This is a very rich stew served in a buttery mustard gravy. The beer in question was meant to be a porter, but I used stout. I also used ~250mL less liquid than the recipe called for. I also used less chicken than called for and a mix of drumsticks and thighs rather than just thighs. I doubled the onions and added a bit of garlic as well.

The resulting stew was excellent! That said, I think it could've used more vegetables. I think I'd put more carrots and potatoes next time and/or add a bit of turnip/swede or something.

Beer-Braised Chicken Stew

Adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1-2 Tbsp. oil
• 1.2-1.5kg chicken pieces
• salt and pepper
• 6 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 2 onions, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 400-500g carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
• 500-600g potatoes, cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 kumara, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 rutabaga/swede, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces (optional)
• 500mL stout
• 500mL chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon or Roman mustard
• 2-3 tsp. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/3 c. flour
• 1/2 c. hot water

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear for a few minutes on each side.
3. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
4. Melt 1 Tbsp. of the butter in the pot.
5. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened and beginning to brown.
6. Add the bay leaf, carrots, potatoes, kumara, and rutabaga (if using).
7. Add the stout, chicken broth, brown sugar, mustard, tomato paste, and thyme.
8. Return chicken to pot and bring to a boil.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
10. Mash the remaining 5 Tbsp. of butter with the flour to form a paste.
11. Slowly add 2 c. of the cooking liquid to the flour paste while stirring until smooth.
12. Pour gravy back into pot.
13. Rinse out measuring cup the gravy was mixed in with the hot water and pour that into the pot as well.
14. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
15. Check to make sure chicken is cooked through, season to taste, and serve.

Kaddu Dhansaak (Pumpkin Dhansaak)

Dhansaaks are often made with meat, but this one uses pumpkin (and a variety of root vegetables) for a satisfying legume-and-vegetable stew.

Red pumpkin is the recommended squash for this. But Iyer suggests that other pumpkins -- or even sweet potatoes -- can be used as well. I initially considered using the pie pumpkin I'd picked up here. But then I remembered that we had some sweet potatoes that had been languishing on the counter for weeks. And this seemed like as good a use of them as any. I also decided to toss in a parsnip, just for fun.

I can't say that this was my favourite curry. But it was pretty good. And I definitely liked it better than the chicken dhansaak that I tried a few years ago!

Kaddu Dhansaak

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. skinned split pigeon peas (toovar dal)
• 1/4 c. yellow split peas (chana dal)
• 1/4 c. skinned split mung beans (yellow lentils/moong dal)
• 3 c. water
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies (or 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne + 3/4 tsp. sweet paprika)
• 2 onions, one coarsely chopped, one halved and sliced
• 2 c. cubed pumpkin or sweet potato (2cm dice)
• 1 large potato, cut into 1cm dice
• 1-2 carrots, cut into 1cm thick coins
• 1 parsnip, cut into 1cm pieces (optional)
• 1/4 c. ghee, divided
• 4-6 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 small (~400mL) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. Madras curry powder
• 1 tsp. sambhar masala
• 1 tsp. Maharashtrian garam masala
• 200g spinach or kale, chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Combine the pigeon peas, split peas, and mung beans and rinse and drain thoroughly.
2. In a pressure cooker, add the water, turmeric, ground chilies, chopped onion, pumpkin/sweet potato, potato, carrots, and parsnip (if using).
3. Pressure cook on "high" for 15 minutes with a 15-minute natural release.
4. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp. of the ghee over medium heat.
5. Add the sliced onion and garlic and cook until browned (10-15 minutes).
6. Add the tomatoes, salt, curry powder, sambhar masala, and garam masala and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
7. Once the legumes and vegetables are done, release the remaining pressure and add the tomato mixture to the pot. Stir to combine.
8. Stir in the spinach.
9. Cook until the spinach wilts and flavours meld (10-15 minutes).
10. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. of ghee.
11. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

I've had a bit of trouble finding butternut squash over here, so I actually made this with buttercup squash (which is apparently considered a pumpkin in NZ). It made for a fine substitute. As did the kumara in place of the sweet potato.

