Twice Baked Curried Sweet Potatoes

My never ending quest to turn the kids onto sweet potatoes in a form other than french fries had me crafting these twice-baked darlings the other day.  These are a breeze to put together, are infinitely customizable to your tastes, and offer a nice mix of flavors and textures that our kids really liked.

We served these up with a pork shoulder that I'd cooked in my new pressure-cooker (more on that new toy later), and they were a terrific accompaniment.  I don't know about you, but for me sweet potatoes go well with just about anything, from seafood to poultry, pork, lamb or beef.  This versatility, combined with their health benefits of being low in fat, and high in fiber, Vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), and Vitamin C, make these spuds a popular choice for our family table.

These gems are ripe for just about any kind of add-in that floats your boat.  I went for a sweet-salty, smooth-crunchy deal that turned out great.  I smashed the flesh of the baked spuds with maple syrup, orange juice, plain yogurt, and curry for a slightly sweet base, then topped them with a savory-crisp mix of "Crumbs-Yo", chopped almonds, minced rosemary, and some freshly grated parmesan.  The next time I make these I may add some chopped Craisins into the topping for a little tart chew.

What do you all think?  What ingredients would you use to dress up these sweet spuds?

 

Cheers - Steve

 

Twice Baked Curried Sweet Potatoes

by: Steve Dunn

(Print Friendly Version)

 

Ingredients:

for the filling:

• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

for the topping:

• 1/2 cup "Crumbs Yo!" * see note below (or other seasoned bread crumbs)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary
• finely minced fresh chives (for garnish)

 

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 400℉ and place a rack in the middle position.
2. Wash the sweet potatoes, place them on a sheet tray and then put them into the oven.  Cook them for about an hour, until they are soft to the core.  Remove from the oven and let them cool till they are easy to handle.
3. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a medium sized mixing bowl.  As sweet potato skins are so thin, it helps to leave a little flesh undisturbed inside the potato to give each half a little structural integrity.  I remove about 80-90% of the flesh, leaving the rest behind to fortify the skin.  Smash the flesh with a potato masher or large fork, then add the yogurt, maple syrup, orange juice, and curry powder to the flesh in the bowl and mix well.  Check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the Crumbs Yo!, parmesan, rosemary and chopped nuts.
5. Spoon the seasoned flesh back into the potato skins and top with a liberal sprinkling of the breadcrumb mixture.  Place the stuffed skins back on the sheet tray and bake in the 400℉ for about 15 minutes to warm through and the brown the topping.  Top with some finely minced fresh chives when serving.

* Note:  the stuffed skins can be held at room temp for a couple hours before reheating, or can rest covered in the fridge for longer if need be, making them a great do-ahead side dish.

* to make the "Crumbs Yo!": in a saute pan heat 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium heat and toast 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until golden brown.  Spread on a plate to cool.  Keep for 2 days in the fridge, or a long time in the freezer.  (I make this a couple cups at a time and freeze it to use on EVERYTHING I want to add a little crunch to)

Serves 6