Joy the Baker » sweet potato

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

joythebaker — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Have you ever been to St Louis, Missouri?

I think it might be a magic place… I think it might also be haunted. Like, seriously.

I’m here visiting my dearheart Rachel. The light here is like sun shining through milkglass. There are piles of leaves everywhere. The houses are HUGE! and beautifully bricked, and scary, and haunted, and regal. There’s so much beauty and pride here. And people say hello to one another when they walk down the street.

I’m staying in a house that has a claw foot tub and a lady ghost whose giant dragging skirt can occasionally be heard going down the stairs. I haven’t heard it yet. I had a preemptive conversation with the lady ghost explaining that when I get spooked, I also get screamy and punchy.

Beautiful and haunted, this place.

Yea… I’m a little scared

I need stew… like, right now!

I don’t put a lot of meat on my blog.

That’s because I have a tremendous appreciation for butter and sugar.

As Fall pulls into full swing, I find myself wanting to cook anything and everything in my dutch oven.

Soups. Stews. Things that have dumplings.

It’s time.

I paired sweet potato with stew beef to create a rich and flavorful stew.

There’s a splash of beer and Worcestershire sauce. Carrots and onions, of course. A good dose of tomato paste and beef broth.

It’s profoundly comforting.

This is a pot of food stuffs that is just begging to be shared.

This is a pot of food stuffs that may be best served in over-sized bowls, with couscous or rice, a blanket, a loved one, and a scary movie.

That sounds like a really good life.

Oh! You should also know that I love mixing sweet potatoes in things. Maybe you want to get into it too!

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos relive summer just a little.

Sweet Potato and Kale Soup comfort town, major.

Dad’s Perfect Sweet Potato Pie if you’re thinking of making pie for the holiday… this is IT! my dad’s family recipe plus a bonus no-roll pie crust. amazing!

Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

makes a big pot. serves 6.

adapted from Epicurious.com

Print this Recipe!

3/4 cup all-purpose flour with a big pinch of salt and pepper

1 1/4 pound stew beef, cut into 1-inch chunks

about 1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely diced

2 cups peeled and thickly sliced carrots

3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half

6 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup light beer

1 pound sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks

4 cups beef broth (more if you’d like it more soupy)

1 bay leaf

3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1-2 tablespoons sugar

salt and pepper to taste

couscous and parsley to serve

In a large brown paper bag, place flour, salt, and pepper. Add diced beef. Close the bag. Hold it tight and shake. Open bag and make sure that all of the beef is lightly coated in flour and seasoning. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven (or giant soup pot), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add as much beef as will fit along the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Cook, browning on all sides. The beef doesn’t need to be cooked through, just browned. Once all of the beef is cooked, remove from the pan and place on a plate. Set aside.

In the same dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add onions and carrots and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and heat through. Deglaze the pan with the beer, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the beer steams.

Add the sweet potatoes, and cover with beef broth.

Add bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Add beef. Turn heat to low and let gently simmer for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through,

Taste and add sugar (this helps the acidity), salt, and pepper as necessary.

Serve over couscous or rice with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

joythebaker — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 06:26:01 +0000

I can and I will.

That’s what I’ve been telling myself lately. I can and I will… about everything. I’ve also been saying YES to just about everything. Do you know what can open up when you say Yes.. I can and I will? Whoa. Major. Going to the gym? Done. Having an uncomfortable conversation you don’t want to have? Done. Offering a lady at the laundromat my laundry soap? Done. Paying that dang parking ticket. Fine, done. Helping a friend with a photo project. Donedone.

I’m not looking for any sort of award. I realize that this is all just everyday living… but it really is a lovely brainchange to think YES first… and I CAN second. Really cool things can happen. Like tacos… tacos can happen.

Amendment: I think the only thing I’ll say no to right now is… seeing that 3D dolphin-without-a-tail movie. I can’t handle it… mostly because it would probably make me cry. Ugh.

I’m in love with these tacos. I’ll eat them for days. I made a lot.

I don’t want to share. I really have to invoke that YES mantra.

These tacos have three essential elements.

This slaw is a simple mix of cabbage, onion, cilantro, and lime. I secretly love that the purple cabbage bleeds.

These are the things that go into the black beans. Lime, cumin, and onion.

I put them on a cutting board for you to see.

Roasted sweet potatoes round our this taco situation. Sweet potatoes are roasted with olive oil, lime, and chili flakes. Simple, bright, and spicy.

Ps. Apparently I’m really into limes right now. They’re everywhere!

Look at this! I love when food is pretty!

These tacos are totally Autumn-y. Orange, black and purple. They’re full of flavor. They’re earthy and bright. I’m pretty sure I found my new favorite thing.

Oh! Ps. They’re totally cheap to make too. Meat is expensive. Potatoes and beans are totally cheap.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos

serves 4

inspired by WindAttack

Print this Recipe!

