Sweet potatoes, how do you cook them, what do they taste like?

Question

with what other veg would you serve them, can they be used with a roast? Are they realy sweet?

IM GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE DECIDING A BEST ANSWER ON THIS ONE, THESE ARE GREAT ANSWERS THANKYOU TO EVERYONE.

Answer 1

Slice them real thin the long way if you can (a mandoline is handy but you can do your best without), lightly coat with olive oil and lemon juice s&p, or canola and lime and something spicy like smoked paprika.
Grill them like potato chips.
You can eat them like that or go a step further and make some kind of a salad with them.

You can 'bake' them in a microwave and just add butter or whatever you like adding to baked sweet potatoes.

you can also make a sweet potato mash that also tastes great chilled. using a basic mashed potato recipe, just substitute a similar amount of sweet potatoes. add a touch of honey and some cracked pepper and you've got a great side. i've also varied this by folding in chopped cilantro or crumbled goat cheese for a richer mash.

Dice and roast them ahead of time with a dash of nutmeg, salt, pepper, olive oil. Let them cool and serve it cold as a salad with just a sprinkle of other colorful veggies like cherry tomatoes, corn niblets, red pepper. Finish with minced fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Be gentle when tossing so the cubes don't break into mush.

We almost always have puréed sweet potatoes or garnet yams with our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Usually we just bake them, scrape out the insides and mash them with a little butter and brown sugar. This year my father found a wonderful recipe in an old issue of Bon Appetit which includes grated orange peel, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, spices that you would normally find in a hot mulled cider. The spices give the yams a wonderfully festive holiday accent.

3 pounds (about 6 medium sized) red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes in several places with fork; place on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender when pierced with fork, about 55 minutes. Cool slightly.

2 Cut the sweet potatoes in half. Scoop out pulp into large bowl; discard peel. Add brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, grated orange peel, ground cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg to sweet potato pulp. Using an electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth; season with salt and pepper.

Can be made a day ahead.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Vegetable of the Month: Sweet Potatoes



Sweet potatoes are a Native American plant that was the main source of nourishment for early homesteaders and for soldiers during the Revolutionary War. These tuberous roots are among the most nutritious foods in the vegetable kingdom. They are excellent sources of vitamins A and C. This is why one colonial physician called them the "vegetable indispensable." Sweet potatoes are often confused with yams, but yams are large, starchy roots grown in Africa and Asia. Yams can grow up to 100 pounds and are rarely available in American supermarkets. Nutritionally, sweet potatoes greatly outweigh yams. Because of the common use of the term "yam," it is acceptable to use this term when referring to sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes contain an enzyme that converts most of its starches into sugars as the potato matures. This sweetness continues to increase during storage and when they are cooked.

Sweet Potatoes
Serving size 1/2 cup, baked
Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 90
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 35mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Sugars 8g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A 380%
Vitamin C 35%
Calcium 4%
Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.



Selection

Choose firm, dark, smooth sweet potatoes without wrinkles, bruises, sprouts, or decay. Even if cut away, a decayed spot may have already caused the whole potato to take on an unpleasant flavor.

Storage

Sweet potatoes spoil rapidly. To keep them fresh, store them in a dry, cool (55-60°) place such a cellar, pantry, or garage. Do not store them in the refrigerator, where they will develop a hard core and an "off" taste. If stored properly, sweet potatoes will keep for a month or longer. At normal room temperature, they should be used within a week of purchase. You may brush off any excess dirt before storing, but do not wash them until you are ready to cook them. It is the moisture from washing that will increase their spoilage.

Preparation

Wash sweet potatoes well. Cook them whole whenever possible as most of the nutrients are next to the skin, and skins are easier to remove after they have been cooked. Pierce skin with fork. Place potatoes in a pan and cook in an oven heated to 375° F for about 45 minutes or until tender. Cool potatoes slightly before removing skins. Sweet potatoes can be cooked in a microwave oven to save time. Wash and pierce potatoes, then place them on a paper towel. The cooking time for 2 medium potatoes is on high for 5–9 minutes, and 4 potatoes, 10–13 minutes. Yellow and dark orange sweet potatoes can be used interchangeably in recipes. Try not to mix the two types in a single dish, because their different textures and cooking times may affect the outcome of the recipe. The yellow variety takes longer to cook than the orange and will be done at the upper range of cooking times.

