When is summer over? About 90% of the leaves have fallen from our trees. It’s time to stop kidding ourselves and face facts: it is not going to be 80° outside for a long, long time. Given the price of heating oil, it is never going to be 80° inside!

So we’ve conceded to the seasons and begun doing the fall things. We are actively stacking firewood on the deck. We are passively watching the wind blow the leaves away. We consider very un-Green to rake and burn. Besides with three acres, do you know how many leaves there are?

We have put away summer clothes and dug out the winter stuff.

We have put away summer cookbooks and dug out the winter stuff. And that brings us to old friends and cookbook treasures.

We’ve blogged a few times from Eat Feed Autumn Winter by Anne Bramley:

• Ancho Chili Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Chorizo
• Indian Spiced Cauliflower
• Wild Rice Pilaf with Cherries and Pecans.

You can find these recipes by using the search box on this blog. We’re going back to this book for the fall and will post even more recipes.

You might want to treat yourself and look for a copy of Eat Feed Autumn Winter at your local bookstore or online. It’s a book worthy of being on your shelves.

Please continue to read all of this. Yes, there is diatribe at the beginning, but the beverage that results from all this is spectacular. Really, it is.

Ah, the political conventions are over and we have been enlightened and informed. One person said our economic problems were so bad that no one could have solved them in a mere four years.

Some of us have been aware of that. For some time.

Like me. Suzen and I visiting my daughter in Seattle and we were at a huge farm stand selling hundreds of “gourmet” products from around the country. In my hand, I held a bottle of sweet potato syrup for $12. Four years ago, I would have bought it with no inhibition. But now, no. There was the price thing. And what would I do with it? And then the ingredients, which Suzen pointed out, began with corn syrup. I’m not paying $12 for corn syrup.

But, I was intrigued. How could I make that syrup, and how would I use it. Well, I googled, and I found a recipe for sweet potato syrup and even a cocktail recipe to use it. Sadly, that recipe for the syrup fails, in the sense that the syrup does not taste like sweet potato and it was very difficult to make. Getting the cooked sweet potato to dissolve into the syrup proved impossible, so I’ve added using a sieve in my version of life.

My version tastes predominately like clove. Mix that clove flavor with bourbon, or whiskey, and you have a great cocktail. A Whiskey Sour that hits you with the alcohol and then lets the clove tickle your tongue. And, yes, there’s a hint of sweet potato there still.

Try this cocktail and use this syrup recipe. In the meantime, I’m off to cook more sweet potatoes and come up with a true sweet potato syrup. If any of you out there have ideas, please let me know.

Whiskey Sour with Clove and Sweet Potato Syrup

Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces bourbon
• 1 ounce of clove and sweet potato syrup
• 1 ounce of orange liqueur [Mandarin Napoleon if possible]
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Ice cubes

Preparation:

Put the bourbon, syrup, orange liqueur and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a cocktail glass filled with ice.

Garnish at will.

Note: this beverage is strong, so you may wish to top it off with an ounce or so of club soda to mellow it out.

Clove and Sweet Potato Syrup

Yield: about 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato
• 1 cup of water
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves [or less!]

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the sweet potato in a roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil and roast until soft in the center, about1 hour at least. You want the sweet potato thoroughly cooked so that the “meat” will easily dissolve into your syrup; if it is undercooked, you’ll have difficult time integrating the sweet potato in the liquid.

Remove and discard the skins, and let the leftover juices from the potato cool in the pan. Pour the juices into a glass bowl.

Combine You want the sweet potato thoroughly cooked so that the “meat” will easily dissolve into your syrup; if it is undercooked, you’ll have difficult time integrating the sweet potato in the liquid.

The one cup of water, 2 tablespoons of the cooked sweet potato, the sugar, 1 tablespoon of the potato roasting liquid, the nutmeg and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring or whisking to keep it from burning. You objective is to dissolved the sugar, that’s easy, and the sweet potato, that’s not so easy.

Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes to reduce by 30% or so. Cool slightly, then strain into a class container. When you strain, you’ll capture a lot of sweet potato goop. Use the back of a spoon to press and get any juices you can.

Allow the uncovered container to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Use within two weeks.

Source: Brian O’Rourke

“No, you got it wrong.” Suzen said. “Again.”

“Suzen, the recipe you gave me said sweet potatoes. I wrote the blog based on that.”

“Change it, Sweetie.”

So I am. This wonderful, wonderful dessert is made with pumpkin, not sweet potatoes. Point of full disclosure: one of us at Cooking by the Book did make it with sweet potatoes and it was fine, but it was not the same as pumpkin. So, being obedient to my wife, make this first with pumpkin.

I know that the term bread pudding can generate a cringe. But, trust me, this bread pudding is great. The recipe below suggest raisin bread, but homemade challah is very, very much better.

My suggestion here is to double down on the Hard Sauce, just ladle it on and relish in the cornucopia of rich sweet flavor. You should pour it over the bread pudding, not into your mouth. Suzen got me trying, dribbling on my shirt again, and I was chastised.

On her first bite of this treat, Suzen said, “Oh, my God.” She’s okay with dessert, but  is not a fanatic. This recipe is on her “Do Not Make” list, which mean I’ll have to beg and do work and things before we can both enjoy this. She and I would wolf it down by the bowlful.