For the Potatoes:

2 sweet potatoes (really orange-fleshed yams), peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and red chili flakes to taste

juice of 1 lime

For the Cabbage Slaw:

2 heaping cups shredded cabbage (I used a combination of purple and green cabbage)

1/4 cup finely diced yellow onions

2 heaping tablespoons chopped cilantro

juice of 2 limes

salt and red chili flakes to taste

For the Beans:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

juice of 1 lime

small corn tortillas

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place peeled and diced sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet. Top with olive oil, salt and chili flakes, and lime juice. Toss together until all of the potato chunks are coated. Place in the oven to bake until softened through and toasted brown. This usually takes about 40 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet once or twice during baking to toss the potato chunks around. This will ensure that the cubes cook evenly. Remove from the oven and let stand when cooked through.

While the potatoes cook, assemble the Cabbage Slaw. In a medium bowl, place cabbage, yellow, and chopped cilantro. Add lime juice, salt and chili flakes. Toss to coat and set aside while the potatoes cook and beans heat. Letting the cabbage slaw sit will help soften the cabbage.

To cook the beans, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add onions and cook until transluscent, about 3 minutes. Add ground cumin and stir until fragrant. Add beans and lime juice. Cook until heated through.

Heat corn tortillas in a hot saucepan with just a touch of oil. Heat through and serve with potatoes, beans, and slaw.

Baked Curry Sweet Potato Fries

joythebaker — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 06:40:22 +0000

These were my Sunday morning breakfast….

because I’m weird.

because I was hungry.

because I couldn’t really wrap my brain around walking to the grocery store in the rain.

because all I wanted was potato goodness.

because I love the color of turmeric and curry.

because spicy is nice.

because curry totally does not go with coffee but I made it work anyway.

Crispy, baked fries are spiced with curry and red pepper flakes. Spicy. Salty. Yummy. I used egg white as a binder because I like the way it makes the spices stick to the potato. If you want to make these more of a vegan treat, you an simply toss the potatoes in olive oil and sprinkle the spice on top. You know?

For the dipping sauce, I combined thick Greek yogurt with cumin, olive oil and salt. Simple and delicious. Healthy, too.. that’s just crazy.

Baked Curry Sweet Potato Fries with Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Makes 1 potatoes worth of fries. This recipe is easily multiplied

Print this Recipe!

1 plump sweet potato/yam/orange-fleshed potato, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large egg white

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Yogurt Sauce:

1/3 cup Greet yogurt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt to taste

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Peel sweet potato and slice off the top and bottom points of the potato. With potato positioned north to south, use a large knife to slice potato into 1/3-inch potato planks. Stack planks in two piles, and slice, north to south, into 1/3-inch sticks. Fries!

Place potato sticks onto prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until foamy and frothy. Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes and whisk to incorporate. Pour the egg white mixture over the potato sticks and gentle toss to coat the potatoes.

Place in the oven and bake to desired doneness and crispiness, my fries took about 40 minutes. While the fries bake, stir together yogurt, cumin, olive oil and salt. Place in a small serving dish.

Remove fries from the oven and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Recipe: Baked Curry Sweet Potato Fries

Summary: Deliciously spiced sweet potato fries

Ingredients

1 plump sweet potato/yam/orange-fleshed potato, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large egg white
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Yogurt Sauce:
1/3 cup Greet yogurt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
salt to taste

Instructions

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Peel sweet potato and slice off the top and bottom points of the potato. With potato positioned north to south, use a large knife to slice potato into 1/3-inch potato planks. Stack planks in two piles, and slice, north to south, into 1/3-inch sticks. Fries!
Place potato sticks onto prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until foamy and frothy. Add curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and crushed red pepper flakes and whisk to incorporate. Pour the egg white mixture over the potato sticks and gentle toss to coat the potatoes.
Place in the oven and bake to desired doneness and crispiness, my fries took about 40 minutes. While the fries bake, stir together yogurt, cumin, olive oil and salt. Place in a small serving dish.
Remove fries from the oven and serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 40 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegetarian

Diet (other): Low calorie

Number of servings (yield): 2

Meal type: snack

Culinary tradition: USA (General)

My rating 5 stars: ????? 1 review(s)

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

joythebaker — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 05:28:20 +0000

Good grief.

I’m freezing cold. I want Taco Bell. I want to eat vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce in a hot tub.

I can feel myself being a major brat.

I’ll settle for a giant scarf. A big bowl of this healthy soup. Hot chocolate and a bath… and I’ll stop being a dang brat.

I like kale as much as I like brownies.

Wait… could Kale Brownies be a thing? My head might explode.

Let me tell you why this soup makes everything better.