I wasn't blown away by this dish overall. But it was tasty enough and made for a perfectly serviceable side dish next to our lamb chops.

Butternut Squash Tagine

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 8 saffron threads
• 1 Tbsp. warm water
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric¹
• 600g butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1cm thick pieces
• 1 small (~400mL) tin diced tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp. dried currants
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 3/4 c. water
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 250g sweet potato, cubed

Directions

1. Add the saffron to the water and set asdie for at least 10 minutes.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the onion and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
4. Add the ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
5. Add the squash, carrot, tomatoes, currants, honey, water, and saffron along with its soaking liquid.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Add the sweet potato and continue cooking, covered, until vegetables are tender (~25 minutes longer).
10. Serve with harissa sauce or condiment of your choice.

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¹ There wasn't any turmeric in the kitchen when I was making this -- socking, I know! -- but there was a surplus of commercial curry powder (which tends to be half turmeric anyway), so I just used that instead. I figured the extra bit of cumin, coriander, and miscellaneous other spices wouldn't hurt the flavour any. ^Back

I appreciate how quickly this recipe comes together. And the fact that it gets you a protein and a vegetable is nice as well. I just sautéed up a bunch of zucchini to go with it and our dinner was complete!

Molasses-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. molasses
• 1/4 c. Roman mustard
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, divided
• 680g sweet potatoes, cut into 1cm thick discs (unpeeled)
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground and divided
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 pork tenderloins (~350g each)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable stock

Directions

1. Preheat oven 200°C (400°F).
2. Combine molasses, mustard, rosemary, and 1/2 tsp. pepper flakes and mix well. Set aside.
3. Toss sweet potatoes with 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. sea salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper and spread out on a baking sheet.
4. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat.
6. Season pork with remaining salt and pepper and sear on all sides (6-8 minutes).
7. Clear a space on the centre of the baking sheet and place pork in the cleared space.
8. Brush pork and sweet potatoes with molasses sauce.
9. Roast for 15 more minutes.
10. Return pan to heat and add shallot.
11. Cook until shallot softens (~3 minutes).
12. Add remaining sauce and chicken stock to pan and bring to a boil.
13. Cook until sauce thickens (~5 minutes).
14. Slice pork, top with sauce, and serve with sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes were on sale the other day, so I picked up a few on a whim. I then repeatedly failed to do anything with them. But, luckily, I managed to get it together enough to make this salad before they went off.

It was a pretty good salad too! The dressing is pretty much just maple syrup and lime juice, but I really like it! It complements the sweet potatoes well. Although, I think I would be tempted to add just a pinch of chili powder next time! I think that would go nicely with the other flavours and give it a nice little kick.

Sweet Potato Salad with Pecans and Green Onions

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• ~1.4kg sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/3 c. lime juice
• 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder (optional)
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 c. chopped green onions
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
2. Toss sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp. of the oil and the salt and arrange in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast at 200°C (400°F) flipping and turning once during cooking.
4. Meanwhile, combine the lime juice, mapley syrup, and chili powder (if using) and drizzle in the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil while whisking vigorously.
5. Once sweet potatoes are done, transfer them to a bowl along with the pecans, green onions, and cilantro.
6. Pour the dressing over, toss to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Breakfast Burritos (Breakfast Bible)

I've been meaning to make these for a while. But I really wanted to try to do them with ground chicken and sweet potato rather than the chorizo and russet potatoes called for in the recipe. But, in the end, I didn't end up going with either of those combinations. TF had a hankering for breakfast sausage. And I had a few red potatoes that needed to be used up. So I made it with those instead. I do think the red potatoes were a little too waxy for this dish though. So next time I'd either go with the russets or try it with sweets.

I do think that it would have been nice with a few greens and maybe a bit of sour cream. And we also added a bit of mild cheddar and swapped out the guac for plain avocado. (Mostly because cheese is delicious and because I had an avocado that needed to be used up and didn't feel like making guacamole this morning.) Overall though, it worked out pretty well. It's a forgiving recipe that allows for a lot of variation and experimentation.

