It is Thanksgiving week here in the US and arguments abound over all of the side dishes and how they are best. Canned cranberry sauce or homemade? Then the whole chunky or smooth debate. Stuffing versus dressing. Well, Warrior, I love sweet potatoes and as long as they appear on the table, I will be eating them. Today, I thought I’d share one of my favorite ways to prepare them!
When I say I love sweet potatoes, I might be underselling. I will eat them baked with honey and butter, roasted with cumin and chili powder, grilled with pineapple, or mashed with cinnamon. I will spiralize them and create egg nests or slice them flat and use them as toast. Basically, where Bubba had shrimp, I have sweet potatoes.
This recipe comes courtesy of my mother-in-law, and yes, there is a bunch of butter in it. But this amount is meant to make a huge casserole dish full and after eating it for almost 20 years of holidays, I wouldn’t change one thing about its deliciousness. Additionally, and tangentially, since I’m not usually the one making this dish, I had to dig through my files, so please excuse the poor picture quality.
A strata is basically a frittata that is potato based instead of egg based. Just like a frittata that puffs up from the air beaten into the eggs, a strata will puff up like a souffle because you want to beat air into the potatoes. This creates a really light and fluffy texture. And then the crumbly topping gives it the perfect amount of crunch and texture.
So, without further ado, here it is:
Ingredients:
4 large yams, skins scrubbed
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves or ginger
Topping:
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp cold butter cut into small pieces
¼ cup nuts or oats
Directions:
Heat oven to 350. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and roast about 45 minutes. Allow to cool and remove skins. Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl and lightly mash. Add remaining casserole ingredients and then whip with a mixer until smooth. Pour mixture into a greased 9×13 or 3 quart sized baking dish. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients using a fork or fingers to incorporate the butter. Sprinkle topping over sweet potatoes. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
What is your favorite holiday side dish? Tell us in the comments and until next time, be well friends!
