What’s an updated way to do sweet potatoes (not the usual marshmallow casserole)?
So many restaurant chefs are crushing on root vegetables these days, there is no shortage of new ideas. Follow the example set by the North Carolina chef Andrea Reusing and make your sweet potatoes reflect your region: rub with oil, roast at 425 degrees and serve whole, with butter, salt and a local syrup like sorghum, cane or maple.
A pile of roasted sweet potato chunks is a beautiful thing: peel one larger potato for every two people and cut into large dice. This can be done beforehand, and the potatoes kept in water overnight. Drain and pat dry before proceeding. Slick with oil and roast, then take them Italian, with fine lemon zest, garlic and parsley; or Indian, with lime juice, cilantro and minced white onion; or Japanese, with toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of mild honey (called “university potatoes” in Japan, they are a popular street snack for college students).
Sweet potatoes stand up well to cheese; any white-potato gratin recipe with the strong flavors of Gruyère or gouda can be adapted to sweet potatoes. Sweet potato fries in restaurants are usually double-deep-fried; it’s difficult to make them crisp in an oven, but this recipe does the trick at the last minute with brown sugar and spices.
RECIPE: Sweet Potato Steak Fries With Crunchy Spices
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