The culinary calendar is full of healthy options right now. Not only is February American Heart Month, this Thursday is National Cook-A-Sweet-Potato Day. With more beta carotene than carrots, plus vitamin C and fiber, the sweet potato can satisfy a sweet craving while bestowing benefits. And it’s so versatile, as the following recipes will show.
Here in the U.S., sweet potatoes and yams are often confused. Generally, sweet potatoes are lighter in skin color (light orange) and flesh (pale yellow to light orange) while the darker-skinned, deep orange fleshed yams that we mash at Thanksgiving, or cover with marshmallows, are ironically sweeter than their counterpart of that name. I’ve included recipes for both.
Sweet Potato Surprise
When I was little, anytime my mother put the word “surprise” after the featured ingredient, I’d be a bit hesitant to dig in. Your dinner companions may have trouble identifying all of the ingredients, but the result is quite delicious. It can be assembled a day ahead, unbaked, and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator. Recipe from “Still Life With Menu” by Molly Katzen; makes 8 to 10 servings as a side dish.
4 pounds sweet potatoes (yams OK, too)
4 bananas, chopped
2 large green apples or ripe pears (not Bosc)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 -1/2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
Peel sweet potatoes; boil until soft, then drain. Meanwhile, saute bananas and apples in butter; add ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Cook slowly, covered, stirring occasionally for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a food processor, puree potatoes with the fruit juices. Stir sautéed fruit into the puree; add apricots. Heap mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Serve warm or hot.
Crispy Yam &Green Onion Cakes
You will want the dark-fleshed, mashable yams for this recipe; makes 4 servings.
2 cups cooked, mashed yams
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
3 green onions, sliced thin
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons coconut oil
4 to 6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup minced chives
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Form into eight 2-inch patties. Heat coconut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties for 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain, then transfer to a serving dish. Serve with yogurt topped with chives.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Don’t let the simple name fool you: the pale skinned, pale colored sweet potatoes, cut into chunks and braised with a savory seasoning, are so different from the mashed overly-sweet “casserole” most of us are familiar with. In fact, the darker-skinned sweet potatoes or yams are not good in this casserole as they will become mushy during braising. Recipe from “The Mayo Clinic-Williams Sonoma Cookbook;” makes 6 servings.
5 sweet potatoes, about 3 pounds total
1/2 cup canned vegetable broth
4 drops hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried sage or thyme
6 fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
Preheat oven to 375 F. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel sweet potatoes. Quarter lengthwise, then cut crosswise into chunks about an inch wide. Place potatoes in a 2-quart baking dish or casserole. Stir in broth, hot pepper sauce, pepper and dried sage or thyme. Cover with foil or a lid and bake 20 minutes, then stir. Cover; continue baking until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes longer. Top with thyme sprigs if desired for serving.
Sweet Potato &Carrot Soup with Ginger
Sweet with a little bit of spicy, this soup thickens on standing. Recipe from “Soups &Stews” by Food &Wine Books; makes 6 servings.
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, chopped
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 -1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and carrots; cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add stock and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. In a food processor or blender, puree soup until very smooth. Return soup to the pot; stir in the ground ginger and pepper. Reheat until very hot. Sprinkle each serving with the crystallized ginger.
Sweet Potato Scones
Here’s an unexpected example of the sweet potato’s versatility. There’s extra fiber from bran and whole wheat flour, too. Recipe from “The Healing Foods Cookbook” by Prevention Magazine; makes about 18 scones.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup corn bran
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup shredded sweet potatoes (peel first)
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 475 F. In a large bowl, mix flours, bran, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in the sweet potatoes and raisins. Add buttermilk and oil. With floured hands, knead mixture about 2 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a generous quarter-inch thick. Cut out 2 -1/2-inch rounds. Transfer rounds to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Use all the dough by re-rolling leftover pieces. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes; serve warm.