them, caramelizing the sugar.

Then there are purists, like Erin Baldwin, also of Fayetteville, who likes them simply baked with butter and salt. If that's the way you prefer yours, try cooking them "low and slow." The texture and taste are fantastic.

Here you will find a variety of takes on the orange-fleshed tuber you may want to add to your repertoire as you start to think about the next round of holiday meals.

Sweet Potato Casserole

(sans marshmallows)

2 (15-ounce) cans sweet potatoes

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, divided

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1/3 cup light brown sugar

Combine yams, pineapple and juice, 1/4 cup butter and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl.

Beat with a mixer or by hand until the mixture is creamy and well-blended.

Fold in pecans.

Pour into a 3-quart casserole dish and sprinkle with brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Sweet Potato Salad

Adapted from "The South Beach Diet Cookbook"

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed

1 large green apple, peeled, cored and cubed

1 large rib celery

Dressing

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

pinch of salt

red pepper flakes (optional)

Place the sweet potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool. Cut into cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, apple and celery.

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, oil, vinegar and salt (and red pepper flakes, if using). Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

(If you're short on time, you may substitute a purchased vinaigrette for the dressing.)

Slow-Cooked

Sweet Potatoes

Scrub the number of sweet potatoes you wish to serve and pat dry.

Coat each with extra virgin olive oil.

Salt and pepper the skins.

Prepare a square of foil for each potato. Put each potato in a foil packet, made by folding down the ends of the foil together and crinkling the ends together to prevent leaking. Put potatoes seam-side-up in 250 degree oven for at least three hours, up to six. The longer they bake, the sweeter and more tender they become.

Sweet Potato Puff

KitchenAid

Written for a stand mixer with a wire whip attachment, but a hand-held mixer with a whisk attachment will also work.

2 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Place sweet potatoes in mixing bowl, beat on medium-low speed for 30 seconds.

Add milk, sugar, eggs, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.

Spread mixture into a greased 9-inch pie plate.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until set.

Spread Crunchy Praline Topping on hot sweet potatoes.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Crunchy Praline Topping

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

3/4 cup cornflakes

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup brown sugar

Place all ingredients in mixing bowl.

Attach the standard beater attachment, mix on slow speed for 15 seconds.

Place sweet potatoes in mixer bowl, beat on medium-low speed for 30 seconds.

Add milk, sugar, eggs, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute.

Spread mixture into a greased 9-inch pie plate.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until set.

Spread Crunchy Praline Topping on hot sweet potatoes.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Warm Roasted

Sweet Potato Salad

(with warm bacon vinaigrette)

Adapted from thecozyapron.com

Yield: Serves about 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

Canola oil

Salt

Black pepper

12 ounces (about 10 strips) apple-smoked bacon, cooked crisp and chopped, with 2 tablespoons of the drippings reserved (*see notes)

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup bleu cheese crumbles

¼ cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Warm Bacon-Herb Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Notes: I cooked my bacon in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes, and then reserved 2 tablespoons of the drippings and set them aside for the vinaigrette.)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with a couple of drizzles of the oil, plus a couple of pinches of salt and black pepper, and roast for about 20 minutes, or until tender; allow to cool slightly until warm.

Turn the roasted sweet potatoes out into a large bowl, and add in the chopped bacon, cranberries, blue cheese, pecans and parsley; drizzle in some of the Warm Bacon-Herb Vinaigrette, toss to coat and check to see if any additional salt and pepper is needed.

Serve warm as a sweet potato side dish.

Warm Bacon-Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients:

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons, heaping, honey

2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup canola oil

Preparation:

Add all of the ingredients up to and including the black pepper to the bowl of a food processor, and process until blended; with the processor running, drizzle in the oil until complete blended and emulsified.

When ready to serve, pour the vinaigrette into a small sauce pan and very gently heat for about 30 seconds or so, just until warm; then, drizzle as much as you'd like over the sweet potato salad.

NAN Life on 12/03/2014

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