Breakfast Burritos

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 russet potatoes, grated
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 190g sausage (chorizo, breakfast, or chicken), casings removed
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 c. milk
• 4-6 large flour tortillas, warm
• 1 c. cooked black beans, warm
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 c. guacamole or avocado
• 1/2 c. salsa or pico de gallo
• 1/4 c. sour cream (optional)
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium heat.
2. Wring grated potato out as best you can using paper towels or a clean tea towel.
3. Add potatoes and pat into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of oil.
4. Cook until underside is crisp (~6 minutes).
5. Flip and cook until the other side is crisp as well (~6 minutes longer). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
6. Add sausage to pan and cook until done (5-6 minutes). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
7. Beat eggs with milk and season with salt and pepper.
8. Drain off all but ~1 tsp. of fat from the pan, reduce heat to medium-low and pour in eggs.
9. Cook until bottom beings to set 1-2 minutes, then stir.
10. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until eggs are set.
11. Place a few scrambled eggs, some beans, potatoes, sausage, cheese, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro (if using) in the centre of each tortilla.
12. Fold up top and bottom edges and then roll to form a burrito.

These quesadillas are meant to be served with a simple arugula salad. We still had a bunch of chicken tostada salad left over from the previous day though, so I skipped the arugula and we just had them with some of the leftover salad instead.

Sweet Potato and Green Chile Quesadillas

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 450g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2-4 Tbsp. canned green chilies
• 1/4 c. canned diced tomatoes
• 8 (15cm/6") corn tortillas
• 1 c. grated Monterey Jack or mild cheddar
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 1/4 c. sour cream (optional)
• 1/4 c. salsa (optional)
• sliced or chopped avocado (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F).
2. Drizzle sweet potatoes with oil and toss with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place on a baking sheet and roast until very tender (15-20 minutes), stirring once or twice.
4. Mash the sweet potatoes and mix int he chilies and tomatoes.
5. Divide the sweet potato mixture evenly among four of the tortillas and spread it into an even layer.
6. Top each with ~1/4 c. of cheese.
7. Place one of the remaining tortillas on top of each quesadilla.
8. Brush the outside surfaces of the quesadillas with oil and place on the baking sheet.
9. Bake at 230°C (450°F) for 5-10 minutes.
10. If the quesadillas aren't sufficiently browned, you may put them under the broiler for ~2 minutes per side.
11. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, salsa, and/or avocado if desired.
12. Serve with salad or other side of your choice.

This curry contains an unusual combination of vegetables: sweet potato, celery root, and delicata squash. Sweet potato and squash are not that surprising, but it never would have occurred to me to put celery root in a curry before this recipe! It works pretty well though. It's not going to become a new favourite or anything, but it was nice to try something a bit different.

Winter Vegetable Red Curry

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredinets

• 2 tsp. coconut oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6mm piece of ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 sweet potato (~225g), peeled and cubed
• ~250g celery root, peeled and cubed
• 3 c. coconut milk
• 1 delicata squash (200-250g), seeded and cubed
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Melt oil over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for ~1 minute.
3. Add the curry paste and cook for another minute or so.
4. Add the fish sauce, sweet potato, and celery root and stir to combine.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, add coconut milk, and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Add the squash and cook until vegetables are tender (10-15 minutes longer).
7. Stir in the lime zest, remove from heat, and stir in the lime juice.
8. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with rice.

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Variants

Vegetarian/Vegan Version

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. coconut oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6mm piece of ginger, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce substitute
• 1 sweet potato (~225g), peeled and cubed
• ~250g celery root, peeled and cubed
• 3 c. coconut milk
• 1 delicata squash (200-250g), seeded and cubed
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Most of the recipes that I have that call for cranberries want dried cranberries. Aside from making cranberry sauce, there aren't too many that use the fresh berries. So it was nice to see this hash going heavy on the fresh cranberries (and green onion).

I think, in future, I would choose a different method for cooking the sweet potatoes. While baking and then peeling worked fine, I did find them a bit annoying to peel. I might try peeling and cubing them first next time and then either boiling or steaming the cubes. However, since I haven't had a chance to try that method yet, I've left the instructions alone for now. Feel free to experiment with the procedure to find something that works well for you.

