Sweet Potatoes: the Topic

[Katie Meadow]

The only way I like sweet potatoes combined with sugar is in a straight-ahead sweet potato pie. And I want my pie devoid of pumpkin pie spices. Otherwise I like them simple and savory; roasted with butter and salt is always good. Or mashed with a little parsnip and cream. I've recently taken to using them instead of or in addition to regular potatoes in a sort of bastardized Ethiopian chick pea and vegetable stew. Very good with harissa.

Sweet potato fries is one of my favorite treats, and not so easy to find, especially good ones. And I can't imagine saying no to sweet potatoes cooked in bacon fat or sweet potatoes with paprika. Never would I disgrace a sweet potato with a marshmallow. There are no marshmallows at Thanksgiving, ever. They belong in s'mores and rice crispie treats. Not casseroles (and not hot chocolate, either.)

Big Mike, I would certainly try your sweet potato onion tart. But Tzimmes with marshmallows? If there's anything that never ocurred to me it would marshmallows for Rosh Hashanah. That means they would be on the plate next to brisket. How's that even possible? Thanks, but no. I'm sure there are several laws against that.

[scubadoo97]

Chipotles! You ladies are genius. I can totally understand the beauty of that flavor pairing.

Yes chipotles do work nicely as well as diced jalapeno or serrano peppers along with vanilla bean freshly scraped into the mix. I don't usually add any added sweetener as they are pretty sweet on their own.

I do the above quite often but also like them straight up roasted with a little salt pepper and evoo. And roasted in the skin can't be beat. The flesh adjacent to the skin that gets caramelized is my favorite part

[Toliver]

We've had the marshmallow topped sweet potatoes every year.

And I never touch them...too sweet for me.

My (now ex) sister-in-law made a batch that were sweetened and mashed then topped with a granola-ish oatmeal topping that was crunchy and provided a foil against the mashed sweet 'taters. It tasted like dessert, though.

My brother makes twice-baked sweet potatoes with sour cream and roasted garlic that rocks. I'll suggest adding some bacon this year.

Give me the savory versions anytime.

edited to add: I had dinner at a friend's house once and they made their sweet potatoes with those cinnamon red hot candies. The candies melted, of couse, during baking but gave the sweet potatoes a definite sweet cinnamon-y flavor. I actually preferred it over the marshamllow version but then that's not saying much since I don't really like the marshmallow version.

Edited November 23, 2010 by Toliver (log)

[HungryC]

I like savory sweet potatoes, too. I'm stuck on sweet potato & andouille hash right now...though sweet potato & andouille bisque runs a close second.

[Chris Amirault]

Oh, you got me thinking: sweet potatoes and tasso....

[Jaymes]

We are in the "sweet potatoes any way" camp. We certainly do have the traditional sweet potato casserole baked with butter, brown sugar, a bit of orange juice, a splash of bourbon, and a layer of crunchy marshmallows on top.

But that's just for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Far too rich and luxurious for any other meal.

Usually, it's just plain sweet potatos baked in the oven a long time, until they're nice and caramelly, and served with nothing but butter and salt and pepper.

______________________

Edited November 23, 2010 by Jaymes (log)

[Katie Meadow]

Hungry C, I pretty much need that hash. How do you make it? It looks to me like you used a mix of sweet and other potatoes, yes?

Thanks, KM

[onrushpam]

DH and I entered a just-for-fun cookoff competition his workplace did as part of a charity event. We made a curry similar to this one, using sweet potatoes (the required ingredient) instead of squash. It was really, really good and we won the contest! One thing I added was to sprinkle toasted chopped almonds over the top. It really needed some bit of crunch.

Edited November 23, 2010 by onrushpam (log)

[chezcherie]

mashed. with chevre and chipotle puree. a tiny touch of honey, maybe. so, so good. also makes a great soup, thinned with chix or veg stock.

yes.

[Lilija]

Mm, another use, you guys have reminded me, I use them in place of meat in my black bean chili. Your favorite chili seasonings, plus black beans and chunks of sweet potato. Heavy on the chipotle. Changes the whole nature of the dish, in a very delicious way, and tastes great over brown rice.

Also, a less soupy version of that same idea, but inside burritos.

Camping, once, I made sweet potato hash with kielbasa and red bell peppers and onions. It was great, and inspired me to make a real recipe of it, after coming home.

[NVNVGirl]

I LOVE yams almost any way, but my favorite way of all, and one that I make as my meal very often, is scrubbed, stuck with a fork several times, and cooked in the oven at 350 deg for an hour and a half (that'a for a large garnet yam)....I love the sweet, soft inside and the crispy, slightly caramelized skin. Sometimes I fancy them up with some butter, but plain is just fine with me!

[HungryC]

Oh, you got me thinking: sweet potatoes and tasso....

Which reminds me of another good savory trick: put a baked sweet potato in the bottom of your bowl, and ladle on some duck gumbo (or other dark, smoky gumbo)....it's the taste of fall/early winter in south Louisiana in one bowl. Another savory thought--pureed (or riced) baked sweet potato, added to a typical white bread recipe, provides nice color & texture. Don't try it if the SPs are stringy, though.

