The Complete Cook’s Country
TV Show Cookbook
America’s Test Kitchen
Admittedly, I have never had much experience or exposure to sweet potatoes. They just never interested me. I’ve heard they’re good. I’ve been told they’re good. I’ve been encouraged to give them a try, a chance. I don’t know why they cared so much, but I always let it go in one ear, and out the other. It just wasn’t my thing. And then recently, I was at a dinner, and they served mashed sweet potatoes. I tried them… and Oh, My Word! They were amazing! I now get why people were so insistent that I try sweet potatoes! And they were so good, that I decided to hunt down a recipe of my own and try them at home. Suffice it to say, they’re a new favorite. And I’ll be making them more often because they’re that good. And simple. They were so easy to make that it was easy to make at the last minute (because I couldn’t decide what to make and I was sick of the same old things).
I’ve only made the simple version, but the book also included variations of the original recipe in case someone wants a little more flavor or a spin on the original.
Ingredients
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and sliced ¼ inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and Pepper
- Combine sweet potatoes, butter, 2 tablespoons cream, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large saucepan. Cook, covered, over low heat until potatoes are fall-apart tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Off heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon cream and mash sweet potatoes with potato masher. Serve
HERBED MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH CARMELIZED ONION
If you prefer, substitute ¼ teaspoon dried thyme for the thyme sprig.
Add 1 sprig fresh thyme to saucepan in step 1. While sweet potatoes are cooking, melt 1 tablespoon butter in 8-inch nonstick skillet and add 1 small onion, chopped, ¼ teaspoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook ever low heat until onion is cartelized, about 15 minutes. Remove thyme and mash potatoes as directed. Stir in onion and 1 tablespoon sour cream.
SMOKEHOUSE MASHED SWEET POTATOES
Add a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) cayenne pepper to saucepan in step 1. Mash sweet potatoes with ½ cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese and cover with lid until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with 6 slices chopped cooked bacon and 1 thinly sliced scallion.
Dinner With Diana 