Sweet Potato-Cranberry Hash

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1-2 apples, diced
• 1/2 c. sliced green onion
• 1 c. fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1-2 allspice berries, ground
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork in several places and then place them directly on the oven rack and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45-55 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
4. Once cool enough to handle, peel and cube the potatoes.
5. Melt the butter over medium heat.
6. Add the apple and cook until browned and caramelized (~5 minutes).
7. Add the green onion and cranberries and cook for 1-2 minutes.
8. Add the sweet potatoes, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through (4-5 minutes).

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Variations

Vegan Version

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1-2 apples, diced
• 1/2 c. sliced green onion
• 1 c. fresh (or thawed frozen) cranberries, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1-2 allspice berries, ground
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

I picked up some sweet potatoes a while back and keep not quite getting around to actually cooking them. Luckily sweet potatoes keep pretty well and I managed to get it together enough to do something with them before they went off.

This is a very simple dish. Just a handfull of ingredients tossed together with no complicated prep or cooking. And, while the results aren't spectacular, it does give a nice result.

That said, I did make a few adjustments. The original recipe called for 3 Tbsp. of oil and 1 Tbsp. of molasses for 450g of sweet potatoes. I thought that sounded like a lot of oil, so I scaled it back to only 2 Tbsp. for a scant 900g of potatoes. I also decided to swap out the oil for bacon grease. We had a bunch in the fridge and I thought the savoury-salty notes would go nicely with the other elements of the recipe. I definitely think that scaling back the oil was the right choice! Honestly, it still seemed like there was quite a bit of fat and I might have been able to scale it back even further. I've given a range in the recipe below. Use your judgement.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Molasses and Chili

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes
• 1-2 Tbsp. bacon grease or canola oil, melted
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F) and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes, halve them lengthwise, and then cut crosswise into 1-1.5cm thick pieces.
3. Combine bacon grease and molasses in a large bowl. Warm them up slightly if they're difficult to mix.
4. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to coat.
5. Sprinkle with chili powder, pepper, and salt and toss to distribute evenly.
6. Spread out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake at 230°C (450°C) for 20-30 minutes, flipping/stirring once.

I ordered some sweet potatoes in my produce basket a little while back and then didn't end up getting around to making whatever it was that I'd wanted them for. So, now I have a bunch of root vegetables sadly staring at me every time I go into the kitchen.

I managed to use up some in the chicken curry the other day. (Which also conveniently used up the chicken breasts I had stashed in the freezer.) But that still left.. four? I think. So, when I needed a vegetable side to go with tonight's dinner, I figured I should aim for something that would use up a few more sweet potatoes -- or... at least one more anyway.

I really liked this salad. The combination of greens, cheese, and nuts was excellent! The honey-glazed sweet potatoes were also nice, but the nuts and cheese were really the main attractions for me. And that was even with my decision to swap out the goat cheese for pressed cottage cheese!¹

Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato & Curried Pecan Salad

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Dressing

• 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies
• 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt

Pecans

• 1 tsp. curry powder²
• 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 c. pecan halves

Sweet Potato

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into large dice
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Salad

• 80-90g baby spinach
• 80-90g arugula
• 185g pressed cottage cheese (or fresh goat cheese)

Directions

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until mixture looks homogeneous. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchement paper.
3. Combine curry powder, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl.
4. Pour melted butter over pecans and toss to coat.
5. Sprinkle curry powder mixture over pecans and toss to coat.
6. Place in a single layer on the prepared pan and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
7. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
8. Toss the sweet potato with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
9. Place the sweet potato in an ovenproof skillet/pan and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes.
10. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to the stovetop.
11. Drizzle honey over sweet potatoes and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes.
12. Toss spinach and arugula with dressing and top with pecans, sweet potato, and cheese.

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¹ Just trying to be a little more diet/WW-friendly. ^Back
2 The original recipe just called for "curry powder", so I did what I normally do when a recipe calls for commercial curry powder and just tossed in some Madras-style curry powder. This worked fine, but I think that a different spice blend would have been even better. I think balti masala would be my top pick, but sambhar masala and botle masala are also strong contenders. I think a basic bin bhuna hua garam masala would also be really nice. ^Back

This curry is an interesting combination of Anglo-Indian and Thai flavours. I associate the mix of lemongrass, coconut milk, and fish sauce with Thai cuisine and would have expected them to be combined with a Thai curry paste. This recipe takes a different route by adding a large amount of Madras-style curry powder -- an Indian-inspired British spice blend -- instead. It made for a nice, if unusual, result.

