Even though Thanksgiving dinner has come and passed, there are still plenty of sweet potato dished to be enjoyed this season. Sweet potatoes are such a southern specialty that April McGreger, founder-chef of Farmer’s Daughter, dedicated her installment of the Savor the South cookbook series to them. Like most sweet potato dishes, this recipes walks the line between sweet and savory. It goes with dinner but you might be inclined to eat it for dessert.
FOR THE SWEET POTATO MIXTURE
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
FOR THE TOPPING
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until soft and tender, 20 – 25 minutes. Drain and let cool.
- In the meantime, make the topping: Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Off the heat, add the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon and mix until well combined. It should look a little lumpy. Stir in the chopped nuts.
- In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes with a large fork until very smooth. Add the remaining sweet potato mixture ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- Place the sweet potato mixture in a 2-quart baking dish. Spread the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned. Let cool slightly before serving.
from Once Upon a Chef