Varieties

Although sweet potatoes are harvested in August through October, they are available in supermarkets all year. Many stores feature them at Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are two varieties of sweet potatoes; the pale yellow with a dry flesh and the dark orange with a moist flesh. The dark orange variety is plumper in shape and somewhat sweeter than the yellow variety.


Yellow, dry-fleshed Orange, moist-fleshed



Make Sweet Potatoes Part of Your Fruit and Vegetable Plan

It is easy to include sweet potatoes in your daily Fruit and Vegetable Plan. Use them in soups, casseroles, puddings, baked goods, or as a substitute for white potatoes in your favorite recipes. They make a nice addition to stir-fries; cut them into thin sticks so that they will cook quickly.


Recipes

Sweet Potatoes & Carrot a L'orange
Makes 4 servings.
This is an official 5 a Day recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups thinly sliced sweet potatoes (1 large)
1 cup sliced carrots
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp grated orange peel
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp slivered almonds

Boil or steam sweet potatoes and carrots until tender. When they are almost done, heat orange juice to boiling in saucepan. Add the orange peel and lemon juice. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 Tbsp water and add to orange mixture. Continue to heat, stirring until thickened. Remove vegetables from pot and place in serving dish. Drizzle orange sauce over them and sprinkle almonds on top.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 160, Protein 3g, Fat 3g, Calories From Fat 13%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 33g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 25mg.


Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4 servings.
This is an official 5 a Day recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch-thick slices
vegetable cooking spray
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp brown sugar
¾ cup unsweetened orange juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Spray 1 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and place potato slices in the bottom. Combine cornstarch and brown sugar in a small bowl and add orange and lemon juices, stirring well. Pour over potatoes and cover and bake at 425°F for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and glaze is thickened.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 161, Protein 2g, Fat 0g, Calories From Fat 3%, Cholesterol 0, Carbohydrates 38g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 17mg.


Sweet Potato Pancakes
Makes 8 servings.
This is an official 5 a Day recipe.

Ingredients

6 cups peeled and finely shredded sweet
potatoes
1 cup finely shredded onions
1 tsp salt-free herb seasoning
1 2/3 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cups finely shredded zucchini
¼ cup lemon juice
1½ cups egg substitute
6 tsp canola oil, divided

In a large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, zucchini, onions, lemon juice, herb blend, egg, flour, and parsley. In a large no-stick frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat, warm 2 tsp of the oil. Drop a large Tbsp of the batter into the pan and spread it with a spatula to form a thin pancake. Add more batter to fill the pan without crowding the pancakes.

Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat, adding the remaining 4 tsp oil as needed, until all the batter has been used.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 267, Protein 11g, Fat 6g, Calories From Fat 20%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 44g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 94mg.

Sweet Potato Praline Pie
Makes 10 servings.
Recipe by: MSCS Wininger, US Navy

Ingredients

1 cup All-Bran¾ Cereal, finely crushed
¼ cup pecans, finely chopped
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 cups sweet potatoes, mashed
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ginger
pinch cloves
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 scant cup milk, 2% lowfat

Combine first three ingredients, press into bottom and sides of 9-inch pie tin lightly sprayed with non-stick spray (easiest to do with dampened hands). Bake in 400-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Mix sweet potatoes in electric mixer for 5 minutes until smooth. Add sugars, spices and eggs, mix to blend. At low speed add milk until well blended. Pour into prepared shell and bake at 400° F for 45 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted into filling comes out clean (center may be soft but will set when cool).
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 10 wedges per pie. Serve with Praline sauce, below.

Praline Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
¾ cup coffee
1 tsp. butter
¼ cup pecans, finely chopped

In saucepan combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in coffee. Cook and stir 4–5 minutes or until bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in 1 teaspoon butter until melted. Stir in pecans. Serve warm with Sweet Potato Praline Pie, approximately 5 teaspoons per serving.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 198, Fat 6g, Protein 3g, Carbohydrates 35g, Cholesterol 47mg, Sodium 43mg.

Answer 2

I think they'd go well with a roast. You could serve them with green beans.
When I cook my sweet potatoes they're sweet, but you could cut back on the about of sugar.
This is how I do them:
Peel & cut in small chucks
Add a little water to a saucepan (enough to cover the bottom) along with a dash of vanilla extract, butter (1/2 stick), cinnamon & sugar to taste.
Add the potatoes & bring to a boil.
Turn flame down low & stir every 5 minutes to make sure all the potatoes cook in the mixture.
Do this for abou 30 min or until the potatoes are the texture you like.