I mostly followed the recipe here. My only slight deviation was to swap out the skinless, bone-in chicken thighs for skinless, boneless chicken breasts. I also sliced the breasts in half lengthwise in order to speed up cooking time. I'm pretty happy with the results this produced. The final curry was a bit soupy, but very nice when served over a bit of brown rice.

Chicken and Coconut Milk Curry

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1.25kg skinless boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 shallots, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. Madras-style curry powder
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 2cm chunks (white part only)
• 3cm piece of fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 1 (400mL) can coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into large dice
• 1 (~350g) sweet potato, peeled and cut into large dice
• 3 Tbsp. Thai basil, chiffonade

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add chicken and cook for ~4 minutes per side. (You may have to work in batches.)
3. Remove chicken and set aside, then add garlic and shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add curry powder, sugar, pepper, lemongrass, and ginger and cook for 30-60 seconds.
5. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, and fish sauce and bring to a boil.
6. Add carrots, sweet potato, and chicken and reduce heat to medium-low.
7. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until veggies are fork tender and chicken is cooked through.
8. Stir in basil and serve over rice.

I've been really craving sweet potatoes lately, so this potato and sweet potato hash really caught my eye.

Spicy Veggie Hash

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 680g sweet potatoes, cubed
• 680g potatoes, cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1 c. corn
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 Tbsp. cumin seeds
• 8-12 eggs
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• lime wedges, to serve
• ketchup, to serve
• hot sauce, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Toss the potatoes and sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp. of the oil and spread on a baking sheet.
3. Roast at 200°C (400°F) for 30 minutes. Stir/flip, then roast for another 15 minutes. Keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat.
5. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until tender (~10 minutes).
6. Stir in the corn, garlic, and cumin and cook until heated through (~3 minutes).
7. Combine the potatoes and other veggies and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Keep the hash warm while you cook the eggs. Cook 1-2 eggs per person by whatever method you prefer. Poached, fried, or scrambled works best.
9. Top hash with eggs, garnish with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges, ketchup, and/or hot sauce on the side.

Brussery (Sweet Potato and Plantain Curry in Coconut Sauce)

This is a nice vegetable side dish with a thick sauce, and goes well with both rice and flatbread.

Brussery

660 Curries by Raghavan Ayer (pp. 615-616)

Ingredients

• 1 (~225g) very firm large plantain, halved lengthwise, peeled, and cut into 2cm cubes
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• ¼ C shredded dried coconut, reconsistuted¹
• ¼ C shredded dried coconut, as is
• 3 fresh green Thai chilis, stemmed
• 1 dry cayenne chili, stemmed
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp urad dal (skinned split black lentils)
• 12-15 fresh curry leaves
• salt for serving

Directions

1. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in the salt, turmeric, sweet potato, and plantain. Cover and return to a boil.
3. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm, 8-10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, scoop out ½ C of cooking water and combine, in a blender, with reconstituted coconut and both kinds of chilis. Purée.
5. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until popped, ~30 seconds.
7. Uncover, add lentils, and stir-fry until they turn golden brown, 15-20 seconds.
8. Remove lentils and mustard seeds with a slotted spoon and stir them into the coconut-chili sauce.
9. Add remaining (dry) coconut and curry leaves to the remaining oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until curry leaves are dry and coconut browned, 3-5 minutes. Stir this too (including the oil) into the coconut-chili sauce.
10. When potato and plantain are cooked, drain reserving ½ C cooking water and return to the same pot. Add coconut-chili sauce and reserved cooking water and stir to combine. Finish with ¼-½ tsp salt, or top with salt at the table.

