Recipe: Sweet Potato Mash With Sesame Oil And Toasted Walnuts

From the Kitchen Window column

This is in no way a substitute for the traditional Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole, but it's one of my favorite ways to eat sweet potatoes any time of the year. The sesame oil adds a rich, nutty undertone to the sweetness that's echoed by the toasted nuts sprinkled on top. You may use more or less sesame oil to your taste.

Makes 6 servings

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup vegetable broth, soy milk or milk

1/4 cup sesame oil

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Sea salt to taste

1/3 cup walnut pieces, pecans or sliced almonds, toasted until lightly browned, about 5 minutes

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot, filling the pot with water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. When sweet potatoes are tender, drain and place in a bowl. With a potato masher, mash the potatoes until they are fairly smooth but still chunky. Add broth, soy milk or milk and stir well. Add the sesame oil a tablespoon at a time, tasting for flavor and consistency (you want them silky, but not pureed). Add more or less oil depending on your taste, stirring well to combine all of the ingredients. Stir in the heavy cream. Salt to taste.

Before serving, sprinkle the toasted nuts across the top of the sweet potatoes.

Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Filed in:

• Recipes
• Food
• Arts & Life