There is confusion in the potato patch

Home Cooking Recipes

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Quick & Easy
By Beverly Barbour

There is confusion in the potato patch

Yams are not yams at all! Instead they are a brother of the sweet potato. The name comes from Africa but the American yam, which is moist and bright orange in color, is really a variety of the less colorful and slightly drier sweet potato.

Actually it doesn't matter which you buy, or how you spell the name. The two varieties can be used interchangeable in recipes not only with each other but also with apples, potatoes or squash. And, because the are loaded with antioxidant-beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and E- the may help prevent some diseased and even slow the aging process. What more can we ask from two cousins.

My good friend, Tony Thompson, is a born and bred lover of his "sweets." He keeps a supply on hand at all times and has been known to eat an entire sweet potato pie all by himself. That was true in his bachelor days. He has become the proud father of five new generation southerners, so he now has to bake more than one pie and is heavily into sharing. Here are some Tony-type recipes worth saving room for.

OLD-FASHIONED SLICED SWEET POTATO PIE

I never did get my hands on Tony's recipe but this one has very little fat and no eggs - good for folks on low-cholesterol or low-fat diet.

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 ¼ lbs.), peeled
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice*
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 425⁰F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry. Cut sweet potatoes in ¼-inch slices. Combine 1 cup water and the salt in saucepan. Add slices, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the "sweets" are just barely tender when pierced, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water until they are cool to touch. Drain well and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice, flour and pumpkin pie spice. Toss gently until slices are evenly coated. Arrange the sweet potatoes in pie pan and dot with bits of butter. Top with pastry and seal edges. Cut slits in top to allow steam to escape bake until potatoes are tender (pierce through one of the slits) about 50 minutes. If edges of crust are browning too quickly drape lightly with strips of foil. Serve pie warm or cool. Makes 8 servings.

*Or substitute 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

SPICY SWEET POTATO QUICK BREAD

Nice and moist with only 1 ½ teaspoon of fat in the entire recipe.

½ cup cooked sweet potatoes, peeled and pureed
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
¾ cup raisins
1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325⁰F. Grease 3 mini-pans or one large loaf pan. Combine first 9 ingredients in saucepan; cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add to cooled potato mixture and stir well. Fold in walnuts and spoon batter into pans. Bake on lowest rack in oven for 60 minutes or until done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then turn out and transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 18 servings.

SWEET POTATO PECAN BREAD PUDDING

This custard like pudding is a saving way to use any egg yolks left from holiday baking.

3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.)
2 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs PLUS 6 large yolks
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
8 cups 2-inch bread cubes made from crusty French or European bread

Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Grease and 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Pierce potatoes with a small knife or fork. Roast in oven until soft, about 45 minutes. (or, microwave on high about 6 minutes per pound.) Do not overcook. Let cool until you can handle potatoes.

Peel and cut into 1-inch pieces. There should be about 4 cups. Save half and mash remaining pieces. Combine mashed sweet potatoes with all except reserved potato pieces and the bread; mix well. Then add reserved potatoes pieces and bread cubes and mix gently just until moistened. Pour into pan and cover with foil .Set larger pan on middle rack of oven and place filled baking pan in it. Add enough hot water to large pan to come halfway up side of smaller pan. Bake until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove foil and let top brown slightly, about 5 more minutes. Remove from water and cool to room temperature or keep warm until ready to serve. Cut into squares. If desired top each portion with ice cream or a dollop of Maple Whipped Cream. Makes 8 servings. OnRequestEnd