Vanilla sweet potatoes

2021-10-27

Status: Beta

Makes: 5 good-sized servings

Takes: about 3 hours overall, no more than 10 minutes active work

This is my favorite sweet potato preparation. It produces a creamy puree with a texture like mashed potatoes, but with a flavor that’s somewhere between a side dish and a dessert.

Ingredients

• Two medium sweet potatoes - about 1.5 lbs / 700 g. (I usually get Beauregards, which are mis-labeled as garnet yams at my supermarket.)

The liquids (can combine in 2qt saucepan):

• 160 ml heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, or 1/2 tsp powdered bean, or scrapings from the inside of about 1/3 - 1/2 vanilla bean.
• About 1tsp orange zest (does not need to be exact).

Finishing:

• 30 g / 2 Tbsp unsalted butter.
• Some kosher salt.

Procedure

Roast the potatoes.

• Preheat an oven to 250 F.
• Put parchment on a cookie sheet, and the sweet potatoes on the parchment.
• Start them cooking. Set a timer for three hours.

When the timer goes off, prepare the cream:

• Combine the liquids (including the orange zest) in a 2 qt saucepan.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Cook 5 minutes.

Combine in food processor:

• Take potatoes out of oven.
• Slice them in half or quarters, and use a spoon to scrape out the flesh. The flesh can go directly into the bowl of a food processor.
• Pour the liquids from the previous step into the food processor.
• Add the butter and a pinch of kosher salt.
• Puree until smooth.