Big, gnarly kale leaves are shredded and cooked down with delicious sweet potatoes (yams), swimming in a slightly spicy coconut broth. With the flavors of turmeric, ginger and coconut… this soup is super comforting and delicious served over a big bed of brown rice.

Healthy. Warm. Comforting.

Follow with a warm bath and a brownie… just cause that seems dreamy.

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

inspired by Food and Wine

Print this Recipe!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped fine

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon crushed red peppers

3/4 pound kale, tough stems removed and roughly chopped

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and diced into 3/4-inch cubes

1 1/2 quart chicken or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

2 cups cooked brown rice

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook down until tender and translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minutes.

Add the sweet potato chunks and stir.

Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.

Add the kale once the broth is simmering and submerge all of the leaves, helping them to cook down.

Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have become tender.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Lastly, stir in coconut milk, heat through and serve over a bed of brown rice.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup with Goat Cheese Biscuits

joythebaker — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 05:14:32 +0000

Soup is my favorite thing to make.

If I could have been a professional soup maker instead of a professional baker… this blog would have been called something.. well, you know.

I love making soup.

I just stand in front of the stove and stir. And stir. And stir. And completely space out. Stir again. Think some thoughts. Stir. Taste. Stir.

It’s the best. It’s like taking too long a shower and accidentally washing you hair three and a half times.

Soup is best with biscuits. Really.. I’ll find any excuse to put a biscuit in my face.

These biscuits are made with both butter and goat cheese. Goat cheese!! In the dang biscuit!

The result is a tender, slightly tangy, dream boat biscuit situation.

These are the best drop biscuits to ever happen, anywhere… ever.

They’re so easy. Make them. You’ll understand.

Let me tell you about this soup.

It’s called Curried Sweet Potato Soup, but it’s not really curry-y. It’s packed with some really lovely flavors: coriander, cumin and ginger… and of course loads of sweet potato. Goat cheese crumbles on top really balance out the whole bowl.

This soup and biscuit combination is absolutely one of my favorite fall discoveries. It’s so warm, flavorful and delicious. Please make it happen in your kitchen.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

from The Essential New York Times Cookbook

serves 6 to 8

Print this Recipe!

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup coarsely chopped onions

1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

6 cups chicken broth, or slightly more as needed.

salt and pepper to taste

6 to 8 teaspoons goat cheese

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until the onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute, stirring for 30 seconds. Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and red pepper flakes. Add the sweet potatoes and broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.

Puree the soup, in batches in a blender or food processor. Season to taste. The soup can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Reheat over a low flame. If the soup is too thick, add a little more stock.

Ladle into bowls and crumble goat cheese on top.

Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits

makes about 9 biscuits

adapted slightly from Art Smith’s Table Fifty-Two

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for the pan

2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted to top the biscuits

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup buttermilk

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to preheat as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. With your fingers incorporate the butter and goat cheese until the flour resembles a coarse, pebbly mixture. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. With a fork, mix together the buttermilk and flour until all of the dry flour disappears.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan or in the microwave. Set aside.

Remove the cast iron from the oven and place one tablespoon of butter in it. Work the pat of butter around, greasing the entire pan, including the sides.

Spoon the batter, by the 1/4-cup into the hot skillet. I used a big scooper to do the job. The biscuits will touch when baked… that’s ok.

Brush with melted butter.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, until slightly golden in color. Remove from the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread

joythebaker — Thu, 08 May 2008 17:31:32 +0000

Did you know that they sell quick bread box mixes in grocery stores!? I think that’s so strange. Fake flour, loads of sugar, and ultra dehydrated blueberries in a box to be mixed with water and eggs. This concerns me… deeply. Exactly how quick does a quick bread have to be to make it in this world?

I think homemade quick breads are dreamy. With enough creativity and guts, you can throw just about anything into a quick bread and call it delicious. This go around I tried zucchini and sweet potato. The combination produced a full and unique flavor: not too heavy on the zucchini or sweet potato flavors. And of course, because I’m me, I also loaded the bread with spices, nuts and cranberries. You can modify if to your taste, I make room for that in the recipe. Because, yes, I care.

What’s your favorite kind of quick bread? If you say the boxed kind, I swear, I’ll scream.

Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread

adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine, November 1992

Print this Recipe!

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat flour)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cloves (the nutmeg and the cloves are optional, you’ll just have a less spicy bread)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar (I used 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup brown sugar)

3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup apple sauce. Less fat.)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup grated zucchini

1 1/2 cup peeled and grated sweet potato

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x5x3- inch loaf pan and set aside. Sift the first 7 ingredients into a medium sized bowl. In a seperate, large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix in the zucchini and sweet potato. Add the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Fold in the nuts and cranberries and stir well.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool bread in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Loosen the edges of the bread with a butter knife and turn out on a rack to cool completely. Can be prepared 1 day in advance. Wrap in foil and keep at room temperature.