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¹If you have fresh coconut, replace each ¼ C of dried coconut with ½ C shredded fresh coconut. ^Back
2 I like to use lots of footnotes. Sometimes I'll even add a footnote³ to a footnote. ^Back
3 I don't do this often. ^Back

I, once again, found myself needing to come up with revised dinner plans at the last minute and, once again, I turned to a curry recipe to solve this. Shockingly, this curry is not a recipe out of 660 Curries! I was perusing the Dish of the Day cookbook and spotted this recipe and figured it would be a nice way to use up my last sweet potato.

I ended up adjusting the proportions slightly (adding more tomatoes and peas than the original recipe called for), but stayed pretty true to the original. And it turned out surprisingly well! I'm usually a bit wary of making curries from recipe authors other than Iyer, but this one turned out nicely. It wasn't an all-time favourite, but it made for a satisfying dinner. Especially with the addition of some brown rice and a few spicy turmeric pickles!

Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh Thai or jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
• 1 Tbsp. Madras curry powder
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-cm dice
• 1 can (540mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or ~2 c. cooked chickpeas)
• 1 can (400mL) coconut milk
• 1 c. water
• 1 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 1 small can (~400mL) diced tomatoes

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-low heat.
2. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, and chile and cook until onion is transluscent (5-6 minutes).
3. Add the curry powder and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
4. Stir in the salt and pepper.
5. Immediately add the sweet potato, chickpeas, coconut milk, and water and stir to combine.
6. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until sweet potato is tender (~10 minutes).
8. Add the peas and tomatoes and cook until heated through (~5 minutes).
9. Serve over rice/pulao with hot pickles, chutney, and or cilantro.

Sweet Potato Salad

I like sweet potatoes, but it's always nice to find new ways of preparing them. I thought this salad looked intriguing, so I decided to add it to the dinner menu for tonight to give us an extra vegetable side. The sriracha-soy-peanut variant also looks delicious, but I decided to go with the cumin-paprika-almond version for today.

Sweet Potato Salad with Cumin, Smoked Paprika, and Toasted Almonds

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country October/November 2020

Ingredients

• 700g sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 2 small scallions, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 6-8 slices pickled jalapeño, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/4 tsp. allspice berries, ground
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika¹
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).
2. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 Tbsp. of the oil and the salt.
3. Spread the potato cubes in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
6. Meanwhile, combine the scallions, lime juice, jalapeños, cumin, pepper, allspice, paprika, and garlic with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil and mix well.
7. Add the cooled sweet potato cubes, cilantro, and almonds and toss to combine and coat the sweet potatoes.
8. Serve at room temparature.

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Variations

Sweet Potato Salad with Sriracha, Soy sauce, and Peanuts

Ingredients

• 700g sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 2 small scallions, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 4-6 slices pickled jalapeño, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sriracha
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 c. unsalted dry-roasted peanuts², chopped

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¹ I didn't have any smoked paprika, so I just used the same amount of sweet paprika + a dash of liquid smoke. ^Back
2 The original recipe calls for salted dry-roasted peanuts here, but I feel like that would make the final result too salty. The soy sauce is already going to add a bunch of extra salt; I don't think the peanuts need to be salted too! ^Back

This was, in theory, meant to be a butternut squash soup. But I could only get pumpkin in my produce basket this week, so I made it with that instead. And then I was a bit shy on pumpkin, so I tossed in a lonely sweet potato that I had left over from another recipe to make up the difference. So, all-in-all, maybe not quite the same soup that the recipe authors had in mind, but it was tasty nonetheless.

And using the pumpkin worked out nicely because then I had freshly roasted pumpkin seeds to use as garnish. The original recipe called for roasted, salted pepitas (which are just shelled pumpkin seeds anyway). I had some shelled pumpkin seeds in the freezer. But I figured, rather than trying to roast and salt them, it'd probably be easier and more efficient to just use the freshly harvested in-shell seeds. They're a bit different texturally, but they still provide some nice salt and crunch, so I think it worked out well.

The original recipe was mean to be a small batch, "cooking for two" recipe. But since I wanted to use up the whole pumpkin in one go (and have enough soup to serve all three of us + have some leftovers), I just doubled all the quantities.

