The cooler weather is finally here and, with it, we turn our attention to seasonal produce and favorite fall recipes. We focus on different cooking methods, like roasting and simmering, and on the comforting aromas that fill our kitchen as a result.
The farmers markets are overflowing with butternut squash, pumpkins of all sorts, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, grapes and local apples and pears. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite, bright staples during fall and winter months. Not only they are packed with nutrients, but they are a delicious side dish whether baked, roasted, steamed or mashed.
I had one lone sweet potato sitting in my kitchen basket and wanted to make something different with it for lunch this week. Roasting came to mind, so I chopped up the potato into small cubes and I roasted it along with a couple of shallots and a good drizzle of olive oil. I wondered what might be good companions for sweet potatoes, so I opened what I consider my vegetable Bible, Deborah Madison’s, “Vegetable Literacy”. I read that sweet potatoes pair well with oranges, coriander, cilantro, and thyme, among other herbs and aromatics.
Sometime it is good to follow a recipe, but sometimes we just need to follow our instincts. I knew that this flavor combination sounded wonderful so I mixed the warm, roasted sweet potatoes with some herbs, some leftover cooked beans, toasted pine nuts for crunch and citrus juice and that’s how this simple but delicious recipe came to be. Not a bad outcome for a lone sweet potato!
- 1 large sweet potato (about 12-14oz.)
- 2 medium shallots
- 2 tsp. fresh thyme
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- 2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 med. cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 TBSP. fresh orange or lemon juice
- 1 tsp. orange or lemon zest
- ¼ tsp. coriander, ground
- --- salt & freshly ground pepper
- 2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- ¾-1 cup cooked black beans
- 2 TBSP. toasted pine nuts
- 2 TBSP. fresh cilantro, minced
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
- While the oven is preheating, peel and cut the sweet potato into ¼” inch cubes. Peel and chop the shallots into ¼” pieces. Place both in a small bowl. Sprinkle with the fresh thyme and season with the sea salt. Drizzle with the olive oil and then toss well until the sweet potatoes are well coated. Spread in a single layer on a small baking sheet and roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft and cooked through.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the garlic, orange juice and orange zest, ground coriander, salt and pepper to taste and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Fold in the cooked black beans.
- To the bowl, add the still warm sweet potatoes and shallots. Mix gently to combine. Top with the toasted pine nuts and fresh cilantro and serve at once.
Diced sweet potatoes and shallots ready for the oven
Still warm roasted sweet potatoes mixed with black beans and a light citrus vinaigrette
Here are a few more recipes featuring sweet potatoes:
https://marilenaskitchen.com/2017/01/10/sweet-potatoes-with-sherry/
https://marilenaskitchen.com/2015/11/14/thanksgiving-sides-maple-glazed-sweet-potatoes-with-orange-and-cranberries/
https://marilenaskitchen.com/2015/02/25/creamy-sweet-potato-soup/
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Your ingredients sound like a great combination, right up my street. I’ll need to try sweet potatoes with oranges, or citrus!
Thank you Kiki! It is a very satisfying dish with complimenting flavors! I hope you give it a try!