You very well might consider this as dessert for a Sunday or holiday meal. Yes, you’ve had bread with your turkey stuffing. But, what if you went with rice for the stuffing and saved the bread for the whiskey? Just consider the possibility. And, you might just want to do a test run, too.

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Whiskey Hard Sauce

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon best-quality bourbon or rye
• pinch of salt

For the bread pudding:

• 8 cups torn or cubed stale raisin bread (about 1 large loaf)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon mace
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pumpkin [the pie stuff]

Preparation:

To make the sauce, in a large bowl use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, liquor and salt. Continue mixing until smooth and creamy. Cover and set aside.

For the bread pudding, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 2-quart baking dish or individual ramekins with cooking spray.

In a large bowl toss together the raisin bread with the pecans, then set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and salt. Toss the sugar mixture over the bread and pecans, then stir well. Drizzle everything with the melted butter, then toss to evenly distribute.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, cream, eggs and brown sugar. Add the vanilla and sweet potatoes, then mix well. Pour the sweet potato-cream mixture over the bread mixture and stir until well blended. Let stand for about 5 minutes, then spoon into the prepared baking dish or ramekins.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes (bake ramekins for just 15 to 20 minutes), or until set.

As soon as the bread pudding comes out of the oven, top with hard sauce so that it melts into the crevices. Serve warm.

Source: Elizabeth Karmel

“You realize the blog has become unbalanced,” Suzen said.

“No.” I answered. I once had a girlfriend who told me to “admit nothing.” I still ended up divorced.

“It’s booze and chocolate and brownies and milk chocolate, Brian,” she rebutted. “There are these things called vegetables. Science, and you are a scientist, has proven they are necessary for life.”

“Can you make them taste good?” I asked.

“Yes. Yes, I can.”

And by God did she ever. That picture shows, out of focus, roasted Brussels sprouts, which I have grown to love for their nutty taste. I am instinctively a baked potato with butter-and-sour- cream-and-chives kind of guy. I’ve not been fond of sweet potatoes. Until now. These twice-baked sweet potatoes are magnificently delicious. I devoured my slice and did not seek out butter or sour cream or even maple syrup.

I suppose this accomplishment might be due, in small part, to the bacon brittle that adorns the sweet potato. Suzen makes our bacon in the oven with a dusting of brown sugar, because even she has to admit that caramelized sugar is impossible not to enjoy.

Here, the bacon and sugar are combined into a solid mass on the baking tray that is then broken apart. The resulting shards are gleaming wonders. You debate whether to just look or taste. Then you taste and taste and all that is left is a visual memory that is matched with a rich sense of satisfaction on your mouth.

I suppose that I could just eat the bacon brittle and not bother with the sweet potato part. No, on second thought, I appear to have achieved a compromise position with my wife that should not be jeopardized.

She’s hidden the left over bacon brittle. I’m going out to buy more sweet potatoes. Maybe, maybe.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Bacon Brittle

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bacon, cut into ½-inch wide pieces
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 6 medium sweet potatoes (6-8 ounces each)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons white miso (fermented soybean paste)
• 1 ⅔ piece ginger, peeled, finely grated (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 pieces scallion 1 inch piece (dark-green parts only), thinly sliced lengthwise

Preparation:

For the Brittle:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Cook bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until most of the fat is rendered and bacon is starting to crisp.

Transfer bacon to a sieve set over a small bowl; reserve dripping’s.  Return bacon, 1 Tbsp. drippings, sugar, and sesame seeds to same skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar turns the color of milk chocolate, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to prepared baking sheet and use a spatula to spread out evenly; let cool. Break brittle into shards.

For the Sweet Potatoes:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until tender, 45-55 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle.

Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Working over a large bowl, scoop out flesh from 8 halves, leaving a ½‑inch thick layer inside skins. Place potato halves on same foil-lined baking sheet. Scoop flesh from remaining 4 halves; discard skins. Mash flesh with a whisk; add eggs, butter, white miso, and ginger and stir until mixture is smooth.

Spoon or pipe filling into reserved skins.

Bake potatoes until the tops are lightly puffed and golden brown, 30-35 minutes (potatoes will take longer if they’ve been chilled). Top potatoes with bacon-sesame brittle and scallions.

Source: Bon Appetite, March 2012

Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 18-55MM lens shot at F/4.0, 1/60^th second, ISO 400

This recipe is brought to you thanks to the kindness of Sasquatch Books. They sent me a review copy of The Cast Iron Skillet. It sits in my upstate house, buried in snow. Suzen and I haven’t tried to get upstate in three week. We have plenty of snow, and ice, right here in Manhattan.

But I wanted to test recipes, and Sasquatch emailed me a PDF of the book. Suzen was able to scroll through all the sumptuous recipes. As I expected, she stopped when she got to this one, Sweet Potato Soufflé.

I don’t know if you have a problem with sweet potatoes, but I do. It all began when I was a child and my mother, at Thanksgiving, presented a tub of sweet potatoes crowned with marshmallows. I still talk to my therapist about the trauma. Can you get PTSD from one serving of goop? I think I did.

