Sweet Potatoes Four Ways
- September 09, 2020
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Sweet potatoes (also known as yams) have long been a part of Louisiana’s history and cuisine. It is believed that the sweet potatoes originated in the West Indies and Central America. According to history, when the French began settling in south Louisiana in 1687, they discovered the native Indians---Attakapas, Alabama, Choctaw and Opelousas tribes---growing and enjoying the tasty, nourishing sweet potatoes. It wasn’t long before the French and Spanish settlers soon made it one of their favorite food items. It’s no wonder that a variety of sweet potato dishes hold a place of honor on holiday tables at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They can be boiled, baked, fried, mashed and combine well with a variety of ingredients to create an endless list of delicious concoctions. When I was toddler, Mama and and I enjoyed a baked sweet potato, lathered with butter and drizzled with cane syrup, on many a cold autumn afternoon. As I got older, I came to adore them fried, much like French fries, sprinkled with salt and black pepper, or sometimes sugar and cinnamon. Of course, I ate my fair share of them candied, creamed with milk and butter, in pies, and sometimes rolled in honey and chopped pecans. I consumed so much of these golden tuberous roots that I had the nickname of “Patate Douce” well into my teens. What I didn’t know then is that they are highly nutritious. A diet rich in a vitamin A precursor, beta-carotene, is associated with a lower incidence of lung and other cancers. Beta-carotene is the bright yellow/orange pigment found in vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash, and red peppers, both sweet and hot. Lucky for us in Louisiana, our climate and soil are quite suitable for farming several varieties of these healthful vegetables. In the 1940s and ‘50s, Louisiana was the Number One sweet potato producer in the nation, supplying almost seventy percent of the nation’s sweet potatoes. In fact, it was back in 1946, when the town of Opelousas in St. Landry Parish, in the heart of sweet potato country, held the first annual Louisiana Yambilee celebration. The story goes that the festival was born over a cup of coffee. J. W. “Bill” Low, a native Texan, who came to live in Opelousas suggested an idea of a celebration to his friend, Felix Dezauche, a yam shipper and processor, endorsed the idea. Thus, one of the oldest and largest Louisiana festivals came into being. We don’t have to wait for the holidays or a special occasion to enjoy our sweet potatoes. Have them any time, on any number of ways. Here are some ideas to get you going. This happens to be one of my favorite preparations. SWEET POTATO PONE Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 egg 1 cup sugar 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter or margarine, softened 2 cups grated raw sweet potatoes 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Beat the egg with the sugar and butter in a mixing bowl until creamy and smooth. In another bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, salt and milk and mix well. Add the butter mixture to the potato mixture and mix well. Pour the mixture into lightly buttered baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with the pecans. Return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the mixture sets slightly. These potato chips, made with Idahos and sweet potatoes, are great for casual meals to serve with burgers, grilled chicken or pork chops. If you have a mandoline with a slicing blade, adjust it to the smallest possible setting. If you don’t have a mandoline, a very sharp knife and a steady hand should work. You might even consider using the slicing attachment on your food processor. POTATO CHIPS Makes 6 servings 3 sweet potatoes, peeled 2 Idaho potatoes, peeled Ice Water Vegetable oil for deep frying, heated to 360 degrees Salt Black pepper Cut the potatoes crosswise into very thin slices. Soak them in ice water in separate bowls for at least one hour. Drain the potatoes and pat them dry with paper towels. Fry the sweet potatoes and the Idaho potatoes separately in batches in the hot oil until they are crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. To keep them warm and crisp, spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and keep them in a 300-degree oven. This next preparation is quite simple and can be served with anything. MASHED SWEET POTATOES Makes 6 servings 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 4 tablespoons butter, softened 1/4 cup heavy cream Salt Black pepper Cook the sweet potatoes in lightly salted water, until tender. Drain. Transfer them to a food processor and puree, adding the butter and cream. Scrape into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. This final recipe is one you can serve anytime, but it certainly deserves a place on your next holiday table. RUM-GLAZED SWEET POTATOES Makes 8 servings 3 pounds sweet potatoes, pricked several times with a fork 3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced lengthwise 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cup roasted pecan halves 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons dark rum 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground mace Bake the sweet potatoes in a 400-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until tender. Let cool and peel. Cut the potatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Toss the apples in the lemon juice. Arrange the sweet potatoes and apples in a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with the pecans. In a saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, honey, rum, cinnamon, ginger, and mace. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Spoon the syrup over the potato and apple mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, basting occasionally with the butter sauce. Then place the pan under the broiler, about 4 inches from the fire, until the edges of the potatoes and apples are slightly brown.