[andiesenji]

How about smoked sweet potatoes? My Mexican neighbors smoke pumpkin (the Mexican type) squash and sweet potatoes, both red and white varieties for inclusion in stews, soups and etc.

I made a batch of pumpkin soup using about 1/3 sweet potatoes - the pumpkin was smoked.

The flavors were much deeper with that smoky background.

The soup was a starter for a dinner of smothered pork chops with rice and Trader Joe's Brussels sprouts on the stalk.

No leftovers!

[Kouign Aman]

Baked in their skins, LOTS of salted butter.

But good sweet too. No marshmallows. Something in the flavor fights w the sweet potato.

Maple syrup is good. Might try a sweet potato maple pie this year.

Roasted, mashed w salt, butter and a bit of molasses to get the flavor but avoid the over-sweet = a munchkin favorite (we have to take our servings before we let the munchkin at the bowl).

[Lilija]

How about smoked sweet potatoes? My Mexican neighbors smoke pumpkin (the Mexican type) squash and sweet potatoes, both red and white varieties for inclusion in stews, soups and etc.

I made a batch of pumpkin soup using about 1/3 sweet potatoes - the pumpkin was smoked.

The flavors were much deeper with that smoky background.

The soup was a starter for a dinner of smothered pork chops with rice and Trader Joe's Brussels sprouts on the stalk.

No leftovers!

That's what I was talking about up there, I would par-bake them, then smoke them with the entree, and finish with butter and a sprinkle of barbecue rub.

[runwestierun]

My favorite method: cube the yams, toss in a little olive oil and roast them in a hot oven until the exteriors are good and carmelized. Then toss with lots of fresh sage, beurre noisette, a little maple syrup, cinnamon, black pepper and alot of salt. This is a savory application. The maple syrup and cinnamon just round out the caramelized flavor.

[Jaymes]

We are always looking for good sweet potato recipes. For one thing, we like kabobs with sweet potatoes and ham and pineapple and green pepper chunks.

And the other night, made this: Pork Chops with Apples, Onions and Sweet Potatoes

Very tasty.

_____________________

Edited November 23, 2010 by Jaymes (log)

[Darienne]

One way we eat sweet potatoes is in a root vegetable roast with white potatoes, parsnips, carrots, onions, Brussels Sprouts, olive oil mixed in and all done in the oven and then tossed with thyme, salt and pepper and not much more. Good with yogurt.

However, my favorite comfort food is boiled sweet potato chunks and halved Brussels Sprouts, doused in a lemon and olive oil salad dressing with toasted sesame seeds. Ed will eat it but spreads on a Patak bottled Indian sauce. I have no idea of how I made up this funky recipe.

[Snadra]

Roasted, mashed w salt, butter and a bit of molasses to get the flavor but avoid the over-sweet = a munchkin favorite (we have to take our servings before we let the munchkin at the bowl).

That sounds delicious! I can imagine the tang of the molasses would work really well. And those roasting with thyme or sage ideas from Darienne and runwestierun are also brilliant. I like to sautee carrots with thyme, why did I never think of sweet potato with thyme?

We like them baked and topped with a compound butter of lime (rind and juice), chilli, fresh coriander/cilantro and coarse salt.

Many sandwich shops (at least in the city) have thin slices of cooked sweet potato as one of the fillings on offer, and they turn up quite often in vegetarian sandwiches and lasagne.

I have never eaten candied or marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, but I will someday - sounds too good not to try at least once, although I image it's pretty sweet and rich.

[merstar]

Plain baked or spicy roasted wedges with chili powder, cumin powder, garlic powder, onion powder, Cajun/Creole seasoning, etc.

[Lilija]

Sweet potato tempura sushi! A takeout favorite. Sweet potato fries, and just recently, I found Utz sweet potato chips.

[Tom Gengo]

Sweet potato biscuits w/ ham. Did that permutation of sweet potatoes for wedding receptions in March & June. Was a huge hit.

[Darienne]

Plain baked or spicy roasted wedges with chili powder, cumin powder, garlic powder, onion powder, Cajun/Creole seasoning, etc.

Oh yaas, I like the sound of that!

[Pam R]

I have never cubed and roasted with seasonings before.

My favourite way to cook them. Tossed with olive oil and salt. Occasionally a little minced garlic. C'est tout.

My wife's family makes this dish called tsimis, it's atrocious. Goo and brown sugar and marshmallows on top, blech.

That sounds like a cultural mash-up. I've never had or seen tzimmes with marshmallows, but I can see how it could really a similar dish (assuming you don't include brisket in your tzimmes).

They also make great chips. Slice then thin thin thin, pat dry and fry briefly. Dust lightly with salt.

[Beebs]

Sweet potato tempura sushi! A takeout favorite. Sweet potato fries, and just recently, I found Utz sweet potato chips.

Here's another vote for the yam roll!

I went to a dinner where someone brought mashed yams with lots of garlic. That was really tasty.