Sweet Potat-OMG!
Say Hello to Sweet Potato Week…
We all know the sweet potato is having a bit of a moment. Check out Instagram and you’ll find more than 1.5m baked, mashed, sliced and stuffed creations using this fluffy, creamy veggie. It’s no wonder, with Brits munching on 156,000 tonnes of sweet potatoes over the past year[i] and sales at an all-time high[ii].
With International Sweet Potato Week on the horizon from 1st April – brough to you by the fine folk at the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute – now’s the time to stockpile your stash and get cooking.
Bake them, fry them, mash them or squash them. Sweet pota-toast them. Make spoodles, try swaffles, spiralize some swagliatelle… The possibilities are endless, and they’re good for you too.
Here are five delicious ways to slice, dice and devour the bright orange root veg from breakfast through to dinner, and see you through International Sweet Potato Week in style:
- Sweet pota-toast toppers
Slice, toast for around 5 minutes, and top with a ton of toppings. Try nut butter and pomegranates, mashed avo and chilli flakes or pesto, cherry tomatoes and basil. The best part is slices can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week. Meal prep made easy.
- Spoothies (a sweet potato smoothie, more appealing than it may sound)
Swap them in place of mangoes or carrots when blitzing your usual go-to smoothie. Mix with a dash of cinnamon and a sprinkling of pecans for a combo that tastes like dessert! Grate them raw for easy blending or freeze smaller chunks to toss into the blender.
- Sweeter soups
Add natural sweetness to soup dishes by blitzing in sweet potato for a creamy, cream-free dish. Try pairing with onion, garlic, red pepper and extra chilli for a lunchtime kick.
- #SweetPotatoSundays
Add sweet potato roasties or wedges to your usual roast. Or, swap your go-to Sunday dish for a creamy sweet potato curry, chorizo and spinach sweet potato hash, or sweet potato pie for pudding.
- Dessert? No problem
Add mashed sweet potatoes to your brownie mixture with medjool dates and pecans for a gooey treat. Bake up a big batch to enjoy when you fancy a cheeky chocolate fix during the week.
Did you know they’re packed with good stuff? Vitamin A – which is essential for good health and promotes growth; Vitamin C – needed for the growth and repair of tissues in your body; manganese – vital for keeping your brain and nerves in check; copper – which helps your body to make red blood cells; as well as potassium and fibre.
American sweet potatoes boast a whole host of benefits – packed with flavour and nutrients, look out for Covington sweet potatoes in the shops for a sensational sweet potato experience.
For more recipe inspiration, head to sweetpotatoes.eu/en today.
International Sweet Potato Week is taking place 1st – 14th April 2017. It is an exciting initiative from the American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute and aims to inspire everyone to get creative in the kitchen and celebrate all things sweet potato.
[i] Fresh Plaza, Overview Global Sweet Potato Market, 16th September 2016
[ii] CBI Product Factsheet, Fresh Sweet Potatoes in Europe, August 2016
Individual Sweet Potato and Caramel Cheesecakes
Serves: 6
Prep time: 60 mins
Ingredients
For the sweet potato curd:
4 tbsp American sweet potato puree (Half a sweet potato, baked, peeled and pureed)
125g butter, The zest and juice of 2 lemons, Seeds from half vanilla pod
200g caster sugar, 2 eggs
For the base:
60g caramel biscuits
50g butter
For the cheesecake topping:
125g American sweet potato puree (1 sweet potato, baked, peeled and pureed), 250g cream cheese
125g caster sugar, 50g sour cream , 20g flour (sieved) , 2 eggs, 1 egg yolk
Method
-Preheat the oven to 140°C.
-To make the sweet potato curd, melt the butter and stir the lemon zest, vanilla seeds, sugar and lemon juice.
-Place the mixture in a heat proof bowl and heat over a pan of boiling water, making sure no water gets into the mixture.
-In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Remove the heatproof bowl from the pan and add the warm liquid to the mixing bowl little by little, stirring continuously, being careful not to curdle the eggs.
-Place the mixing bowl over the pan and stir continuously until the curd thickens. Add the sweet potato puree and leave to one side to cool.
-To make the base, finely crush the biscuits by hand or in a blender, melt the butter and mix with the biscuits.
-Place six paper muffin cases in a muffin tray and add a spoonful of biscuit crumbs to each. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
-To make the cheesecake topping, mix the cream cheese, sweet potato puree, sugar, sour cream and the sieved flour until there’s no lumps. Mix the eggs through one by one to form a smooth mixture, then mix in the egg yolk.
-Fill the cake cases almost to the top, then place in the oven for 25 minutes.
-Leave to cool and serve with the sweet potato curd for a different take on a cheesecake.
Rosemary and Lemon Sweet Potato Wedges
Serves: 4
Prep time: 25 mins
Ingredients
3 American sweet potatoes, 2 tsp chilli flakes or chilli powder, The zest of 1 lemon
3 sprigs rosemary, stalks removed, 4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil, Seasalt, to taste
Method
-Preheat the oven to 200°C.
-Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges and mix with all the other ingredients in a large bowl.
-Place the wedges onto a baking tray and cook for around 40 minutes, until lightly browned.
-Serve as a side with your favourite dip.
Spicy Thai Sweet Potato Curry
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 mins
Ingredients
2 American sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed, 1 head of broccoli, 1 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, cut into quarters, 1 tbsp yellow thai curry paste, 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cm fresh ginger, in thinly sliced, 1 red pepper, cut into narrow rings, 200 ml coconut milk
400 ml vegetable stock, 1 stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped, Pinch of salt
Juice of half a lime, Handful fresh coriander, chopped
Method
-Steam or blanch the broccoli until al dente, then rinse with cold water.
-Dry the broccoli and lightly char in a very hot pan and set aside.
-Heat the coconut oil in a large wok or frying pan and brown the sweet potato cubes.
-Add the onion and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then add the curry paste and stir well. Add the garlic, ginger and pepper and stir gently.
-Next, add the coconut milk, stock and lemongrass and bring to a gentle simmer for around 10 minutes.
-Add the broccoli to the pan and season with a pinch of salt.
-Split the curry between four plates, sprinkle with the lime juice over the plates, and scatter over the fresh coriander.
-Serve with fragrant Thai rice.
Sweet Potato and Courgette Bake
Serves: 2
Prep time: 90 mins
Ingredients
3 American sweet potatoes, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed, 150ml water, Salt and pepper, to taste
1 courgette , 3 sprigs of thyme, with the stalks removed, 150g pecorino cheese
Method
-Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
-Peel one of the sweet potatoes and chop into small pieces.
-Sautee the sweet potato chunks in a saucepan with 1 tbsp olive oil, the onion, garlic and the water until cooked through.
-Meanwhile, peel the remaining two sweet potatoes and cut into slices around half a cm thick.
-Mash the cooked sweet potato mixture until you have a smooth, creamy consistency, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
-Cut the courgette into slices roughly half a cm thick.
-Take a baking dish and grease with 1 tbsp olive oil, then layer the sweet potato slices and the courgette until you run out.
-Season with salt and pepper and top with the sweet potato mixture.
-Sprinkle over the thyme and pecorino, saving a little of the cheese to garnish.
-Sprinkle over the remaining olive oil and bake in the oven for around 1 hour, until a crispy topping has formed.
-Serve with a sprinkle of pecorino cheese to garnish.
Sweet Potato Crème Brulee
Serves: 4
Prep time: 90 mins
Ingredients
100g American sweet potato puree (1 sweet potato, baked, peeled, and pureed), 250ml double cream
70g cane sugar, plus extra for the topping, Quarter of a red pepper, seeds removed
1 vanilla pod, cut lengthways, seeds removed, 6 egg yolks, Zest of 1 lemon
Method
-Preheat the oven to 160°C.
-Place the four ramekins into a bain marie.
-Heat the cream, sugar, red pepper and vanilla seeds and leave to simmer briefly without letting the mixture boil. Sieve so you are left with just liquid.
-Lightly beat the egg yolks in a bowl with a whisk and add a little of the warm cream mixture, continuously stirring.
-Add the lemon zest, then add the remaining cream mixture a little at a time.
-Add the sweet potato puree and mix thoroughly.
-Fill the ramekins with the mixture and place the bain marie in the oven for around 50 minutes, until the mixture is entirely solid.
-Leave to cool, then place in the fridge to set.
-When ready to serve sprinkle with a light layer of cane sugar, then caramelize using a blowtorch.
-Serve immediately for a creamy crème brulee with a truly cracking topping.
Sweet Potato Spring Salad
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 mins
Ingredients
1kg American sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces, 100ml milk
50g butter, or olive oil if you prefer, Salt and pepper, 400g chard, roughly chopped
100 g Parmesan cheese, grated, 4 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
Method
-Boil the sweet potatoes in salted water for 15- 20 minutes.
-Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan. Mash the sweet potatoes with the warm milk and butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
-Add the chard to the sweet potato puree and stir in half of the Parmesan, then split equally between four bowls
-Cut the boiled eggs into quarters and place them on top.
-Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese over the top to serve for a tasty spring salad.
Sweet Potato, Gorgonzola and Rocket Pizza
Makes: 2 pizzas
Prep time: 2 hours
Ingredients
For the base:
40 grams American sweet potato puree, 7 grams instant yeast, 200 ml warm water
1 tsp sugar, 300 grams flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion, diced, 1 clove garlic, chopped, 300 grams passata
Remainder of the American sweet potato puree
For the topping:
2 American sweet potatoes
1 punnet of ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
100 grams gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
50g fine rocket
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
-Preheat the oven to 200°
-Prick holes in the two sweet potatoes with a fork, then wrap in foil and bake for 50 minutes. Once baked, peel and puree the sweet potatoes, and set aside 40g of puree for the base.
