Chef Tom – Sweet potatoes. One of my very favorite vegetables.

 

Did you know…

• it’s not a tuber, but a root
• it’s part of the morning glory family
• it’s a wholly different plant genus than a yam
• the potato itself is technically a flower
• despite its name and its sweet nature, it’s quite low on the glycemic index
• it’s considered one of the Super Foods
• it’s relatively cheap, so by being creative with toppings (see below), you can eat well for very little

Vanilla Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Vanilla Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 lb. sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 red chile, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

1 vanilla bean

Directions:

Heat oven to 400°F.

In large bowl, toss potatoes, oil, chile, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut vanilla bean lengthwise in half and scrape seeds into the palm of your hand, add a few drops of olive oil, rub your palms together gently, then toss potatoes with your hands. (Save scraped vanilla bean for another use.)

Transfer to large, rimmed, lightly oiled baking sheet and roast until potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Pear, and Onion

Roasted Sweet Potato, Pear, and Onion

Ingredients:

2 Bartlett pears, about 14 oz, cored and cut into wedges

2 small red onions, cut into wedges

2 small, sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons

6 sprigs thyme, plus more for serving

3 tbsp. olive oil

Kosher salt

Pepper

Directions:

Heat oven to 425°F. On large, rimmed baking sheet, toss pears, onions, sweet potatoes, and thyme with olive oil and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown and tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

Sprinkle with additional thyme if desired.

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 garlic clove, finely grated on a microplane

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup nonfat Greek-style yogurt

1 scallion, white and green parts chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the handles of two wooden spoons, or two chopsticks, one on each side of the potato, to use as cutting guides. Make a series of 1/8-inch slices along each potato, slicing through crossways until you hit the guides.

Stir together the butter, oil, thyme, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub the potatoes all over with the mixture, getting in between the slices.

Place on the baking sheet and roast until the center of the potatoes are tender and the outside is crisp, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Halfway through the roasting time, remove the potatoes from the oven and run a fork gently across the tops of the potatoes, using light pressure, to fan the slices and separate them from one another.

Meanwhile, stir the yogurt and scallions with a pinch salt and a pinch pepper. Serve the sauce with the potatoes.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Baked Sweet Potatoes 

Ingredients:
4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Scrub sweet potatoes and pierce in several places with a sharp knife. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the potatoes on top. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the potatoes, until thoroughly soft and beginning to ooze. Remove from the heat.

Serve hot with one or more of the following toppings:

• Butter, salt and pepper
• Brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, and salt
• Maple syrup, butter and toasted pecans
• Sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper
• Blue cheese, walnuts and honey (my fave)
• Bacon, cheddar, and chives

ON THAT NOTE

Tuba Skinny does The Sweet Potato Blues

John Renbourn plays “Sweet Potato”

BONUS TRACKS

Ray Charles – Sweet Potato Pie

Booker T & The MG’s – My Sweet Potato

=CTH=

Chef Tom is currently transitioning from Personal Chef to Private Chef. He also teaches cooking classes, caters small parties and leads overseas culinary tours. His specialty for the last twelve years has been cooking for people with food allergies and sensitivities. His motto is “Food should give you pleasure, not pressure.”

Check him out at www.hippkitchen.com