Sweet Potatoes: Roasted, Loaded, Fried, and Made into Pie by
Mary-Frances Heck
Sweet potatoes often get a bum rap, prepared as the
ubiquitous and gratuitous mashed, marshmallow covered dish on many Thanksgiving
tables. This cloyingly sweet dish,
however does a disservice to the complex tasting, nutrient packed tuber. Sweet potatoes are available year round, come
in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, from the most widely known orange
fleshed to a white fleshed and a purple fleshed. While these root vegetables are a perfect
vehicle for almost any flavor, they lend themselves particularly well to
citrus, more aromatic herbs and spices such as cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, and
ginger, and also blend well with many proteins, dairy, meat and poultry, and
nuts and seeds. Heck takes cooks through
a variety of ways to prepare sweet potatoes beginning with the basics:
steaming, roasting, puree, and French fries, and then moves on to appetizers
with big (and sometimes surprising flavors): Veggie Temaki, and buffalo seasonings.
Soups and stews include sweet potatoes were traditional white potatoes are
found, Chicken and dumplings, chowders, and with braised sausage and
beans. Side dishes, salads, and main dishes
each offer new ideas for uses and will have home cooks thinking “where else can
I use sweet potatoes?” The Brad and Baked Goods section uses sweet potato puree
for the basis of a very tender, structured dough (yeast and quick) that can be
turned into a variety of baked goods.
Sweet potatoes will add extra nutrition to chocolate babka and cinnamon
rolls, and make the basis of a galette that will be a vehicle for a variety of
toppings, sweet, and savory. Where will
sweet potatoes turn up in your cooking next?
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for
this review.