Whipped Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Larry Forgione, The New York Times https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6278-maple-whipped-sweet-potatoes
These sweet potatoes are roasted, which retains the sweetness and moisture. Or, cook sweet potatoes on the stovetop. Peel, cut
into 1-inch cubes, place in a pot of salted water, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. When tender, drain them, add butter,
and mash until smooth.
4 servings
4 large orange sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pecans, toasted and chopped
Maple Syrup
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork or knife. Bake on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet until very soft,
about 45 to 50 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing the largest potato with a thin-bladed knife.
When sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and scoop pulp into a bowl or food processor. Cut butter into
small pieces and add. Using a potato masher or food processor, mash or beat the potatoes until smooth. Season to taste with salt
and pepper.
Top with pecans and a small drizzle of maple syrup, if desired. Serve warm.
Sweet Potato Pie
adapted from a family recipe handed down to Tomia MacQueen, farmer at Wildflower Farm, Hopewell, and Food Systems Literacy Coordinator for Princeton Public Schools
1 pie, 8 servings
1 pie crust (pre-made)
Baking beans or uncooked dry beans or rice (1. to 2 cups)
Wax paper
3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1. pounds)
5-1/3 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 cup milk (plus 1-2 tablespoons more, if needed)
1/2 cup white or brown sugar or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Prebake crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place crust in a pie plate if needed, rolling the edges of the crust inward along the pan.
3. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the pie crust evenly. Measure, cut, and place a piece of wax paper sufficient to nestle inside
the crust plus excess to function as handles to remove after prebaking.
4. Place baking beans/rice atop the wax-paper lined crust, distributing to provide even weight across bottom and along sides of
crust.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crust begins to tinge golden along the rim. Remove from oven; let cool for 5-10 minutes.
Gather edges of wax paper; carefully lift from crust, using table knife to separate any sticking bits. Set crust aside to cool; save
beans/rice for another pie project.
6. Meanwhile, make filling. Peel and cube sweet potatoes to roughly 3/4 inch.
7. Boil sweet potatoes in large pot of salted water until soft, checking regularly after about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; drain.
8. Add butter to hot sweet potatoes and mix until smooth. Stir in the 1/4 cup milk, sugar, and salt.
9. Add eggs, lemon juice, nutmeg, and vanilla extract, mixing until thick and smooth. Add milk by the tablespoon, if needed, to
reach texture slightly thicker than cake batter.
10. Scrape batter into cooled pre-baked crust, leveling the surface with the back of a spoon.
11. Bake for about 1 hour, or until firm (begin checking at 45 minutes).
12. Serve at room temperature; refrigerate leftovers
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes, pat them dry, and carefully place them directly on the oven rack. Place a pan on
the rack below them to catch any drippings. Pierce with the tip of a sharp knife to create steam release valve during baking.
Bake until tender until a fork can be easily inserted and removed, about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove potatoes to a plate and cut
them open lengthwise. Place a pat of butter on each half and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg or
brown sugar, if desired.
Peanut and Sweet Potato Stew
by Melissa Thompson, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jan/30/peanut-sweet-potato-stew-recipe-melissa-
thompson
Melissa Thompson, author of “Motherland,” writes in The Guardian of this West African peanut stew: “The movement of
peanuts around the world tells of the trading routes that saw food, goods and people cross the Atlantic through the Columbian
Exchange and beyond.”
4-6 servings
1 onion, chopped
Vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1-inch piece ginger, finely grated
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 14-ounce can red kidney beans, drained
2 tablespoons peanut butter (can substitute other nut/seed butter)
2 bunches spinach, double-washed, stalks removed, and roughly chopped
Sea salt
Cooked brown or white rice
1. In a Dutch pot or large saucepan, fry the onion in a little oil. After 8 minutes, add the garlic and ginger, and cook for another
couple of minutes before adding the spices, mixed with a little water to prevent them burning. Stir and cook until the spices
become aromatic.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and stir to coat, then pour in the stock, and add the beans and peanut butter. Put a lid on the pot and
cook for 10-15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft.
3. Remove the lid, mix in the spinach and leave for 5 minutes until cooked. Taste, then add salt until seasoned as you prefer.
4. Serve over hot rice.
Tamales de Camote con Frijol
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tamales
by Pati Jinich, https://patijinich.com/sweet-potato-and-black-bean-tamales/
12-16 tamales
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 cup lard or vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1-2/3 cups corn masa flour or masa harina (such as Maseca)
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
24 dried corn husks
2 cups refried beans*
1 cup Mexican crema (optional)
1 cup queso fresco, crumbled (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Wrap sweet potatoes in aluminum foil. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cooked and soft. Remove from oven; when cool
enough to handle, cut open and scoop out cooked pulp into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Make tamales masa: Place lard/vegetable shortening and . teaspoon salt into mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed until very
light, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, add baking powder and sugar, and alternate adding corn masa and the broth.
Raise speed to medium and beat for another 6-7 minutes, or until mixture appears fluffy.
4. Assemble: Soak dried husks in hot water for a couple of minutes, or until they are pliable. Drain. Lay out husk with tapering end
toward you. Spread about 1/3 cup masa into a 2-3-inch square about . inch thick, leaving a border of at least . inch on the
sides. Place about two teaspoons of refried beans in the middle of the masa square. Pick up the two long sides of the corn husk
and bring them together. (The masa will begin to swaddle the filling). Fold them to one side, rolling them in the same direction
around the tamale. Fold the empty section of the husk with the tapering end, from the bottom up, to form a closed bottom
and an open top. Gently squeeze the bottom to the top to even the filling. Place assembled tamales as upright as possible in a
container.
5. Place water in the bottom pan of a steamer, so that water is under the steamer basket/rack. Bring to simmer. Line steamer with
one or two layers of soaked corn husks. Place tamales vertically into prepared steamer, with open end facing up. Fill any open
space with corn husks to stabilize tamales during cooking. Cover with more corn husks and steam, covered, for 55-60 minutes.
Tamales are done when they peel easily from the husks.
6. Serve with crema and/or crumbled queso fresco if desired.
* To make refried beans in a traditional way, mash cooked pinto or black beans in the pan with sauteed onion or place in the
blender to make a smooth puree to thicken and season.
Sweet Potato and Zucchini Locro
by Peru Delights, https://perudelights.com/sweet-potato-and-zucchini-locro-the-ultimate-vegetarian-dish/
In this version of a traditional and hearty Andean highlands recipe, potatoes are replaced with sweet potatoes, and pumpkin is
replaced with zucchini. Locro has as many variations as there are South American kitchens and traditionally is eaten on Argentinean
holidays and national feast days.
4 servings
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon+1 teaspoon ahi amarillo paste (optional)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large zucchini, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 quart vegetable stock or water
1 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen)
1 cup green peas
1 cup cubed tofu or feta cheese
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1. Heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; saute for an addition
minute or so, continuing to stir.
2. Add chili pepper paste if using, along with sweet potato, zucchini, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring continuously for two minutes,
and add vegetable stock or water.
3. When mixture returns to boil, lower heat and cover pan.
4. Cook for 20 minutes; add corn and peas, and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Add tofu or cheese; add cream, and stir.
6. Serve, topped with chopped cilantro.