Eat Fresh - Sweet Potatoes

Published November 22, 2006 in The Spectrum & Daily News

By Kathryn van Roosendaal

Sweet potatoes were always limited to Thanksgiving in my family. I looked forward to them every year: Those sweet candied yams rich with brown sugar and butter and coated with crusty, melting marshmallows. What’s not to like? I never questioned why this delicacy was limited to once a year or why this particular vegetable was always served the same way.

Then I found myself in South Carolina for a time and I gained a new respect for this lowly root.

Sweet potato pie, fries, fritters, biscuits and pancakes worked their way into my cuisine and made themselves at home. I also love using sweet potatoes in place of or along with regular potatoes in stews, soups and casseroles. The sky is the limit with these beautiful, versatile veggies.

When shopping for the perfect potato, you will need to know the difference between a sweet potato and a yam. Most stores have both — or at least they say they do. There will be a yellow-brown root called a sweet potato that has yellow flesh that is similar in texture to a regular potato. There will also be a reddish-brown root called a yam that has deep orange flesh that is sweet and moist. Actually, both of these are sweet potatoes, just different kinds. True yams are a tropical tuber with brown skin and flesh that ranges from off white to pink to purple. They are sweeter than either type of sweet potato. Yams are very difficult to find in U.S. markets and so chances are what you see labeled as yams — in the produce section or canned — are in fact the orange sweet potatoes.

Both kinds of sweet pototoes — and true yams if you can find them — can be used interchangably in most recipes, although the dark orange “yam” sweet potatoes are best in sweet dishes. You want to pick a root with smooth, unblemished skin that is dry and doesn’t have any mushy spots. Like regular potatoes, they can be stored in a cool, dark place — but not the fridge — for about a month.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

This is the classic recipe used in my family for Thanksgiving. All the kids, big and little, are guaranteed to love it.

6 large bright orange sweet potatoes

1 pound dark brown sugar

1/4 cup of butter

2 cups of miniature marshmallows

Wash and peel potatoes. Chunk potatoes into 2-inch disks. Put potatoes in a pan and cover with water. Cover and boil until potatoes are fork tender (approximately 30 minutes). Drain potatoes. Put potatoes in a baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar. Dot potatoes with butter. Bake for 20 minutes in 350 degree F oven. Sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are brown. Serves 8 to 10.

Sweet Potato Fries

I fell in love with these while I was living in the South and I mourned their loss I moved back west. Fortunately I learned to make my own.

3 medium size sweet potatoes or yams

1/2 cup oil

Salt (optional)

PANFRY METHOD: Peel potatoes and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick French-fry strips. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan fry the potatoes in batches until cooked through and lightly browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted metal spoon or spatula, transfer French fries as cooked to absorbent paper to drain. If desired, sprinkle with small amount of salt.

OVEN METHOD: Heat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, toss cut potatoes with 1/4 cup oil to coat evenly. Arrange the fries single layer and until golden on bottom, about 15 minutes. Using spatula or pancake turner, turn potatoes and bake until golden all over, about 15 additional minutes. Remove from oven; transfer to absorbent paper to drain. Makes 4 servings.