Answer 3

You are obviously not from the south sugar. Sweet Potatoes are a wonderful and very versatile vegetable. They are not overly sweet but they are sweeter than Irish potatoes.

My favorite and the simplest way to cook them is 1st wash them in warm water. Pat dry, wrap individually in tin foil, place on baking tray, bake in oven on 400 degrees for about 45 min (3 med size, adjust time for more) or until you can puncture easily with a knife. Peel the sweet potato.You can eat them plain or a couple of variations 1. mash the potato and butter and mix together (my fav) or you can add a little cinnamon and brown sugar.

Answer 4

Here's an interesting recipe for Sweet Potato Quesadilla.
8 servings

Ingredients:

1 onion, peeled, grated
2 garlic cloves, smashed and rough chopped
4 c grated peeled sweet potato (about 3 potatoes)
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili power
2 tspn ground cumin
Generous pinch of cumin
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tbs vegetable oil

1 c grated sharp cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese
1/2 c cilantro, roughly chopped

8 tortillas (8 to 10 inch)
Commercial Mexican-style tomato salsa
Sour cream


Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine first 9 ingredients in a shallow roasting pan. Toss to distribute ingredients and oil. Place in preheated oven. After 20 minutes check to see if the sweet potato is tender, then remove from oven.

Spread one-eighth of the filling smoothly over one half of a tortilla and 2 tbs of the cheeses on each tortilla, sprinkling of cilantro and fold over.

Cook each filled tortilla on an oiled pan for 2 –3 minutes on each side.

Top with salsa and sour cream.

You can also just add as much filling as you want to a tortilla and eat it more like a burrito.

Remember, recipes (unless it is baking) are just suggestions. You can add or delete ingredients to your liking. Most of all, enjoy cooking and don't be afraid to experiment.

Answer 5

After having heard so much about them on TV, I thought I'd try some. You can use them in just the way you do ordinary potatoes, so I tried them roast, mashed and plain. They are sweet, and I didn't like them very much, which is a bit strange because I like swede, beetroot and carrot. Maybe I over cooked them, but they were a bit mushy, and the roast ones almost slimy on the inside. Very nice colour though.

Answer 6

Best steamed as they keep more flavour! You can boil like normal potatoes aswell. Sweet potato wedges (Roasted) are lovely as a wee healthy snack too. There also great as a baby food. My daughter loves them! They're just a nicer, more fragrant and sweeter version of a normal potato. Enjoy! x

Answer 7

Cinnamon and Marshmallows can be used to make a delicious Sweet Potato Casserole.

Answer 8

You can use them as you would a normal potato. They are softer though and taste much sweeter (hence the name). Great mashed with a bit of butter OR roasted in olive oil, a touch of garlic and some herbs. I usually serve mashed ones with salmon fillets on a bed of rocket.

Answer 9

Sweet potatoes are just divine. I'm not a vege but I recently did some SP patties mashed up with other veg, seasoned and pan fried on both sides. They were a smash hit, used some dip to accompany and some fat chips! Like other ansa's, you can oven bake them, boil them in order to mash or make them into chips. Use them like any other potato.

Answer 10

They are somewhat sweet...oddly enough butter brings out their sweetness. The old sweet/savory thing.

My favorite ways to have them : cut in strips and friied like french fries with a honey mustard dip

diced and roasted after being drizzled with butter and brown sugar.

Baked and mashed just as you would a potato...

The only thing to remember is that the skin is not very tasty so peel them.

Answer 11

There are three excellent ways of cooking sweet potatoes.

1 Bury sweet potato in charcoal hot ash and amber for couple of hours. Remove when the skin is shrunk and inside it is tender. Peel skin and cut in two halves. Apply little salt and Lemon. Superb taste.

2. Wash sweet potato and put in a pressure cooker with little amount of water. After whistle cook for 2 minutes and remove from heat. When cool, open the pressure cooker, remove skin and apply little salt and lemon juice and eat.

3. In the second version along with water put jaggary (Gur) also in cooker. Instead of water and gur even sugarcane juice can be put. You shall have literally 'sweet ' sweet potatoes very tasty. It can be taken with skin. Excellent sweet dish.