After decades of avoiding them, I now love sweet potatoes. A month ago, we did some experiments and I got a new favorite recipe: sweet potatoes blended in a hot mixture of chiles. It’s wonderful and I will blog it soon. But, but, this soufflé recipe is easily my favorite sweet potato concoction. And I doubt it can ever be surpassed.

“No eggs. How can it be a soufflé?” Suzen asked. She was reading the recipe. I was standing over her shoulder.

“Maybe the half-and-half,” I suggested. “Or the apple cider. Or the butter. Or the sugar. Maybe we should add more sugar.”

I got a dirty look. “Remember, we ate at the restaurant where one of these authors was the chef? Remember how good it was? How Paris-quality it was? We are not messing with anything.”

With perfect diligence, Suzen measured and I obeyed. This recipe is perfectly balanced in its flavors. And the techniques, hand mashing and then beating with an electric mixer, yield a monster result. The sweet potato flavor here is sheltered in layers of apple, orange, and cinnamon. There is dairy richness: butter and half-and-half. All these flavors, all the techniques, and the result is sublime.

This recipe will be appreciated at any time of the year.

I will suggest it for you next holiday [Thanksgiving]. It will make the meal. And, as a side benefit of this side dish, it could spare you years of therapy.

Sweet Potato Soufflé

Yield: 6-8 servings [perfect for a holiday meal]

Ingredients:

• 8 medium sweet potatoes or yams (about 4 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup half-and-half
• ¼ cup apple cider
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons chilled salted butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Put the sweet potatoes in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and add the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until soft when pierced, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

Peel the sweet potatoes and place in a large bowl. Mash to a coarse consistency with a potato ricer or masher. Add the room-temperature butter, half-and-half, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a buttered 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet. Dot the potatoes with the chilled butter pieces and bake in the oven until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. For a perfect golden crust on top, broil for the last 5 minutes.

Source: The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook by Sharon Kramis, Julie Kramis Hearne and Charity Burggraff

Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 18-55MM lens, F/3.5, 1/30^th second, ISO-200

When Suzen tells a group that has come to do a group event at Cooking by the Book that they will be preparing a sweet potato side dish, you can see the frowns on many faces.

“Trust me. You haven’t had anything like this,” she reassures her audience.

We never have leftovers. Guests, who come here to make a meal in our kitchen and then go into our dining room to consume their creativity, keep coming back for seconds. Not of the chicken or the salmon or the steak. Of these marvelous sweet potatoes.

I know. It does seem a bit of an oxymoron to call them sweet. Unless you are recalling that catastrophic recipe where they are baked with marshmallows.

No, here you go the other way: spice and heat. Okay, there is just a glimmer of sweetness from the apple juice, and yes the 20 cloves of garlic do tend to sweeten a tad when sautéed. All that aside, this dish has a little fire to it. Definitely serve it warm to accentuate that sensation of heat.

This is fine accompaniment to chicken, steak, or even fish. The flavor is deliciously distinctive without being overwhelming. It pairs well with a strong wine, either red or white.

And, yes, you’ll be asking for seconds yourself.

Sweet Potatoes with Garlic, Ginger, and Cilantro

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

 Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 6 tablespoons onion powder, divided
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, divided
• 20 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger minced
• 3 tablespoons apple juice
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 small punch of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
• Seat salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the sweet potatoes with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then add 3 tablespoons onion powder, salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes for about 35 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan on low heat, add the ginger and garlic. Sauté gently for about 5 minutes, stirring to blend and to keep from sticking to the pan bottom.

When ginger and garlic are tender, add 3 tablespoons of onion powder and 2 tablespoon of smoky paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Distribute those flavor bits through the potatoes by stirring to mix well.

Raise the heat to medium high. Deglaze the pan with the apple juice and sherry vinegar until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the warm potatoes to a large bowl. Gently toss with the garlic ginger mixture. Toss in and mix in the cilantro at the end. Serve warm.

Source: Chef Mariya Yufest at Cooking by the Book

Photo Information [top picture]: Canon T2i, EFS 60 mm Macro Lens, F/5.6 for 1/20th second at ISO-3200

I first posted this recipe four years ago, and it is one Suzen and I have enjoyed on a regular basis ever since. Now, I know, I have posted several sweet potato recipes recently, all in anticipation of Thanksgiving. Which is very soon. Actually, it’s tomorrow.

And if you have yet to settle on a sweet potato recipe then these honey and chipotle infused spears of sweet potatoes may be just what you need. They are an ideal match for turkey, particularly that rich dark meat. Here the sweetness of honey and heat of chipotle are a fine balance for turkey. The lime juice is a “chaser” you cannot ignore.

Why do I obsess about sweet potatoes? I have no idea. I just know that Thanksgiving dinner has to have them, has to. I tried to discuss this with my therapist, but all she could do is suggest marshmallows. Yes, she said that m-word, trying to be helpful. I explained that my childhood had been tainted by mounds of marshmallows browning atop a base of sweet potatoes.

You may have had that dish. You may even enjoy it. But for me, honey and chipotle and lime are the winning combination.

Easy, spicy, and satisfying, this dish will be a warm addition to your holiday table warmly received.

