Sweet potato mayhem

My mum (brilliant guru of alternative medicine, that she is) has degreed that I shalt not eat potato. For a couple of weeks at least. Hence I experimented with sweet potatoes in attempt to find somethings to replace the gaping hole in my life caused by a lack of potato =P

I didn't used to be a big fan of sweet potato but I've since realised it's all in how you cook it. So here are two different sweet potato recipes for people who don't really like sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Chips (chips like potato chips not hot chips)
I learnt to make these when I worked at a seafood restaurant many many years ago. We used to use them as a garnish and they were delish. Today I figured I'd attempt them at home.

Peel a sweet potato. Get rid of all the skin and then keep peeling. This is probably the easiest way to make thin chips ready for frying - the peeler makes them just the right thickness.

Heat some oil in a small saucepan - a couple of cm deep is enough. You can use any kind oil suitable for frying. Jamie Oliver's tip - put a small chuck of potato in when you turn the heat on and when the potato is golden and floating then the oil's at good temperature for frying.

Line a plate with lots of paper towels for when they come out.

Fry them in batches until the edges of the chips are just starting to brown. Take them out quickly and drain them well. Really well. Sprinkle with salt and try not to eat them all at once.

It takes a bit of trial and error to get the frying right - oil too hot and they go from orange to brown in an instant and end up burnt. Too cool and they don't seem to change at all. The perfect chip is going brown around the edges but still mostly orange (in centre).

I'd post a photo but we've eaten them all already. My brother, who is vehemently opposed to sweet potato, ate all the ones that were left after I'd stuffed my face on them (making myself feel slightly ill in the process). Granted he didn't know what they were at the time, but he certainly liked them.


The yummiest Sweet Potato Mash ever.
I experimented with this last night and it was so good I decided to make it again tonight. Mum's comment was "It's a bit like toffee", and then she took some more. I'll call that a positive response.

Roast some sweet potato
prepare (peel, cut into chunks, toss in oil rosemary S+P)
put in oven ~200, until soft and maybe the corners are going a little brown
turn out on to some paper towel to get rid of any excess oil

Mash with lots of herb butter (or butter and finely chopped fresh parsley)
herb butter: chop finely fresh parsley and mush it in to some butter. Put back in fridge until needed (I made some several days ago because the parsley plants in mum's garden have gone mad and turned into huge bush-like things. Clearly they need to be used. Equally obviously, having made herb butter you then have to find uses for it...)

Eat

Roasting the sweet potato rather than boiling/steaming it, makes the natural sugars in it caramelise and go all yum which is probably what makes this so good... and toffee-like :-)