Sweet Inspiration Almost Too Good to Be True
By Lucie L. Snodgrass
Special to The Washington
Post
Wednesday, October 29, 2003; Page F08
Most of us wouldn't consider the sweet potato a health food. Not when it's
served smothered in brown sugar and butter, anyway. But take away its gooey
toppings and you'll discover the naturally delicious vegetable that the American
Cancer Society and American Heart Association both tout as one of the most
nutritious vegetables around. Consider this: one cup of sweet potato contains 30 milligrams of
beta-carotene (Vitamin A), which helps prevent heart disease and cancer. That is
four times the daily recommended dose. You'd have to eat 23 cups of broccoli to
achieve that. Sweet potatoes also provide an excellent source of dietary fiber
and complex carbohydrates, and they're loaded with Vitamin E. Still, the most compelling reason to eat a sweet potato remains its delicious
taste, whether baked and topped with nothing more than a dash of salt and pepper
and a spoon of plain yogurt, stewed with veal or chicken for a hearty winter
dish or pureed with corn for a creamy soup. They are not starchy or dry, as
potatoes can be, nor so bland that they succumb to any seasoning, as soy does.
Sweet potatoes taste of citrus and winter squash, have a slightly tangy and
sweet flavor and take on a delectably nutty nuance when roasted. Another of the sweet potato's charms lies in its versatility. Whether in a
simple or a complex dish, as an appetizer or a dessert, the sweet potato
partners well with just about anything, including meats, fruits and a wide range
of spices, from anise to zaatar. It's also the perfect vegetable choice for
inexperienced cooks, because it's so easy to prepare, hard to ruin and tastes
just as good mashed as in elegant slices or carefully cut cubes The sweet potato, or Ipomoea batatas, is a storage root in the morning
glory family and is native to Central and South America. Many people think that
the sweet potato is a yam and vice versa; their names are often used
interchangeably. In fact, the two are quite distinct. The yam is a starchy tuber
of the Dioscorea species, native to Africa and the Caribbean, and is low
in beta-carotene. Although the sweet potato bears a passing resemblance to the
yam, it is not, among other things, a tropical tuber. Historians speculate that
the confusion arose when African slaves brought to this country used the word
"inhame" to describe the sweet potato. Over time, the word evolved into
"yam." The sweet potato has been cultivated in North America for centuries.
Christopher Columbus was introduced to sweet potatoes on his first visit to the
Americas in 1492 and was so enamored of them that he took them back to Europe,
where they found culinary favor among the nobility. George Washington, long
before he became the nation's first president, grew sweet potatoes on his Mount
Vernon farm. Another prominent American, George Washington Carver, introduced the sweet
potato into widespread cultivation. Carver tested it primarily in the South,
where soils depleted by cotton and peanuts proved surprisingly hospitable to the
moist, orange-fleshed vegetable. Carver did more than help poor, mostly
African-American farmers gain a viable subsistence crop in the aftermath of the
Civil War; he developed more than 100 uses for the sweet potato, including as
glue, and encouraged widespread consumption of the inexpensive, nutritious
vegetable. By 1920, the average American was eating 31 pounds of sweet potatoes
per year. Since that time, consumption has fallen off. Americans today are eating only
four pounds of sweet potatoes per year, although the number is beginning to inch
back up, according to the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, now that
nutritionists are weighing in on its benefits. "It should be a weekly and even twice weekly food," says Jack Osman, a
professor of Health Science at Towson University in Maryland. "Americans should
be moving toward seven servings a day of fruits and vegetables. As we increase
those servings, we would hope that sweet potatoes would be a likely addition."