Honey and Chipotle Glazed Sweet Potato Spears

Yield: serves 10

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds uniformly (medium) size dark-orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in half crosswise, the cut into ½-inch wedges
• 1 tablespoon plus ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• ½ cup honey
• ⅓cup fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher or seal salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the sweet potato wedges in a large bowl.  Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with the 1 tablespoon butter and set aside

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the ½ cup butter. Whisk in the chipotle powder and the add the honey, lime juice and salt.  Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, continue simmering for 3 minutes to meld the glaze.

Pour the glaze over the sweet potatoes and toss until well coated.  Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl, drizzling any remaining glaze over the potatoes.  Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast, covered, for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and base with the potatoes. Continue to bake, basting every 10 minutes for about 20 minutes longer until tender, nicely browned and caramelized at the edges.  Serve immediately, or keep warm in a low oven for up to 30 minutes.  Baste just before serving.

Source: The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

In My Perfect Pantry, Geoffrey Zakarian uses simple pantry elements to forge wonderful, full flavored dishes. He has a list of 50 pantry ingredients that he employs in appetizers, side dishes, main courses and desserts. Here the simple ingredient is the pecans. It’s an addition that cooperates with pomegranate, ginger and pumpkin seeds.

This is, surely, a fall dish with elegance. It might appear on your holiday dinner table, but why wait until November or December. Enjoy this dish now, fall in love, and sample it again when the weather is even colder and you want something warm, comfy and just a tad complex.

I’ve read this recipe multiple times and, into my delirious head, the word “pineapple” pops. When you roast the sweet potatoes, drizzling with some pineapple juice might be an excellent addition to the olive oil. Or, when making the syrup, you could replace the can of ginger ale with pineapple juice to introduce this sweeter tone.

What’s the right thing to do? Experiment. Suzie and I are.

Pomegranate-Ginger Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds

Yield: serves 6

Ingredients:

For the syrup:

• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 12-ounce can ginger ale
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Kosher salt

For the sweet potatoes:

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 ¼ pounds)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. To make the syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice, ginger ale, and ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer rapidly until reduced to ⅓ to ½ cup. The mixture should be syrupy and coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the butter, season with salt, and keep warm.

To make the sweet potatoes, toss the sweet potatoes with the rosemary, lemon slices, and oil on a rimmed sheet pan. Season with salt. Roast until the sweet potatoes are tender, tossing once or twice, 30 to 40 minutes. Toss with the pecans and pumpkins seeds and roast 5 minutes more. Mound the sweet potatoes on a platter and drizzle with the syrup, making sure you hit all of the potatoes.

Source: My Perfect Pantry by Geoffrey Zakarian [Clarkson Potter, 2014]

Photography Credit: Sara Remington

You come in on Sunday afternoon. The snow has been shoveled, the wood stacked. That board pulling away from the side of the house has been nailed back tight. Although the days are getting longer, they are still short. The afternoon shadows are long and cold.

On your kitchen counter you encounter some sweet potaotoes. What can you do with these rather stark critters. I don't think you can call a sweet potato beautiful. But, as with all our garden bounty, they have potential.

Dinner needs to be warm and sweet. These mashed sweet potatoes are just perfect. Here you can enjoy that quite distinctive sweet potato flavor, toned with milk and butter and maple syrup. The potato-syrup combination seems a perfect destiny for those rough-and-ready looking sweet potatoes.

What else for a wintry dinner? These potatoes happily share a plate with roasted chicken or broil pork loin.

And if you are lucky enough to have sugar maple trees on your land, maybe you’ll considering tapping into a great resource for next fall’s first bounty of sweet potatoes.

Here's a thought: what about this treat on your Christmas Eve or Christmas Night table? Comfort food on the ultimate "homey" night.

Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Yield: Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds dark-orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• ½ cup [1 stick] unsalted butter
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅔ to ¾ cup milk, warmed
• Kosher or sea salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pierce each potato several times with a fork and place in a baking pan. Bake the potatoes for 1 ¼ to 1 ½hours until tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter and maple syrup. Stir to melt the butter and bring to a boil. Set aside and keep warm.

Cut the potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the skins. Use a potato masher, ricer, or food mill to mash the potatoes. Stir the butter mixture into the potatoes. Add the milk and mash until well blended.

Season to taste with salt. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes until warmed through. Alternatively, transfer the mashed potatoes to a microwave-safe serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Just before serving, microwave the potatoes on high until heated through.

Source: The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

Diane Kochilas has written many award-winning cookbooks including Mediterranean Grilling in 2007. It’s a great book because it gives you new perspective on old friends.

For example, the sweet potato. I know, it is almost fall, and we are already thinking ahead to holiday meal. We gather with friends and family and there is always loads of advanced discussion about what we are going to do.

Or not to.

Or have to do.

Somehow, sweet potatoes have become a “must” dish for the holidays. For some folks, sweet potatoes are about as obligatory as alimony. We do them because we have to. I don’t eat them under court order, exactly, but here is a recipe where you will volunteer to gobble them down.

Grilling the sweet potatoes will enhance their “sweetness.” Personally, I have never thought of them as sweet. But this accompanying dressing is quite happily both sweet and spicy, sure to transform your impression of sweet potatoes far, far to the sweet side.

