Friday, October 22, 2010

Foodie Fridays

If you put up with me and my love of squash, perhaps you will tolerate a little affection towards the ever humble Sweet Potato. No? Really?

I know, you probably like Sweet Potato fries, and maybe you will tolerate a mashed thing at Thanksgiving, but how else do you eat Sweet Potato?

I have two little thoughts for you. This will be quick!

Number 1: If you make a mashed Sweet Potato casserole, please tell me you put a topping on it. If you don't, you should. This isn't rocket science, so don't think I'm a Domestic Diva over this recipe. Get some Pecan halves and arranged them in artful rows and columns. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Drizzle melted butter over all. Done. If you put whipped cream on the table beside it people with think it is dessert. Yum!

Number 2: If arranging pecans is not your style, (and really, who has time to peel, chop, and mash sweet potatoes anyway?), then try this: Remember my post on Fan Potatoes? Well the real name for that technique (unless I'm crazy mistaken) is "Hassleback Potatoes" from a name of a town in Sweden. The theory is that you slice your potato in to a fan shape, stick some garlic slices in the cuts, then roll it in butter, crisp them in a cast iron pan on the stove top, then bake them until you are ready to crawl into the oven beside them just to be close to their inherent deliciousness. My version was much more simple, but equally divine.

Now, try doing it with sweet potatoes. Cut them like a fan, coat them in oil(no garlic today) and then bake until soft in the middle and crisping on top. Then, OH THEN, drizzle the tops generously with real maple syrup, and toss some pecans on top if you have them, and bake another 10 minutes to caramelize.

My kids are not Sweet Potato fans. Correction: they weren't Sweet Potato fans until I made these Hassleback Maple Syrup Sweet Potatoes. Try it. You'll like it.

2 comments:

Erin said...

Barb -- I love that you have a blog. And I need more info on these fan potatoes. I am a visual learner -- any chance of photos? drawings? architectural blueprints?
If the answer is no, I can chat with you at HIGH day. :)

Robin Saylor said...

How did I miss this post?
I am so in love with the sweet potato! Do you have the Moosewood Cookbook? There is a sweet potato and corn chowder that is a huge hit around here. But my most simple way to serve sweet potatoes is to cut them in rounds about 1/2 inch and then bake them with a little olive oil on them. The kids think it's fancy .... don't tell them it's the easiest thing in my cooking repertoire!
I am putting your recipe here on my list for next week ... sounds super yummy. Plus I'm right now making your butternut squash soup. We are eating so much sw. pot and squash we might turn orange!