Osman grows about a dozen of the 5,600 known varieties of sweet potatoes, and
he hosts an annual sweet potato festival on his Pennsylvania farm. He encourages
families to incorporate mashed, cooked sweet potatoes into breakfast foods, like
yogurt, pancakes, waffles or muffins. "Sweet potatoes in their natural state are just about the perfect vegetable,"
Osman observes. With that in mind, there's no excuse for waiting until Thanksgiving. Lucie's Sweet Potato Souffle (4 servings) Though it doesn't rise as much as most traditional souffles, this version is
surprisingly light, airy and redolent of sweet potato. 4 tablespoons butter, plus additional for the baking dish 4 tablespoons flour Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper to taste 1 cup whole milk 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 eggs, separated 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato (with as few lumps as possible; from about
3 sweet potatoes) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a souffle dish or
casserole. Have ready a larger baking pan at least 21/2 inches deep in which to
place the souffle dish or casserole. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Whisking or stirring with a
fork constantly, slowly sprinkle the flour over the butter and then season with
salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly, until blended and bubbly,
about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stirring constantly, slowly
add the milk in a steady stream and stir until completely incorporated. Return
the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until it barely comes to a
boil. Add the nutmeg and stir to combine. Remove from the heat; set aside to
cool. Meanwhile, in large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and
cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Set aside. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer and clean beaters, beat the egg
yolks until very thick. Add some of the milk mixture to the yolks and stir to
combine. Add the yolk mixture to the milk mixture in the pan and beat just until
combined. Add the sweet potatoes and mix until combined. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold about 1/4 of the egg whites into the
batter to lighten it. Gradually and gently fold the remaining egg whites into
the batter just until incorporated and no streaks remain. Scrape the batter into
the prepared dish. Place the dish in the larger baking pan, place both on the
oven rack and then pour enough hot water into the larger pan to reach a depth of
about 2 inches. Bake the souffle for 50 to 60 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve immediately. Per serving: 403 calories, 10 gm protein, 49 gm carbohydrates, 19 gm fat,
201 mg cholesterol, 10 gm saturated fat, 170 mg sodium, 3 gm dietary fiber
Baked Sweet Potatoes (4 servings) Baked sweet potatoes are so sweet as to need little in the way of
accompaniment. They do, however, take well to both sweet and spicy flavors. From
"Vegetables Every Day" by Jack Bishop (HarperCollins, 2001). 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds), scrubbed Salt Unsalted butter Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the sweet potatoes on the baking
sheet. Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer,
about 11/4 hours. Slit open the sweet potatoes lengthwise and push on the sides to loosen the
flesh. Sprinkle with salt to taste and add a pat of butter. Serve
immediately. VARIATIONS: Baked Sweet Potatoes With Ginger Butter: While the potatoes are
baking, mash 3 tablespoons softened butter, salt to taste and 3/4 teaspoon
ground ginger together in a bowl. Slit the baked sweet potatoes as directed and
top with a dollop of the flavored butter. Serve immediately. Baked Sweet Potatoes With Chipotle Butter: While the potatoes are
baking, mash 3 tablespoons softened butter, salt to taste, 1 minced chipotle
chili in adobo sauce and 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce together in a bowl. Slit
the baked sweet potatoes as directed and top with a dollop of the flavored
butter. Serve immediately. Baked Sweet Potatoes With Lime-Cilantro Butter: While the potatoes are
baking, mash 3 tablespoons softened butter, salt to taste, 1/2 teaspoon lime
zest, 2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro together in
a bowl. Slit the baked sweet potatoes as directed and top with a dollop of the
flavored butter. Serve immediately. Sweet Potato Fries (4 servings) This sweet take on french fries takes well to any number of seasonings,
whether chili pepper, cinnamon-sugar or plain old salt. From "Vegetables Every
Day" by Jack Bishop (HarperCollins, 2001). 11/2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed About 6 cups peanut oil for frying Salt Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise into ovals about 1/4 inch thick. Slice the
ovals lengthwise to yield long, slender strips about 1/4 inch thick. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large pot to 365 degrees. Add about 1/4 of the sweet potato strips to the hot oil, being careful not to
crowd the pan. Cook until the potatoes are well browned, about 4 minutes.
(Adjust the heat as necessary as the sweet potatoes cook -- the temperature
should not rise above 365 degrees, nor should it drop below 340 degrees.) Use a
skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer the fries to a platter lined with paper
towels. Sprinkle with salt to taste and serve immediately. Repeat with the
remaining sweet potatoes. Per serving: 198 calories, 3 gm protein, 41 gm carbohydrates, 3 gm fat, 0
mg cholesterol, trace saturated fat, 92 mg sodium, 5 gm dietary fiber Sweet Potato Surprise (4 to 5 servings) This sweet puree, geared towards a child's palate, is packed with healthful
ingredients. 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 tablespoon butter or canola oil 1 large green apple or ripe pear (any pear but Bosc) 2 bananas, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup apple juice 2 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice Chopped nuts (optional) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, heat the butter or oil. Add the
apples or pears, bananas, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and salt, cover and cook,
stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; set
aside. In a food processor, puree the potatoes with apple juice and 2 tablespoons of
the lemon juice until smooth. Add the potato mixture to the skillet and stir to
combine. (If a smoother texture is desired, puree the fruit first before adding
the potato mixture.) Place over low heat and cook, stirring frequently, until
warmed through. Taste and, if desired, add additional lemon juice. Serve warm,
if desired with a sprinkling of nuts. Per serving: 304 calories, 4 gm protein, 67 gm carbohydrates, 4 gm fat, 0
mg cholesterol, trace saturated fat, 258 mg sodium, 8 gm dietary fiber Oven-Baked Potato Wedges: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scrub 2
sweet potatoes and cut each lengthwise into wedges. Place on a rimmed baking
sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toss to completely coat the potatoes. Season
with salt and toss again. Roast, stirring once or twice, until lightly golden
and crisp, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness. If desired, sprinkle
with chili powder, cinnamon or finely chopped fresh rosemary. Serve immediately.
Per medium sweet potato: 157 calories, 2 gm protein, 32 gm carbohydrates,
3 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, trace saturated fat, 296 mg sodium, 4 gm dietary
fiber
