Friday, November 22, 2013

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Mash




 Here's a fabulous side dish that is as easy as can be to throw together. Frankly, I've never met a sweet potato I didn't like, so I knew I'd love this one as soon as I saw it on Anne Burrell's cooking show. (btw, I kind of tweaked her recipe a little). But I have to say, though, as much as I love Candied Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Casserole, I find that I enjoy sweet potatoes the most when they are cooked in savory recipes, rather than being completely laden with butter and sugar.
 This recipe does just that. It has the apples to play up the sweetness of the potatoes, but then it has the rosemary and onions to balance everything out. It's a REALLY nice blend! It's the perfect simple side dish for any holiday dinner. Actually, come to think of it, it's perfect for ANY dinner, especially pork, since pork and rosemary and apples are all such good friends. I think I might make this the next time I do some chops! Doesn't that sound awesome???

4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
a few glugs olive or vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tbs butter
1 medium onion, finely minced
3 Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples
splash of orange juice
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, picked and finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes generously with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay them out on a sheet tray in a single layer, place them in the oven, and roast until they are very soft, 30 to 35 minutes.
 Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add chopped onions. While the onions gently saute over medium heat, peel/core the apples and cut into 1-inch dice. Toss the apples with the splash of orange juice, then add to the onions. Add salt, pepper, and the rosemary. Saute just until the apples are soft and cooked through while still holding their shape.
 Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large bowl and coarsely mash them with a potato masher. Stir in the cooked apples and onions. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or keep in a warm oven and serve hot.

Tips:
Use any kind of apples or onions you like, or even a variety.
You can roast the apples along with the potatoes. Just toss them with a little oil, and add them to the roasting pan for the last 15 minutes of sweet potato roasting time.
If your oven is busy, you can boil the potatoes whole, then just slip the skins off and mash as directed.

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