Sweet potatoes are a favorite around here because of their flexibility. They can be served right from the oven with just a little butter, salt and pepper, and make a fine side dish. They can be loaded with toppings like a jacket potato, and are also delicious as a pie. They can be served sweet and candied, savory, or hot and spicy.
What I’m getting at is that don’t expect to this to be the last sweet potato dish you’ll find on this site.
This dish was created on the fly as side for the Vermont Schnitzel meal, but may end up becoming a Thanksgiving staple, with a few tweaks. The version here includes a few modifications based on our initial experiences.
Ingredients
- 3-5 medium sized sweet potatoes
- 1 Tbsp butter
- Sour cream
- Dried cranberries – finely chopped
- Sage – Ground & dried
- Thyme – Ground & dried
- Salt & Pepper – To taste
- Red pepper flakes – Pinch
Process
Bake the sweet potatoes until soft. People have opinions on how one bakes a sweet potato, but I’m generally good with sticking them with a fork a few times then lightly covering them in foil. Stick them right on the rack. Don’t add butter or any seasonings yet.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove them from their foil wraps and leathery skins, and add the gorgeous orange flesh to a saucepan or pot.
Mash the sweet potatoes with a wooden spoon. They are going to be fibrous, and that’s fine. No need to whip them. That’s just extra steps, and more dishes to wash.
If the sweet potatoes are still warm go ahead and add the butter, and herbs, and mix until blended, but not necessarily creamy. If you left the sweet potatoes cool complete, warm them on low and add the ingredients.
Serve the warm sweet potato mixture with a dollop of sour cream, and the chopped cranberries on top. If you want to fancy this up you can drizzle with maple syrup, and if you want to simple things up leave out the cranberries. The sour cream helps make the dish a little creamier, and can help cut the heat if you were a bit too generous with the red pepper flakes.
This dish is simple, and can be made ahead of time, and heat before serving. Another great reason to consider them for Thanksgiving.
Serves: 4-6
