Category Archives: SOUTHERN CUISINE

ROASTED GARNET OR RUBY SWEET POTATO CHUNKS

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Until a few years ago, I only thought about serving sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And then, only mashed up with butter, brown sugar, and topped with marshmallows. Now don’t get me wrong, I still serve a variation of the above for the holidays, but we now eat sweet potatoes at least once a week. And why? Because we love the flavor and they are good for us.

FYI: Even though garnet and ruby sweet potatoes are often labeled as yams, they are not indeed yams. They are sweet potatoes, and as such are rich in vitamin C, thiamine, niacin and potassium. And although a sweet potato is known to be moderately high in protein, about 5 grams of protein in an 8 ounce serving, as with most plant sourced protein, the proteins in sweet potatoes do not provide all the essential amino acids your body needs. So bear that in mind when you are considering your body’s daily nutritional requirements.

A little bit of history about sweet potatoes.  Sweet potatoes come in two varieties, firm and soft. The soft varieties such as Garnet, Ruby, and Jewel are easy to find and are perfect when you want a soft and creamy texture. Firmer varieties such as Kotobuki and Yellow Jersey (grown in the Mid-Atlantic States) are favored for Asian and East Indian cuisine. Apparently the term “yam” came into the common vernacular when sweet potatoes were first grown commercially.  To differentiate between the soft varieties and the firm varieties, soft sweet potatoes were labeled as “yams”, while the firmer varieties retained the sweet potato name.  Today, about 95% of real yams are grown in Asia and Africa. Unless you specifically search for yams, which are usually only found at an international market, you are probably buying sweet potatoes!

(To my mind, the delectable Ipomoea batatas tuber can call itself anything it wants.  As long it continues to appear at farmer’s markets, produce stands, and in the produce section of my local grocery store, I will remain a happy camper. And over the next few weeks and months I will share more wonderful recipes for sweet potatoes with you. But for now, give this delightful recipe a try. It is incredibly easy to prepare and even easier to eat.)

  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 T. honey
  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large ruby or garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, and olive oil. Add the sweet potato pieces and stir until every surface is lightly coated. Pour onto a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a very light sprinkling of pepper. Bake in the middle of a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the bottom of each piece is a nice golden brown. Serve hot out of the oven.

 

WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE GRITS

So, you’re asking yourself, why is Patti, the highly sophisticated world traveler and lover of the arts, posting a recipe for something as ordinary as grits? I believe that to be a very fair question and worthy of a dignified answer. Because they’re darned good honey, that’s why! Allow me to elaborate. A few years ago when Mr. C. and I were visiting daughter Eden and her family, Eden fixed grits for us one morning for breakfast. This was about the same time polenta started appearing on every menu in America. I had tried polenta several times while dining, and frankly had not been very impressed. So I wasn’t coming to the table (so to speak) with much hope that grits would taste any better. Ho baby, was I wrong! And I have to tell you when I am wrong, I am usually very, very wrong. This time was no exception. Eden’s grits were so amazing I could not stop eating them.  I was absolutely blown away. I immediately begged for the recipe. As soon as I checked out the ingredient list I knew why this dried ground hominy dish had stolen my heart. Butter, heavy cream, and sharp white cheddar cheese! The unholy trinity of health conscious people everywhere. So, needless to say, White Cheddar Cheese Grits do not grace our table on a frequent basis. But when I want to impress the socks off guests or am feeling particularly in need of a good pampering, I fix this recipe. And for those readers who love polenta, I must confess that over the years I too have come to love it as much as I do any other starchy food. That is to say, with a passion!  I just know that had “carbohydrate” been one of the 12 signs of the zodiac, I would have been born under it (with “dairy” ascending, of course)!

  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 c. water
  • ¾ c. quick grits (like Albers)
  • 1/3 c. butter
  • ¾ c. heavy cream or evaporated milk
  • 2 ½ c. grated sharp white cheddar cheese
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 6-12 drops hot sauce
  • 1/3 c. chopped fresh chives, opt.
  • paprika

Bring the milk and water to a boil in a medium sized covered sauce pan. Slowly whisk in the grits. Cover pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, cream, cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, hot sauce, and chives. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot grit mixture, stirring vigorously to prevent eggs from curdling. Pour into a buttered casserole dish, sprinkle with paprika, and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.