Sweet Potatoes

By: Jennifer Anderson

Not just a one-hit wonder!

Endless Possibilities

You can use sweet potatoes in just about any place you would use white potatoes:

Mashed
In soup
Bake and top with sour cream and chives
In potato salad
French fries
Latkes

For a quick side dish, peel, shred, and sauté with butter or olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar, or sprinkle of herbs or shredded cheese. (Also try tossing with pasta!)

Sweet potatoes also taste great raw: cut them into sticks for a new addition to the veggie platter, or shred them for salads.

A Case of Mistaken Identity

People often confuse sweet potatoes for yams, or vice versa. What most are referring to when they mistake a sweet potato for a yam--the ones with the moist, sweet, bright orange flesh--are actually just another variety of sweet potato. Real yams are not related to sweet potatoes and don't taste particularly sweet.

Picking Potatoes

Available from mid-fall to mid-winter, sweet potatoes are best in season. These tips will help you make the most of sweet potatoes:

They don't store as well as white potatoes, so enjoy them within a week of purchasing.
Choose ones that are firm, with unwrinkled skin and no bruises or soft spots.
Store them in a cool, dry place in a container that's open to the air.
Don't refrigerate raw sweet potatoes, or they will develop a hard core in the middle and their flavor will deteriorate.

Beyond the Marshmallow

Sweet Treats

Their innate sweetness makes sweet potatoes a natural match for ingredients we usually associate with desserts like brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, ginger, coconut, nutmeg, pineapple, pecans, and fruit juices.

Savory Complements

In addition to the traditional casseroles, sweet potatoes make delicious pies, puddings, and quick breads. They are also a delicious contrast to savory ingredients like cumin, coriander, lime juice, beans, cheese, herbs, garlic, and onions.

Comments

Add a comment

Lynn

Jul. 22, 2009 5:27 pm

Need to put in Sweet Potatoes so it could go in recipe box.

MISSPEARL

Nov. 6, 2009 9:32 am

Does any one have a recipe for mashed sweet potatoes ? Thanks Miss Pearl

angelia79

Nov. 15, 2009 9:23 am

Does anyone have a unique but delicious dessert made with sweet potatoes? It would be appreciated. I really want to impress the family this holiday season;)