-To make the pizza base place the yeast into a bowl with the warm water and sugar, and add the 40g of sweet potato puree. Stir the mixture until smooth.
-Mix the flour and the salt together in a large mixing bowl, then make a well in the middle and pour the yeast mixture in.
-Pour in the oil and the remaining water. Mix by hand until it forms a dough which does not stick to the sides of the bowl.
-Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a floured work surface until supple (for around 10 minutes).
-Roll the dough into a ball, place into a large bowl and cover. Leave to prove in a warm spot for around 1 hour.
-Divide the dough in two and roll each into a ball. Dust the worktop with flour and roll the pizza dough out into two circles with a diameter of around 20 cm each, making the edges slightly thicker so that the sauce doesn’t run off.
-Place the pizza dough on a baking tray and set aside.
-Preheat the oven to 275°C.
-Next, make the sauce. Pour the oil into a thick bottomed pan and place the pan over a high heat.
-Sauté the onion and garlic for 2 minutes then add the passata – bring to the boil, then lower the heat.
-Leave the sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes then add the remaining sweet potato puree, which will thicken the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
-Leave the sauce to cool then divide between the two bases.
-Bake these for 15 – 20 mins with just the sauce until they are nice and crispy, and lightly browned around the edges.
-Once baked, remove from the oven, add the toppings, and serve for a deliciously different homemade pizza.
BBQ’d Sweet Potato with Spicy Chutney
Serves: 4
Prep time: 50 mins
Ingredients
3 American sweet potatoes, 1 stalk of celery, 100g dried apricots
4cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated, 125g sugar
75ml white wine vinegar, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt, Sour cream (optional)
Preparation
-Preheat the oven to 200°C and bake two of the sweet potatoes for about 50 minutes, or until soft to the touch.
-Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthways and grill them briefly on the BBQ to achieve griddle stripes.
-Clean the celery and chop the stalks into thin slices, then cut the apricots into thin strips. Peel and chop the remaining sweet potato into small chunks.
-Bring 150ml of water to the boil in a saucepan and cook the sweet potato chunks with the lid on for 6 minutes, until “al dente”.
-Add the sugar, celery, apricots, ginger, white wine vinegar, mustard seed, curry powder and salt to the pan. Stir the mixture and simmer for a few minutes, until it forms a thick chutney.
-Serve the griddled sweet potatoes with the chutney and a dollop of sour cream, if using.
Baked Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Shropshire Blue
Serves: 4
Prep time: 60 mins
Ingredients
1 kg American sweet potatoes, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 head of garlic, Salt and pepper, to taste
350 grams flour, plus a little extra for dusting, 50 grams butter, 250 grams crème fraîche
150 grams Shropshire Blue cheese, crumbled, 100 grams rocket
Fresh herbs such as chives, parsley or basil, finely chopped
Method
-Preheat the oven to 200°C.
-Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, prick all over with a fork, then brush them all over with olive oil. Cut the top off the garlic.
-Bake for 50 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft, then remove the sweet potato skin immediately.
-Mash the sweet potato into a dry puree using a fork or potato masher. If the sweet potatoes are very damp, leave to evaporate thoroughly.
-Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and mix them through the sweet potato puree, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
-Sieve the flour into the puree and knead into a firm but supple dough; don’t knead for too long or this will make the dough tough.
-Divide the dough into quarters and roll into balls on a flour-covered work surface, then roll into thin cylinders approx. 1.5cm thick.
-Cut the cylinders into 2cm lengths and press grooves onto one side of each gnocchi using the back of a fork.
-Boil the gnocchi in a large pan of salted water for 2½ minutes, then drain using a colander.
-Next, melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the gnocchi along with a pinch of salt.
-Place the rocket onto four large plates, top with the gnocchi, the crumbled cheese, and the herbs. Add a dollop of crème fraiche to serve.
Baked Sweet Potato and King Prawn Salad
Serves: 4
Prep time: 1 hour
Ingredients
For the salad:
2 American sweet potatoes, Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon, 1 red pepper, diced
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, 4 tbsp olive oil, Salt and pepper, to taste
2 avocados, 1 lettuce, 1 tbsp rapeseed oil, 8 spring onions
For the prawns:
12 king prawns, peeled, 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp rapeseed oil, Salt and pepper
Method
-Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake for 50 minutes. Leave to cool, cut in half and break the inside into rough chunks.
-To make the dressing, mix the lemon juice and zest, red pepper, vinegar and olive oil, and whizz with a stick blender until smooth. Season with some salt and pepper.
-Peel the avocado and cut into large chunks and marinate in the dressing.
-Wash the lettuce and dry thoroughly, remove the heart, and roughly chop.
-Cut the spring onions lengthways, then quickly brown in a frying pan in the rapeseed oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and remove from the pan.
-Arrange the lettuce, spring onion, avocado and sweet potato chunks in four large bowls.
-Fry the king prawns and garlic over a high heat in the rapeseed oil, then add them to the salad.
-Finally, sprinkle over the remaining dressing and finish with some salt and pepper to serve.
