Sweet Potato

Serve this with the menu on page 194 or with Fruited Bulgur Salad (page 48) and some sliced bell peppers.

This is a variation on the classic recipe more often referred to as “candied yams.” Did you know that calling sweet potatoes “yams” is actually a misnomer? Yams are rarely sold in this country, so quite often, what you see sold as yams are actually sweet potatoes. I make this dish for nearly every Thanksgiving dinner.

I just love sweet potatoes spiced with curry—what a superb fusion of flavors! This and the following recipe will help prove my point.

A traditional side dish is made even better with the addition of sweet potato. The flavors and colors are heightened, and the nutritional quality is enhanced.

The pleasant bite of goat cheese contrasts deliciously with the smooth sweetness of potatoes.

A terrific way to enjoy low-fat “fries,” this is a great accompaniment for veggie burgers and soy hot dogs. Or see the menu with “Chili Dogs,” page 148.

The combination of sweet potatoes, chilies, and cheese is downright sensuous. Serve with Summer Squash and Corn Sauté (page 209) and a simple tossed salad.

This is as luscious-tasting as it is nourishing.

Sweet potato sauce for pasta? It’s offbeat, I’ll admit, but a surprisingly good match. This is wonderful with a quick sauté of bell peppers and squashes; or serve it as suggested in the accompanying menu.

Nutritious sweet potatoes need little embellishment to make a flavorful soup. This one is made extra easy by microwaving the sweet potatoes ahead of time, sparing the cook from having to scrape and dice them. Just scoop, mash, and heat for a comforting, nearly-instant soup.

Sweet potatoes are pale yellow, yams are deeper orange, and red garnets have a reddish hue. If you have trouble finding all three, just buy three pounds’ worth of what you can find. This colorful salad is perfect with roast pork, or on the Thanksgiving menu as a refreshing change from the traditional sweet potato dishes.

Try this for your Thanksgiving menu, roasted on the bottom rack of the oven, along with scalloped potatoes or Creamy Garlic Potatoes (page 144), while the turkey roasts on the rack above. If you slice the potatoes ahead, rinse them well in cold water and drain to prevent discoloring.

The Reid family crumbles blue cheese on top to add a salty bite.

Black beans are a tasty nonmeat source of iron, which is key to high energy and strong immunity.

Definitely decadent, this sweet potato gratin is destined to become a do-or-die part of your family's holiday spread. Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg perfume the cream with their warm flavors and seep their rich taste of fall into each layer. A mandoline makes quick work of slicing the potatoes and is worth the investment for the time it will save you in prep work. Don't forget to remove the cover for the last portion of baking time—the browned and bubbling crust is not to be missed!

Braising the pork belly yields crisp-tender nuggets ready to mingle with caramelized sweet potatoes. "It's a very American profile, sweet potato and pork," says Jared Wentworth, the chef at Chicago's Longman & Eagle, who gave us this recipe.

Look for potatoes of similar diameter so that they line up easily when stacked. You should be able to get 3 to 4 slices from the Yukon Gold and red potatoes and 5 to 6 slices from each sweet potato. To make these stacks hot and spicy, add cayenne pepper to the barbecue spice blend. You can also slice an onion into very thin rings, coat with the same spices and roast alongside the potatoes. Insert a roasted onion slice between each potato slice.
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