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Sweet Potato Recipes
Eileen Goltz
How many of us have stood in the canned vegetable aisle of the grocery store and asked ourselves the question “is a sweet potato the same thing as a yam and, if so, which one do I want?” Not a question to keep you up at night or define the boundaries of which team should win the superbowl an important question none the less.
Sweet potatoes and yams are not the same thing but it really doesn’t matter in terms of what you're going to be able to buy. Yams are starchier, drier and firmer than sweet potatoes. The sweet potato and yam tend to be identified interchangeably and the fresh and canned stuff you’re getting in the United are most likely sweet potatoes. Yams are native to Africa and Asia, not United States and are not readily available except at specialty market and even then, not so much. In fact, the Department of Agriculture requires labels with the term ‘yam’ on them to also have the term ‘sweet potato next to it.
The skin color of the sweet potato runs the gamut from white to yellow, red and brown. The fleshy part of the sweet potato can be every color from white to yellow, orange to red. Sweet potato varieties are usually classified as either ‘firm’ or ‘soft’. When cooked, those in the ‘firm’ category keep their shape and remain firm when cooked and the ‘soft’ varieties become a kind of mushy when cooked. Sweet potatoes have a subtle flavor and pair well with all kinds of herbs, spices as well as other vegetables. They can be boiled, broiled, roasted, baked, microwaved, steamed and grilled and substituted for a regular potato any time you’d like. They’re best stored in dry dark place and can be stored up to a month that way.
The sweet potato is low in calories, a good source of fiber, rich in vitamin A and C, a good source of calcium, iron, thiamine and beta-carotene. That’s quite a bit of goodness all packed into one delicious package. The following sweet potato recipes can help you take good eating to the next more delicious and (healthy) level.
PECAN AND SWEET POTATO PIE (pareve)
This is a dairy free pie and its sooooo good you never miss it.
2 cup cooked or canned mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans
1 unbaked pie shell
15 to 20 whole pecans
Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl combine the sweet potatoes, brown and white sugars, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs and mix to combine. Add the 1 cup chopped pecans and mix to combine. Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Bake 40 minutes and remove the pie from the oven. Reduce the heat to 325. Place the whole pecans along the edge of the crust in a decorative design and then return the pie to the oven and bake additional 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and cool slightly and serve. Serves 8 to 10.
PEACHY SWEET POTATOES (dairy or pareve)
6 sweet potatoes, peeled, boiled until tender, drained and cubed
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cashews or pecans or walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) sliced peaches, drained
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
.
Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl combine the brown sugar, nuts, salt and ginger and set it aside. Spoon half the cooked sweet potatoes into greased 4 quart baking dish. Place half the peaches on top of the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle half the nut mixture on top of the peaches. Repeat the sweet potato layer, peach layer and nut layer. Put small pieces of the margarine or butter all over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil sprinkle the cinnamon on top of the nut mixture. Bake for another 10 minutes and serve. Serves 6
TURKEY OR CHICKEN AND SWEET POTATO SHEPHARDS PIE (meat)
Pastry:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 egg plus 1 yolk, beaten
Filling:
3 cup left over cooked turkey or chicken cut into bite size pieces
1 cup sliced carrot
1 sweet potato peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 cup onions
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup non dairy milk substitute (rice or soy milk)
1 cup chicken broth
pepper to taste
In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir in the sweet potatoes, margarine and egg. Mix to combine, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place the dough on a floured board and roll it out to about 1/3 of an inch thick and about 1/2 inch to an inch larger than the pan you’ll be cooking the pie in.
Grease a 9X13 baking dish and set it aside. Preheat oven to 350.
In a skillet heat the oil and add the carrots, sweet potato, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Saute just until the vegetables are soft but not mushy. Place the vegetables in a bowl and add the turkey or chicken and mix to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. In a sauce pan combine the flour, salt and pepper and then gradually whisk in the non dairy milk substitute and broth. Cook the mixture over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Season with pepper. Pour sauce over chicken mixture, toss to coat the mixture and then gently place the crust on top. Make sure that the edges of the dough go over the sides of the prepared pan. Press the dough into the rim of the pan to seal it. You can use a fork to make a decorative design. Cut at least 3 slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to vent. Bake for 40 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Serves 6.
ROASTED SWEET POTATO AND RED PEPPER SALSA (pareve)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 green onions, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons lime juice
zest of 1 large lime
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, vinegar, chili powder and cumin. Spread the mixture on a large greased cookie sheet with sides. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until the potatoes are golden brown and soft. Remove the mixture from the oven and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine the tomato, red pepper, jalapenos, green onion, cilantro, lime juice and zest. Mix to combine and then add the sweet potatoes and mix gently to combine both mixtures. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm. Great with taco chips, over salmon or chicken. Serves 6 to 8 as an accompaniment.
LAYERED SALMON AND SWEET POTATOES (fish and dairy)
6 thick salmon fillets (5 to 6 ounces each)
salt and pepper to taste
3 large sweet potatoes
6 portabella mushrooms
7 to 8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup sliced green onions
salt and pepper to taste
Slice each fillet horizontally into 3 equal pieces. Brush each piece with olive oil, and place the pieces on an oiled baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Slice each portabella each cap into 3 equal parts, about 1/2-inch thick on a bias. Brush the mushroom pieces with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place them on a different baking pan than the salmon.
Peel sweet potatoes and slice lengthwise 1/8-inch thick. You will need 18 slices. Season the sweet potato with salt and pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet and heat it. Add the sweet potato slices (about 1/3 at a time) and saute until lightly browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Quickly remove the potato from the skillet and drain it on paper towels
Preheat oven to 400. While sauce is simmering, roast mushrooms in oven for 8 minutes. Place the salmon in the oven and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until just done and then remove it from the oven. In the skillet where you cooked the sweet potatoes add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the red onion and garlic, Add wine and reduce the mixture until almost all of the liquid is gone. Add the cream and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the green onions and season with salt and pepper and then keep the sauce warm.
To assemble the layers place a layer of sliced salmon on the bottom, then a layer of sweet potato, then mushroom. Repeat the layering twice more ending with a mushroom. Pour sauce over and around each serving, dividing evenly among the plates.
BEEF AND SWEET POTATO STIR FRY(meat)
I found this recipe in an old Gourmet magazine a few years ago and make it when ever I have a craving for beef stir fry.
1 red onion, chopped
3 to 4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 to 3 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in half and sliced into thin diagonal slices
1 lb snow peas, cut in half
1 can sliced water chestnuts (from a can, drained)
1 pound beef stir fry meat.
4 green onions
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup hoisin or soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
In a small bowl stir together broth, hoisin sauce, wine, and cornstarch until combined well. Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil and stir fry the onion until it is they are just softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the sweet potatoes and stir-fry until they are just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the snow peas and water chestnuts and cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. At this point remove all the vegetables from the skillet to the large bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to the wok and sir fry half of beef until browned and transfer the meat to bowl with the vegetables. Add remaining tablespoon peanut oil and stir fry remaining beef. Add the remaining beef to the vegetables. Add the broth mixture to wok or skillet and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer broth mixture 1 minute. Return beef and vegetable mixture with the green onions to wok and cook, stirring constantly until heated through. Season stir-fry with salt and pepper and stir in the sesame oil just before serving. Great with rice. Serves 4.
