Sweet Root Mash
4 medium carrots
2 medium squash (Carnival, Acorn or Delicata) or 1 medium Butternut, halved and seeded
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
3 medium apples peeled, cored and chopped
Cut carrots into ½” or 1” coins and steam until tender.
Bake squash at 375 degrees until tender.
Chop sweet potatoes into 2” pieces and place in a 2-quart cooking pot.
Layer apples over the sweet potatoes, add 2” water, cover and cook on a gentle boil until tender.
Add the carrots to the apple and sweet potato mixture, and blend/mash until smooth.
For this recipe an immersion blender works best but you can also use a regular blender.
For a more rustic texture use a regular potato masher.
Next scoop the squash from its skin and add to pot, blend/mash once again.
Thickness can be adjusted by adding water, veg/chicken stock, milk, etc.
Once blended bring it back up to a short boil and it’s ready for spicing and serving.
There is a natural sweetness to this recipe but you can go either sweet or savory.
Spice to taste with salt, pepper, garlic, maple syrup.
Can be topped with butter or cheese.
Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger
½ cup chopped raw, unsalted cashews
3 tablespoons butter
1 ½ cups chopped leeks or onion (about 1 large or 2 small leeks or 1 large onion)
2 tablespoons finely chopped or grated ginger
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 pounds carrots, roughly cut into ½ inch chunks (10 to 12 medium carrots)
½ pound peeled, diced sweet potato (about 1 large sweet potato)
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water plus more to thin the soup
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Plain yogurt or sour cream
Fresh chives, chopped
Toast the cashews in a dry, heavy skillet over high heat until they start to brown in spots and become fragrant.
Be careful not to over-cook them, as they will burn very quickly once they are toasted.
Immediately transfer the nuts to a dish to cool.
Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add the leeks or onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes.
Add the ginger, cumin, cinnamon, fennel, allspice, and nutmeg; cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, and stock or water; stir to combine.
Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and bring to a simmer.
Cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a blender.
Add the toasted cashews and process to a smooth puree.
If it seems too thick for soup, add a little more stock or water.
Transfer the soup back to the pot.
Add orange juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Gently heat the soup over medium heat, stirring frequently, until hot.
Ladle the soup into individual cups and place a dollop of yogurt or sour cream in the center of each.
Garnish with chives.
Carrot Ginger Soup
4 pounds carrots, washed and chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ gallon water or vegetable stock
2 onions, diced
1 cayenne pepper, de-veined, deseeded, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ginger, minced
2-3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup cilantro, minced
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cans coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper in olive oil until translucent.
Add remaining ingredients except coconut milk and lime juice and bring to boil.
Cook 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
Add coconut milk and lime juice, and puree.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples
4 large sweet potatoes – peeled and sliced
3 large apples – peeled and sliced
1 small onion – large chop
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Olive oil
Peel and cut sweet potatoes into medium-sized chunks; coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; add onion chunks and place on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes before adding apples.
Peel and cut apples into medium-sized chunks; coat with brown sugar and cinnamon and place on a cookie sheet with sweet potatoes after they have cooked 15 minutes, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and mix both together, place on a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Orange Zest and Ginger
4 sweet potatoes (6-8 ounces each)
4 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Poke sweet potatoes with a fork in 2 or 3 places.
Bake until tender, about 1 hour.
Let cool 10 minutes or so, then slice the top quarter off of each potato.
Carefully scoop out most of the flesh from the larger sections, leaving a little of the flesh behind to make a sturdy “boat.”
Scoop flesh from top sections, too.
Puree the flesh with remaining ingredients.
Fill the boats with pureed potatoes.
They may be refrigerated at this point for later use.
To serve, bake at 400 degrees until heated through.
Makes 4 servings.
Roasted Sweet-Potato Salad with Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette
3 sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and diced
2 shallots, diced
2 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup flaked or sliced almonds
Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 500˚F, with the rack in the lower third of the oven.
Lightly oil a half sheet pan (preferred) or large shallow roasting pan.
Mound the sweet potatoes and shallots on the prepared pan.
Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Arrange in a single layer on the pan. Do not crowd the potatoes or the final texture will be soft and mushy.
Roast in the lower third of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan once for even cooking, until the potatoes are tender.
Combine the roasted vegetables, cranberries, and almonds in a large salad bowl. Toss to mix.
Pour in the dressing and toss until fully coated.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 6
Sesame-Ginger Vinaigrette
Makes ½ cup
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 shallot, quartered
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chipotle Sweet Potato Gratin
3 pounds sweet potatoes, sliced into very thin rounds
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1/3 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 teaspoons pureed chipotle in adobo sauce (canned)
1 1/3 cup grated queso blanco, divided
Boil sweet potatoes in a large pot of water until barely tender, about 5 minutes.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium flame, add onions, and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 8 minutes.
Stir in flour, then slowly whisk in milk and half-and-half; cook until thickened.
Add salt, pepper, and chipotle.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup grated cheese.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.
Layer 1/4 of the sweet potatoes in the dish, sprinkle lightly with some salt, and pour 1/4 of the sauce over this first layer.
Continue layering this way until all potatoes and sauce are used.
Top with remaining grated cheese and bake until browned and bubbly, 35-45 minutes.
Serves 6-8.
Will’s Sweet Potato Pie
3 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
9-inch pie shell (unbaked)
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Boil the sweet potatoes (skin on) until a fork or butter knife causes them to easily break apart when inserted.
Cool the sweet potatoes slightly, then place them in a bowl and run cold water over them to assist you with removing the skins (since the potatoes will still be pretty hot).
Beat potatoes with a mixer on medium speed, then add the remaining ingredients (except pie shell).
Adjust the nutmeg and sugar to taste.
Place in a pie shell and bake until top is golden and crust looks done, about 30 minutes.
Cool completely before serving.
Serves 6.
Sweet Potato Salad
3 cups sweet potatoes cooked, peeled, and diced
1 cup celery, diced
¾ cup green or red sweet pepper, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
Combine in a large bowl.
Top with dressing of choice below.
Honey-Mustard Dressing:
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
1 ½ tablespoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon honey
Combine and pour over vegetables. Toss until well coated. Serve on lettuce (optional) and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Spicy Chipotle Dressing:
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup canned chipotle chilies (seeds removed)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
Combine and puree dressing ingredients except oil in blender or food processor. Add oil and process until thick. Pour half of the dressing over the potato mixture and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. The salad should be moist but not runny. Add more dressing as needed. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve cold.
Open Hands Farm 