DINNER BELL : Sweet potatoes surprise in curious salad combinations
Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008
As sure as death and taxes, you can count on clothing styles changing every few years.
The same could be said of cooking trends. The latest trend could be the combining of foods not generally thought of as compatible. For instance, a salad made of sweet potatoes — almost a trend in themselves as they are touted as a power pack of nutrition — mixed with green olives and onions. Doesn’t sound that good to me. Combining sweet potatoes with pineapple chunks and pouring a lime-honey dressing over it sounds more appealing.
The curiosity of such unusual combinations always sends me to the kitchen to see what made somebody think these would be good to eat.
The combination of olives and sweet potatoes was a pleasant surprise, although it would be more suitable as a side dish than as a salad. The same is true of the sweet potatoes and pineapple combination. It’s more like a salad than the olive mixture, but it still could be a delicious side dish. In fact, add a little toasted coconut and it could be a dessert.
If you want to be foodtrendy, here’s a good place to start. You, too, might be surprised how sweet potatoes can be used.
Sweet Potato Salad 1 large onion, peeled, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil 1 pound orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled 1 / 2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 / 2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 / 2 teaspoon paprika 1 / 2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 / 4 cup chopped green olives Juice of 1 / 2 lemon 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley In a medium skillet, saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Do not brown.
Cut sweet potatoes into about 1-inch cubes; add to skillet and barely cover with water. Add ginger, cumin, paprika and salt.
Cook until potato chunks are barely tender and liquid has reduced to a sauce; turn potatoes over once and keep watch so that they do not suddenly fall apart.
Mix in olives and lemon juice and cook a few seconds to heat juice. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve at room temperature.
Makes 4 servings. Recipe from Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon (Knopf, $ 35 ), by Claudia Roden, reprinted in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Roasted Sweet Potato Salad 3 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes cut in 1-inch cubes (8 cups ) 1 / 4 cup olive oil OR vegetable oil 1 / 2 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1 cup small-chunk canned pineapple, well-drained 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons honey 1 / 4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish, optional Arrange oven rack in lower position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet or 2 standard baking sheets with aluminum foil, optional.
Spread sweet potato cubes on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. If using 2 baking sheets, divide ingredients between them. Toss well so that all cubes are lightly coated with oil. Sprinkle with salt, to taste.
Roast sweet potatoes, stirring every 10 minutes, until cubes are brown around edges and tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Watch carefully; they can burn quickly. If using 2 baking sheets, place 1 sheet on lower-level rack and the other on center level. Reverse sheets after 10 minutes.
Let potatoes cool to room temperature, then move to a large serving bowl and add pineapple chunks.
In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice and honey. Pour over potato mixture and toss gently. Salad can be assembled 30 minutes ahead and left at room temperature. For a more intense flavor to serve as a warm side dish, return to baking sheets and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.
When ready to serve, sprinkle with fresh cilantro, if desired.
Variation: Add 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 cup toasted coconut, if desired. Recipe adapted from The Big Book of Backyard Cooking by Betty Rosbottom, Los Angeles Times Syndicate columnist
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