The sweet potato is a healthy alternative to the standard white potato. They are filled with fiber and good sugars, so they should be used as substitutes for white potatoes whenever possible.
To make delicious mashed sweet potatoes, it is important to pick good potatoes during your trip to your local grocer. Look for larger rather than smaller potatoes in order to cut down the time needed to prepare them for cooking. Smaller potatoes mean more time peeling and cleaning. So, start with the big guys in the beginning.
Once you’ve chosen your potatoes and you are in your kitchen ready to begin preparation, wash your cutting board with warm soapy water and place it on the countertop where you will do your prep work. Thoroughly wash your potatoes in warm running water, carefully rinsing all of the dirt and grit away. Place each potato in a clean bowl after you are done. Use one large potato for every one person who will take part in the meal.
Next, you should begin peeling your potatoes, using a clean knife. Carefully cut away any areas where the flesh is damaged. After peeling each potato, rinse again, this time under cold water, and cut into medium sized chunks, tossing into a clean bowl.
When all of the potatoes are cleaned and cut up into chunks, place into a pot (use an appropriate size based upon the amount of potatoes that you have cut up) and fill with cold water about two inches above the height of the potatoes. Place on your stove over high heat and bring to a boil.
The goal here is to boil the potatoes until they are soft, but not mushy because additional ingredients still have to be added that will further soften them. Check the potatoes often as they are boiling and add more water as necessary. You will probably have to add some water twice, but definitely at least once.
When the potatoes are sufficiently softened, take away from the heat and strain in a colander, then add them back to the pot. Remember, these are no recipe needed mashed sweet potatoes, so this is where your creativity and instinct will have to come in. Mashed potatoes, no matter what kind of potato is used, need to have some milk added to them. The more milk used, the more runny the potato. So, start out adding about a cup of milk depending on how many potatoes you boiled. More potatoes, more milk. Add your milk, and then add a dash of salt, some cinnamon (to taste) and at least a third stick of butter. Whip these ingredients together with the potatoes, until you reach the desired consistency. Once you have, put the pot back onto the stove and heat slowly over medium heat, stirring frequently. This will allow the ingredients to bond together, creating the perfect mashed sweet potato. Enjoy!
These mashed sweet potatoes go well with baked chicken, roast pork and just about any other baked meat, though they probably go best with poultry and pork.
Note: An even healthier alternative is to substitute chicken stock for milk in your potatoes. If you choose to do this, you will need less chicken stock than you did milk because the stock adds a real flavor explosion. It will also require less of that liquid than milk to sufficiently moisten the potatoes.
To make delicious mashed sweet potatoes, it is important to pick good potatoes during your trip to your local grocer. Look for larger rather than smaller potatoes in order to cut down the time needed to prepare them for cooking. Smaller potatoes mean more time peeling and cleaning. So, start with the big guys in the beginning.
Once you’ve chosen your potatoes and you are in your kitchen ready to begin preparation, wash your cutting board with warm soapy water and place it on the countertop where you will do your prep work. Thoroughly wash your potatoes in warm running water, carefully rinsing all of the dirt and grit away. Place each potato in a clean bowl after you are done. Use one large potato for every one person who will take part in the meal.
Next, you should begin peeling your potatoes, using a clean knife. Carefully cut away any areas where the flesh is damaged. After peeling each potato, rinse again, this time under cold water, and cut into medium sized chunks, tossing into a clean bowl.
When all of the potatoes are cleaned and cut up into chunks, place into a pot (use an appropriate size based upon the amount of potatoes that you have cut up) and fill with cold water about two inches above the height of the potatoes. Place on your stove over high heat and bring to a boil.
The goal here is to boil the potatoes until they are soft, but not mushy because additional ingredients still have to be added that will further soften them. Check the potatoes often as they are boiling and add more water as necessary. You will probably have to add some water twice, but definitely at least once.
When the potatoes are sufficiently softened, take away from the heat and strain in a colander, then add them back to the pot. Remember, these are no recipe needed mashed sweet potatoes, so this is where your creativity and instinct will have to come in. Mashed potatoes, no matter what kind of potato is used, need to have some milk added to them. The more milk used, the more runny the potato. So, start out adding about a cup of milk depending on how many potatoes you boiled. More potatoes, more milk. Add your milk, and then add a dash of salt, some cinnamon (to taste) and at least a third stick of butter. Whip these ingredients together with the potatoes, until you reach the desired consistency. Once you have, put the pot back onto the stove and heat slowly over medium heat, stirring frequently. This will allow the ingredients to bond together, creating the perfect mashed sweet potato. Enjoy!
These mashed sweet potatoes go well with baked chicken, roast pork and just about any other baked meat, though they probably go best with poultry and pork.
Note: An even healthier alternative is to substitute chicken stock for milk in your potatoes. If you choose to do this, you will need less chicken stock than you did milk because the stock adds a real flavor explosion. It will also require less of that liquid than milk to sufficiently moisten the potatoes.
This made me hungry. Though my preference is still just to wrap one up and stick it in the microwave for six minutes. Yum!
ReplyDeleteThis would have been a great opportunity to mix in some sweet potato lore. I have no idea what lore that is, but it might have spiced things up a little. In any case, nicely done.
You know, the yam is used heavily in some parts of Africa. I could have maybe tied that in with the other piece and used some lore from some country there. Hindsight...
ReplyDelete