Sweet Potatoes
Varieties
There are two main types of sweet potatoes. The one most commonly called a sweet potato has flesh that is relatively dry and fluffy, with a yellow color and starchy texture. Sweet potatoes that are moister, sweeter, more slender, and have skins that range from orange to purple are often mistakenly referred to as yams. In fact, they are another variety of sweet potato. True yams, which are grown in the tropics, are almost ivory in color, and are more starchy than sweet.
Sweet potatoes are sold either fresh or canned. The canned ones are either vacuum-packed or packed in a syrup.
Preparation, Uses, & Tips
To prepare sweet potatoes, scrub them well with a vegetable brush.
To boil
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into chunks. Boil until tender—about 25 to 30 minutes. Boiled sweet potatoes can be mashed with butter or margarine and a small amount of orange juice for extra flavor. Or add brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
To fry
Julienne-cut sweet potatoes can be deep fried to make French fries.
To roast
Cut unpeeled sweet potatoes into wedges, toss with olive oil and herbs, and roast at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender.
To bake
Pierce the skin of each sweet potato in several places with a fork, and then bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (220°C), followed by 45 to 60 minutes more at 375°F (190°C). They should be placed on a baking tray since they produce a sticky syrup while baking. Sweet potato slices can also be layered with slices of apple and then topped with brown sugar and butter or margarine and baked in a covered casserole dish at 375°F (190°C) for about 30 minutes.
To microwave
Pierce the skin in several places and bake whole potatoes on high for 5 to 9 minutes.
To grill
Peel the sweet potatoes and slice them lengthwise into 1/2 (1.25cm) inch thick slices. Grill until browned, about four minutes on each side. Serve grilled sweet potatoes brush with melted butter and brown sugar.
Puréed, boiled sweet potatoes—particularly the type known as yams—can be used in baked goods, and can replace pumpkin in pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread. Sweet potato pie is a traditional dish in the southern United States. Finely diced sweet potatoes make good hash browns.
Good flavors for seasoning sweet potatoes include orange, pineapple, apples, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, maple syrup, chile peppers, cilantro, lemon, lime, and curry.
Storing
Because cold can damage sweet potatoes, they should not be refrigerated but should be stored in a cool area—like a pantry—and used within two weeks.
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