Suzi looked at this picture form the book and said, “Those don’t look like sweet potatoes to me.” It’s all leek on top, that’s true, but the sweet potatoes have to be there underneath. Of course, if you have a preference for turnips or parsnips, you could venture down your own garden path.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Leeks with Mint, Orange and Olive Vinaigrette

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

For the veggies:

• 1 pound long sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 3 large leeks, roots, tough upper greens, and outer layers removed
• Vegetable oil for brush the grill rack

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup strained fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1 scant teaspoon pink peppercorns, ground with your fingertips
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced crosswise

Preparation:

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes until they can be pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, slit the leeks lengthwise without cutting all the way through and wash thoroughly under cold water, removing any sand from their interior layers. Pat dry.

Heat the grill to medium-hot and oil the grill rack.

Remove the sweet potatoes and place in a cold water bath or rinse under cold water in a colander. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut in ¼‑inch rounds. Cut the leeks on the bias into 1‑inch thick ovals. Gently toss the leeks and sweet potatoes in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, being careful not to separate the leek layers. Place the leeks and then the sweet potatoes on the hottest par of the grill and grill them, turning once until the leeks are lightly charred and caramelized and the potatoes are tender and lined with grill marks. The leeks with take 10 to 12 minutes total. The sweet potatoes 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and place in a serving bowl or on a small platter.

Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange and lemon juices. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking vigorously to emulsify. Add the sugar, salt, pink peppercorns, and mustard. Stir in the mint and olive and pour over the sweet potatoes and leeks. Toss gently and serve.

Source: Mediterranean Grilling by Diane Kochilas [William Morrow, 2007]

Gnocchi used to be a tad exotic for many of us, something to be enjoyed only in restaurants. But now the dish can easily be found in supermarkets. Those frozen morsels cannot compare with the gems freshly folded in that restaurant you enjoy. And, actually, you can easily make them yourself in your own kitchen.

Instead of just the standard potato, here sweet potatoes are used to provide their special tang. I don’t find sweet potatoes to be sweet at all — unless adorned with maple syrup. No syrup here. Just that natural flavor, accented with sage butter. Oh, and a touch of curry is optional to accentuate the sweet potato.

This is a super first course that can introduce any protein: fowl, footed, or finned.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter

Yield: serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 large russet potatoes
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp curry powder (optional)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup julienned sage leave

Preparation:

In a medium pot of water over high heat, cook the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Cool and peel. Put the potatoes through a ricer and process. Mix in flour, season with salt and pepper, and curry if using, until well combined. (Do not use food processor or blender, or potatoes will have a sticky texture like glue).

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead a couple of minutes and roll into a½-inch rope, then cut into 1–inch long pieces. Add a slight indentation in the center of each piece.

In a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, about 2 minutes.

In the meantime, add the oil and butter to a large nonstick pan over medium heat. When the butter is melted, sauté sage for 1 minute then add cooked gnocchi and toss. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and syrupy. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken.

Source: Corinne Trang for Cooking by the Book

This recipe is brought to you thanks to the kindness of Sasquatch Books. They sent me a review copy of The Cast Iron Skillet. It sits in my upstate house, buried in snow. Suzen and I haven’t tried to get upstate in three week. We have plenty of snow, and ice, right here in Manhattan.

But I wanted to test recipes, and Sasquatch emailed me a PDF of the book. Suzen was able to scroll through all the sumptuous recipes. As I expected, she stopped when she got to this one, Sweet Potato Soufflé.

I don’t know if you have a problem with sweet potatoes, but I do. It all began when I was a child and my mother, at Thanksgiving, presented a tub of sweet potatoes crowned with marshmallows. I still talk to my therapist about the trauma. Can you get PTSD from one serving of goop? I think I did.

After decades of avoiding them, I now love sweet potatoes. A month ago, we did some experiments and I got a new favorite recipe: sweet potatoes blended in a hot mixture of chiles. It’s wonderful and I will blog it soon. But, but, this soufflé recipe is easily my favorite sweet potato concoction. And I doubt it can ever be surpassed.

“No eggs. How can it be a soufflé?” Suzen asked. She was reading the recipe. I was standing over her shoulder.

“Maybe the half-and-half,” I suggested. “Or the apple cider. Or the butter. Or the sugar. Maybe we should add more sugar.”

I got a dirty look. “Remember, we ate at the restaurant where one of these authors was the chef? Remember how good it was? How Paris-quality it was? We are not messing with anything.”

With perfect diligence, Suzen measured and I obeyed. This recipe is perfectly balanced in its flavors. And the techniques, hand mashing and then beating with an electric mixer, yield a monster result. The sweet potato flavor here is sheltered in layers of apple, orange, and cinnamon. There is dairy richness: butter and half-and-half. All these flavors, all the techniques, and the result is sublime.

This recipe will be appreciated at any time of the year.

I will suggest it for you next holiday [Thanksgiving]. It will make the meal. And, as a side benefit of this side dish, it could spare you years of therapy.

Sweet Potato Soufflé

Yield: 6-8 servings [perfect for a holiday meal]

Ingredients:

• 8 medium sweet potatoes or yams (about 4 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup half-and-half
• ¼ cup apple cider
• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 3 tablespoons chilled salted butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Put the sweet potatoes in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and add the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until soft when pierced, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

Peel the sweet potatoes and place in a large bowl. Mash to a coarse consistency with a potato ricer or masher. Add the room-temperature butter, half-and-half, apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a buttered 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet. Dot the potatoes with the chilled butter pieces and bake in the oven until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. For a perfect golden crust on top, broil for the last 5 minutes.

