This oddly shaped, orange root deserves front row center on your list of imaginative ideas. Sweet potatoes are a delectable and savory addition to many different cuisines. And, they offer the added bonus of being a nutritional gold mine.
1. Trendy. Food trends for 2011 revolve around higher quality, flavorful food, according to the American Institute of Wine and Food. People want to know where their food comes from. Use fresh sweet potatoes instead of carrots to add an intense flavor and new texture to salads. Or, for a fresh taste and look, try hash brown sweet potatoes flavored with toasted macadamia nuts and pineapple.
2. The Taste of Home. Home-style foods offer Americans the taste they’ve been craving. Sweet potatoes add the perfect punch to these tried-and-true favorites. Try a mixture of mashed sweet potatoes and white potatoes for a new twist to an old favorite.
3. Vegetarianism Goes Mainstream. More Americans are consciously choosing to eliminate meat from many of their meals. Experiment with a vegetarian chili by using kidney, black, and pinto beans, cubed sweet potatoes, and corn in a rich, garlicky tomato sauce.
4. Vegetables as an Ingredient. In salads, cooking sauces, side dishes, salsa, chutneys, and other items, vegetables are fast becoming the center of attention. Sweet potatoes can even be added to muffins and cakes. They are an excellent source of vitamins and fiber.
5. Ethnic Excitement. Ethnic, multicultural, and fusion entrées are tempting consumers’ taste for innovative dishes. Sweet potatoes, deeply rooted in many ethnic dishes, are a perfect complement to the exotic taste of curry, for example.
6. Fast Food Is Still King. Mashed sweet potato patties are available to liven up choices for kids.
7. Appetizer Uprising. Snack food rules. A dip of freshly grated sweet potato, mashed chickpeas, garlic, and green onion can be offered with strips of toasted whole wheat pita. And, use fresh sweet potato sticks as one of the crudités for dips.
8. They’re Healthy! Sweet potatoes are fat free, cholesterol free, low in sodium, and high in fiber.
9. Upgrading the American Palate. Americans are enjoying more highly flavored foods. Consider adding a spicy sizzle to baked sweet potatoes by topping with chili flakes.
10. Great Taste. Taste is the best reason of all to add sweet potatoes to your menu. Sweet potatoes can become an essential ingredient in many of these new dishes.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Andouille Delight
By Sean Cosby
8 medium-size sweet potatoes
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 quart of heavy cream
5 ounces of coconut milk
1 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of minced celery
1/4 cup of diced white onion
1 pound of andouille sausage, small diced
2 tablespoons parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into 8 cups of 3/4-inch pieces. Add the diced potatoes to a bowl and coat lightly with 1/4 cup of the olive oil; season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast sweet potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes in oven.
In a separate saucepot, add the 1 quart of heavy cream and the coconut milk. Simmer on low heat.
In a large saucepot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the diced onions and celery; sauté until tender. Add the diced andouille sausage to the pot and cook down with the vegetables. This should take approximately 5–7 minutes over medium heat.
When the sweet potatoes are roasted and fork tender, add them to the pot with the andouille sausage, celery, and onions. Next add the warm cream and milk mixture. Simmer on low heat 10–15 minutes. Use an emulsion tool or blender to break up the sweet potatoes. This should take about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, nutmeg, and the cayenne pepper.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain the soup through a small strainer. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables
3 medium sweet potatoes, washed (about 2 pounds)
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 red onion
1/2 pound asparagus
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 3 teaspoons dried and crushed)
2 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried leaves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and then into 1/2-inch slices. Cut peppers and onions into 1x2-inch wedges. Cut asparagus into 1-inch lengths. Put all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme, and olive oil, and stir to distribute seasonings.
Spread vegetables evenly on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake in 500 degree F. oven for 18 to 20 minutes.
www.ncsweetpotatoes.com
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