Dear Abby: Should I tell my ex-lover’s widow I had her husband’s child? Occidental couple’s recipe for chili crisp sauce has a devoted fan base In the late 1970s, Sweet Potato opened in Railroad Square, where Disguise the Limit is now. The store was like no other, shaped by […]
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In the late 1970s, Sweet Potato opened in Railroad Square, where Disguise the Limit is now. The store was like no other, shaped by kitsch, irreverence and a sort of tongue-in-cheek sophistication that delighted thousands. Among my many purchases was a black porcelain cat staring into a glass fishbowl. I still have it.
Particularly delightful was the store’s first window display. The large window was nearly completely empty, with pale fabric blocking the interior. A high-strung banner contained a single word — “sweet.” A rope ladder hung near the end of the banner, and positioned about half way up was a fat potato, smiling as it climbed to take its place.
And that brings us to sweet potatoes, the focus of today’s column.
What is a sweet potato, exactly?
First, it’s not a potato. A potato is a tuber, a member of the nightshade family and a relative of tomatoes, eggplant, sweet peppers, chiles and tobacco. A sweet potato is a tuberous root and a member of the morning glory family. Nutritionally, a sweet potato is an excellent source of vitamins A, B12 and C and fiber.
Over the last century, there has been a fair amount of confusion between sweet potatoes and yams. In the U.S., yellow-orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are often identified as yams, based on an advertising campaign in the 1930s that sought to draw attention to a certain variety. All these years later, the misnomer persists.
A true yam is a member of the Dioscorea family, a native of Africa and now grown in South America and Asia, too. These tubers can weigh as much as 100 pounds. The yam noodles found in Asian markets are made of this true yam.
Most Americans enjoy sweet potatoes just once a year, on Thanksgiving, when they are often pureed and topped with miniature marshmallows. If your preferences run toward savory foods, as mine do, there are delicious ways to enjoy sweet potatoes. Sliced, cooked and topped with a warm bacon vinaigrette, they make a delicious side dish. Sliced, cooked, chilled, combined with pitted green olives and dressed with green peppercorn vinaigrette, they make a fabulous salad. They are excellent in souffles, quick breads and pancakes and as the finishing touch on shepherd’s pie, instead of the traditional mashed potatoes.
Don’t worry too much about exact proportions in this soup. You want about 3 times as much sweet potato, by weight, as sunchokes, but the margin of error is wide. Just be sure to taste the soup and balance the flavors with salt and pepper until the soup comes alive. If it tastes flat, you haven’t added enough salt.
Sweet Potato and Sunchoke Soup
Makes 6-8 servings
3 medium orange-flesh sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 medium russet potato, scrubbed
3 large sunchokes, scrubbed
Olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
6 cups homemade chicken stock
⅓ cup crème fraîche
Black pepper in a mill
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the sweet potatoes and potatoes in half lengthwise and put them in a large baking dish. Add the cleaned sunchokes, drizzle with a little olive oil and turn so all the vegetables are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the sweet potatoes and potatoes cut side down and set the sunchokes between them.
Bake for 40 minutes or until tender when pierced with a bamboo skewer. Remove from the oven and let cool until easy to handle.
Put the sweet potatoes, potatoes and sunchokes through a potato ricer or food mill.
Pour about 3 tablespoons olive oil into a soup pot, set over medium heat, add the onion and saute until limp and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Do not let it brown.
Season with salt and ¾ teaspoon of the chipotle powder. Stir in the vegetable puree. Add the chicken stock, stirring until the mixture is smooth; add enough water to make a rich, but not thick, soup. Simmer over very low heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the crème fraîche into a small bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt, several turns of black pepper and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of chipotle powder. Mix thoroughly, taste and correct the seasoning. Set aside.
Taste the soup and correct the seasoning.
Ladle into soup plates and drizzle each portion with some of the seasoned crème fraîche. Scatter cilantro leaves over the soup and enjoy right away.
In this recipe, spinach is a counterpoint to the rich curry, and it makes each mouthful soar. Among the most delightful elements of Indian curries are the condiments, typically set on the table to allow each diner to use as much or as little as they want. These condiments are enjoyed alongside or atop the curry, not mixed in.
Sweet Potato Curry with Fresh Spinach
Makes 4-6 servings