Source: The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook by Sharon Kramis, Julie Kramis Hearne and Charity Burggraff

Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 18-55MM lens, F/3.5, 1/30^th second, ISO-200

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When Suzen tells a group that has come to do a group event at Cooking by the Book that they will be preparing a sweet potato side dish, you can see the frowns on many faces.

“Trust me. You haven’t had anything like this,” she reassures her audience.

We never have leftovers. Guests, who come here to make a meal in our kitchen and then go into our dining room to consume their creativity, keep coming back for seconds. Not of the chicken or the salmon or the steak. Of these marvelous sweet potatoes.

I know. It does seem a bit of an oxymoron to call them sweet. Unless you are recalling that catastrophic recipe where they are baked with marshmallows.

No, here you go the other way: spice and heat. Okay, there is just a glimmer of sweetness from the apple juice, and yes the 20 cloves of garlic do tend to sweeten a tad when sautéed. All that aside, this dish has a little fire to it. Definitely serve it warm to accentuate that sensation of heat.

This is fine accompaniment to chicken, steak, or even fish. The flavor is deliciously distinctive without being overwhelming. It pairs well with a strong wine, either red or white.

And, yes, you’ll be asking for seconds yourself.

Sweet Potatoes with Garlic, Ginger, and Cilantro

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

 Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 6 tablespoons onion powder, divided
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, divided
• 20 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger minced
• 3 tablespoons apple juice
• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 small punch of fresh cilantro roughly chopped
• Seat salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the sweet potatoes with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then add 3 tablespoons onion powder, salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes for about 35 minutes until cooked through and starting to brown.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan on low heat, add the ginger and garlic. Sauté gently for about 5 minutes, stirring to blend and to keep from sticking to the pan bottom.

When ginger and garlic are tender, add 3 tablespoons of onion powder and 2 tablespoon of smoky paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Distribute those flavor bits through the potatoes by stirring to mix well.

Raise the heat to medium high. Deglaze the pan with the apple juice and sherry vinegar until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the warm potatoes to a large bowl. Gently toss with the garlic ginger mixture. Toss in and mix in the cilantro at the end. Serve warm.

Source: Chef Mariya Yufest at Cooking by the Book

Photo Information [top picture]: Canon T2i, EFS 60 mm Macro Lens, F/5.6 for 1/20th second at ISO-3200

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I first posted this recipe four years ago, and it is one Suzen and I have enjoyed on a regular basis ever since. Now, I know, I have posted several sweet potato recipes recently, all in anticipation of Thanksgiving. Which is very soon. Actually, it’s tomorrow.

And if you have yet to settle on a sweet potato recipe then these honey and chipotle infused spears of sweet potatoes may be just what you need. They are an ideal match for turkey, particularly that rich dark meat. Here the sweetness of honey and heat of chipotle are a fine balance for turkey. The lime juice is a “chaser” you cannot ignore.

Why do I obsess about sweet potatoes? I have no idea. I just know that Thanksgiving dinner has to have them, has to. I tried to discuss this with my therapist, but all she could do is suggest marshmallows. Yes, she said that m-word, trying to be helpful. I explained that my childhood had been tainted by mounds of marshmallows browning atop a base of sweet potatoes.

You may have had that dish. You may even enjoy it. But for me, honey and chipotle and lime are the winning combination.

Easy, spicy, and satisfying, this dish will be a warm addition to your holiday table warmly received.

Honey and Chipotle Glazed Sweet Potato Spears

Yield: serves 10

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds uniformly (medium) size dark-orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in half crosswise, the cut into ½-inch wedges
• 1 tablespoon plus ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• ½ cup honey
• ⅓cup fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher or seal salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place the sweet potato wedges in a large bowl.  Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with the 1 tablespoon butter and set aside

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the ½ cup butter. Whisk in the chipotle powder and the add the honey, lime juice and salt.  Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, continue simmering for 3 minutes to meld the glaze.

Pour the glaze over the sweet potatoes and toss until well coated.  Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl, drizzling any remaining glaze over the potatoes.  Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast, covered, for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and base with the potatoes. Continue to bake, basting every 10 minutes for about 20 minutes longer until tender, nicely browned and caramelized at the edges.  Serve immediately, or keep warm in a low oven for up to 30 minutes.  Baste just before serving.

Source: The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

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In My Perfect Pantry, Geoffrey Zakarian uses simple pantry elements to forge wonderful, full flavored dishes. He has a list of 50 pantry ingredients that he employs in appetizers, side dishes, main courses and desserts. Here the simple ingredient is the pecans. It’s an addition that cooperates with pomegranate, ginger and pumpkin seeds.

This is, surely, a fall dish with elegance. It might appear on your holiday dinner table, but why wait until November or December. Enjoy this dish now, fall in love, and sample it again when the weather is even colder and you want something warm, comfy and just a tad complex.

I’ve read this recipe multiple times and, into my delirious head, the word “pineapple” pops. When you roast the sweet potatoes, drizzling with some pineapple juice might be an excellent addition to the olive oil. Or, when making the syrup, you could replace the can of ginger ale with pineapple juice to introduce this sweeter tone.

What’s the right thing to do? Experiment. Suzie and I are.

