Roasted Sweet Potato Puree (c) jfhaugen

Roasted Sweet Potato Puree w/ Fresh Orange or Lime Juice

Roasted Sweet Potato Puree (c) jfhaugen

Sweet or Savory, Sweet Potatoes are a Thanksgiving Tradition

Naturally sweet, luxuriously textured and one of the most nutrient rich of all vegetables, sweet potatoes are at their freshest right now from November through December—though their place in a healthy diet continues throughout the year.

Oranges & Zest (c) jfhaugenThe role of sweet potatoes on the Thanksgiving menu has sometimes seemed as a dessert, as in Candied or Glazed Sweet Potatoes, and Marshmallow or Pecan-topped Sweet Potato Casserole.

Here’s an alternative recipe for a more savory side dish which has become one of my favorite ways to enjoy sweet potatoes. Roasting them first concentrates and intensifies their flavor so that little more than salt and some fresh citrus juice  bring out their natural sweetness.

Sweet Potatoes and Yams

Since the 1950’s there has been a bit of confusion around sweet potatoesSweet Potatoes "yams" (c) jfhaugen and yams. The 1950’s are when the red-skinned, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes were introduced as “yams” to differentiate them from the white-skinned and fleshed variety that shoppers already knew.

The real difference between the two has to do with their texture when cooked—dry and firm or soft and moist. In the U.S. the soft and moist ones are “yams” and the dry and firm ones are sweet potatoes.

It’s your choice: sweet or savory, dry or moist . . . they’re all sweet potatoes fit for the Thanksgiving table!

Roasted Sweet Potato Puree w/ Fresh Lime JuiceRoasted Sweet Potato Puree with Fresh Orange or Lime Juice

The moister, orange-fleshed varieties such as Garnet, Beauregard or Jewel “yams” work best in this recipe.

4-6 servings (though you might want to double this amount to have extra for leftovers)                                                    Printer-Friendly Recipe

Ingredients

With Fresh Orange Zest & Juice
2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (“yams”)
2-4 tablespoons vegetable stock
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zestRoasted Sweet Potatoes ready to be peeled
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
Scant teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

With Fresh Lime Zest & Juice
2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (“yams”)
¼ cup vegetable stock
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Scant teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Wash the sweet potatoes and pierce each one once or twice with a fork. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Depending upon their size, roast them for an hour or more until they are very soft.
  3. Cool the sweet potatoes until you can handle them. Peel off and discardRoasted Sweet Potato Puree in the Processor (c) jfhaugen the skin and place the potatoes in the bowl of the food processor. Puree the sweet potatoes until smooth, adding half the vegetable stock to help the process along. Add the nutmeg, zest, fresh juice, salt and pepper to taste, mixing until just combined. Add the remaining stock only as necessary to produce a smooth and luxurious consistency.
  4. You can enjoy Roasted Sweet Potato Puree immediately, or prepare it a day or two in advance, and then reheat it in a covered oven-proof casserole in a 350 degree oven for about ½ hour until heated through.

 Printer-Friendly Recipe