Pomegranate-Ginger Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds

Yield: serves 6

Ingredients:

For the syrup:

• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 12-ounce can ginger ale
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Kosher salt

For the sweet potatoes:

• 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 ¼ pounds)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. To make the syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the pomegranate juice, ginger ale, and ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer rapidly until reduced to ⅓ to ½ cup. The mixture should be syrupy and coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in the butter, season with salt, and keep warm.

To make the sweet potatoes, toss the sweet potatoes with the rosemary, lemon slices, and oil on a rimmed sheet pan. Season with salt. Roast until the sweet potatoes are tender, tossing once or twice, 30 to 40 minutes. Toss with the pecans and pumpkins seeds and roast 5 minutes more. Mound the sweet potatoes on a platter and drizzle with the syrup, making sure you hit all of the potatoes.

Source: My Perfect Pantry by Geoffrey Zakarian [Clarkson Potter, 2014]

Photography Credit: Sara Remington

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You come in on Sunday afternoon. The snow has been shoveled, the wood stacked. That board pulling away from the side of the house has been nailed back tight. Although the days are getting longer, they are still short. The afternoon shadows are long and cold.

On your kitchen counter you encounter some sweet potaotoes. What can you do with these rather stark critters. I don't think you can call a sweet potato beautiful. But, as with all our garden bounty, they have potential.

Dinner needs to be warm and sweet. These mashed sweet potatoes are just perfect. Here you can enjoy that quite distinctive sweet potato flavor, toned with milk and butter and maple syrup. The potato-syrup combination seems a perfect destiny for those rough-and-ready looking sweet potatoes.

What else for a wintry dinner? These potatoes happily share a plate with roasted chicken or broil pork loin.

And if you are lucky enough to have sugar maple trees on your land, maybe you’ll considering tapping into a great resource for next fall’s first bounty of sweet potatoes.

Here's a thought: what about this treat on your Christmas Eve or Christmas Night table? Comfort food on the ultimate "homey" night.

Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Yield: Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds dark-orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• ½ cup [1 stick] unsalted butter
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅔ to ¾ cup milk, warmed
• Kosher or sea salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pierce each potato several times with a fork and place in a baking pan. Bake the potatoes for 1 ¼ to 1 ½hours until tender when pierced with a fork. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter and maple syrup. Stir to melt the butter and bring to a boil. Set aside and keep warm.

Cut the potatoes in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the skins. Use a potato masher, ricer, or food mill to mash the potatoes. Stir the butter mixture into the potatoes. Add the milk and mash until well blended.

Season to taste with salt. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a saucepan and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes until warmed through. Alternatively, transfer the mashed potatoes to a microwave-safe serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Just before serving, microwave the potatoes on high until heated through.

Source: The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

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Diane Kochilas has written many award-winning cookbooks including Mediterranean Grilling in 2007. It’s a great book because it gives you new perspective on old friends.

For example, the sweet potato. I know, it is almost fall, and we are already thinking ahead to holiday meal. We gather with friends and family and there is always loads of advanced discussion about what we are going to do.

Or not to.

Or have to do.

Somehow, sweet potatoes have become a “must” dish for the holidays. For some folks, sweet potatoes are about as obligatory as alimony. We do them because we have to. I don’t eat them under court order, exactly, but here is a recipe where you will volunteer to gobble them down.

Grilling the sweet potatoes will enhance their “sweetness.” Personally, I have never thought of them as sweet. But this accompanying dressing is quite happily both sweet and spicy, sure to transform your impression of sweet potatoes far, far to the sweet side.

Suzi looked at this picture form the book and said, “Those don’t look like sweet potatoes to me.” It’s all leek on top, that’s true, but the sweet potatoes have to be there underneath. Of course, if you have a preference for turnips or parsnips, you could venture down your own garden path.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Leeks with Mint, Orange and Olive Vinaigrette

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

For the veggies:

• 1 pound long sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 3 large leeks, roots, tough upper greens, and outer layers removed
• Vegetable oil for brush the grill rack

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup strained fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• Salt to taste
• 1 scant teaspoon pink peppercorns, ground with your fingertips
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced crosswise

Preparation:

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes until they can be pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, slit the leeks lengthwise without cutting all the way through and wash thoroughly under cold water, removing any sand from their interior layers. Pat dry.

Heat the grill to medium-hot and oil the grill rack.

Remove the sweet potatoes and place in a cold water bath or rinse under cold water in a colander. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut in ¼‑inch rounds. Cut the leeks on the bias into 1‑inch thick ovals. Gently toss the leeks and sweet potatoes in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, being careful not to separate the leek layers. Place the leeks and then the sweet potatoes on the hottest par of the grill and grill them, turning once until the leeks are lightly charred and caramelized and the potatoes are tender and lined with grill marks. The leeks with take 10 to 12 minutes total. The sweet potatoes 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and place in a serving bowl or on a small platter.

Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange and lemon juices. Drizzle in the olive oil, whisking vigorously to emulsify. Add the sugar, salt, pink peppercorns, and mustard. Stir in the mint and olive and pour over the sweet potatoes and leeks. Toss gently and serve.

Source: Mediterranean Grilling by Diane Kochilas [William Morrow, 2007]

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Gnocchi used to be a tad exotic for many of us, something to be enjoyed only in restaurants. But now the dish can easily be found in supermarkets. Those frozen morsels cannot compare with the gems freshly folded in that restaurant you enjoy. And, actually, you can easily make them yourself in your own kitchen.

Instead of just the standard potato, here sweet potatoes are used to provide their special tang. I don’t find sweet potatoes to be sweet at all — unless adorned with maple syrup. No syrup here. Just that natural flavor, accented with sage butter. Oh, and a touch of curry is optional to accentuate the sweet potato.

This is a super first course that can introduce any protein: fowl, footed, or finned.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter

Yield: serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 large russet potatoes
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp curry powder (optional)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup julienned sage leave

Preparation:

In a medium pot of water over high heat, cook the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Cool and peel. Put the potatoes through a ricer and process. Mix in flour, season with salt and pepper, and curry if using, until well combined. (Do not use food processor or blender, or potatoes will have a sticky texture like glue).

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead a couple of minutes and roll into a½-inch rope, then cut into 1–inch long pieces. Add a slight indentation in the center of each piece.

In a large pot of boiling salted water over high heat, add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top, about 2 minutes.

In the meantime, add the oil and butter to a large nonstick pan over medium heat. When the butter is melted, sauté sage for 1 minute then add cooked gnocchi and toss. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce is reduced and syrupy. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken.

Source: Corinne Trang for Cooking by the Book

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When I saw this recipe, I knew it was just a matter of time until I enjoyed it. Suzi is a devoted fan of eggplant and of sweet potatoes. Here they are combined in a North African stew that has penetrating spice flavor. There is an ingredient here, ras el hanout, that is a Moroccan staple. You probably don’t have it on your home shelf but you can make a variation using cinnamon and cardamom. Do some googling to find just the spice combination you desire.

This dish is spicy in the sense of being intense. It is not “hot” but it most assuredly is warm. You can serve this over couscous or rice. Or just enjoy it all on its own.

This recipe comes from Bowls of Goodness by Nina Olsson, a vibrant exposition of vegetarian dishes. So, and I know this is heresy, you can stick with its vegetarian bent, or you could add some diced chicken or turkey here to give it a protein boost. Even flaky chunks of fish would work here. In short, it is a lovely and flexible recipe that you can easily and gracefully bend to your own preferences.

One key suggestion: make lots of this, freeze it, and employ it on a weeknight when you are too frazzled to order pizza. It’s lovely and refreshing. And spicy!

North African Eggplant Stew

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

Olive oil

2 red onions, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 tablespoon ras el hanout

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggplants, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

6 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

14 ½ ounce can diced tomatoes

14 ounce can coconut milk

1 tablespoon tahini

1 tablespoon harissa paste

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Handful of raisins

1 teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the ras el hanout, cinnamon, and salt, and stir with the onions for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggplant, pepper, and sweet potato and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, tahini, harissa, cayenne, raisins, and honey. Cover the pan and allow the stew to simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to the package instructions. Serve the stew with couscous, slivered almonds, and mint leaves.

Source: Bowls of Goodness by Nina Olsson [Kyle, 2017]

Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 60mm Macro Lens, F/4 for 1/40^th second at ISO‑500

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Fries. We surely crave them. Want them. Okay, we need them.

Sweet potato fries are actually healthier for us and, if you can avoid deep frying, then really, really healthier. To make sweet potato fries, you can find many recipes with alternative techniques. Great French fries, of course, are double fried. So great sweet potato fries can be made with a double dose of heat, first par-boiling in water followed by a round of baking in the oven.

Ah, but here, that two-step process is avoided. There is just one round of baking, yet the final product is just superb. A cheesy and firm crust enclosing a lovely soft interior. The contrast of crust and interior is delightful.

With the cheese here, you don’t need a dip for your fries. But I wouldn’t stop you from your favorite: ketchup, mustard, mayo, perhaps even guacamole.

Sunday is the Superbowl. You’ll want snack food and the whole thing takes four hours. That’s a lot of snacking, a lot of food. Have at least one healthy treat for yourself. And this “healthy” thing is actually addictive!

Oh, the picture. Yes, these fries make an excellent side dish. Here spinach and chicken and fries are combined in a plate of pure comfort. At her cooking school, Cooking by the Book, Suzi really stays away from deep frying — the mess and the lingering smells and the cleanup can be massive if you are cooking for 30 people. But a tray of baked sweet potato fries? No problem.

Sweet Potato and Parmesan Fries

Yield: serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, washed and cut into ½-inch wedges
• 10 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin oil
• 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped, optional
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese freshly grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small saucepan heat the butter and olive oil until the butter has melted. Add the garlic and bring to a low boil, immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until the garlic is lightly brown. Shut the heat off.

In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato wedges together with the garlic oil/butter until they are all well coated. Tip them onto a prepared roasting tray and arrange them in a single layer. Bake for about 30 minutes.

Bring the chips out of the oven and carefully loosen them from the tray. Sprinkle the rosemary and Parmesan all over and shake the try to combine. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes or so to become crispy.

Source: Gatherings by Flora Sheddon [Mitchell Beazley, 2017]

Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 60mm Macro Lens, F/4.5 for 1/50^th second at ISO‑250

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