Pumpkin-Sweet Potato Soup

Adapted from Cook's Country December/January 2021

Ingredients

• 1 pie pumpkin (~900g)
• 2 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 3/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground, divided
• 1 sweet potato (~200g), peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• 4 c. chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Halve the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and "guts". Reserve the seeds.
3. Brush the pumpkin halves with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and place cut-side-down on a baking sheet.
4. Roast at 220°C (425°F) for 30-45 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
6. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 150°C (300°F) and toss pumpkin seeds with 1 tsp. of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of the salt, and 1/2 tsp. of the pepper.
7. Roast the pumpkin seeds at 150°C (300°F) for half an hour, stirring and turning every 10 minutes.
8. Once the pumpkin has cooled enough to handle, remove the flesh from the skin. Discard the skin and reserve the flesh.
9. While the pumpkin seeds are roasting, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium-low heat.
10. Add the onion and sweet potato and cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.
11. Add the garlic and sage and cook for another minute or two.
12. Add the stock, pumpkin, and remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper and bring to a boil over medium heat.
13. Reduce heat medium-low and simer, covered, for ~15 minutes.
14. Remove from heat and blend until smooth with an immersion blender.
15. Stir in cream.
16. Serve garnished with blue cheese and pumpkin seeds.

Sweet Potato Fritters

The stated goal here was to create "a delicious mash-up of mashed sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries" and I think they did a really nice job of that. The outside was crispy, the inside was creamy and cheesey. Very nice overall. Not super healthy, but nice as an occasional treat.

Swee Potato Fritters with Cheddar and Chipotle

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2021

Ingredients

• 680g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 5-6mm thick
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 4 green onions, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. minced chipotles in adobo
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 c. oil, for frying
• sour cream, to serve
• lime wedges, to serve

Directions

1. Combine potatoes, water, and salt.
2. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender (~20 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and mash. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes or hold in fridge for up to 2 days.
4. Stir in cheese, flour, eggs, green onions, cilantro, chipotle, cumin, and pepper.
5. Heat oil over medium heat (aim for 180°C/350°F).
6. Scoop ~1/4 c. portions of potato mixture into the pan and press into flat patties with the back of a spoon.
7. Cook fritters 2-3 minutes per side. Be very careful when flipping; they are delicate!
8. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.
9. Repeat with remaining potato mixture.
10. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges.

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Variations

Sweet Potato Fritters with Feta and Dill

Ingredients

• 680g sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 5-6mm thick
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 4 green onions, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh dill
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 c. oil, for frying
• sour cream, to serve
• lemon wedges, to serve

Our leftovers didn't take us quite as far as I'd hoped this week and I ended up having to come up with something for dinner on short notice. We still have a lot of ground beef in the freezer, so a quick chili was an easy option. But it was a little short on vegetables. I would've liked to have done a coleslaw to go with it, but we were all out of cabbage and I didn't have time to run out and pick any up. In the end, I opted for some sweet potato wedges. Not the most vegetably of vegetables, but they at least pack some fibre and nutrition. And, with any luck, I can get the coleslaw made tomorrow to have with the leftovers.

Sadly the Kidlet wasn't a big fan of these wedges. But I liked them. I mean, they're not a religious experience or anything, but they made for a tasty enough side dish. And they're very easy to make, so that's always a plus in my book!

I made the cumin and chili flavour this time because I thought that would complement the chili nicely. I'd love to try the cinnamon-sugar flavour sometime though. I'm not sure I'd prefer it, but it'd be interesting to try. (And I bet the Kidlet would like that flavour!)

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country February/March 2017

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes (preferably small ones)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (450°F) and line a baiking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Cut sweet potatoes into wedges ~3.5-4cm wide. (Leave the skin on.)
3. Toss wedges with oil, salt, and pepper.
4. Place wedges skin-side-down on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake at 220°C (450°F) for 30 minutes.

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Variations

Cumin and Chili Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes (preferably small ones)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 Tbsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 2 tsp. chili powder (or 1 tsp. chili powder + 1 tsp. sweet paprika for milder wedges)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder

Cinnamon-Sugar Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes (preferably small ones)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Curry Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes (preferably small ones)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 4 tsp. Madras curry powder

Spicy BBQ Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 900g sweet potatoes (preferably small ones)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne

I haven't been writing up a lot of the Hello Fresh recipes, largely because most of them are repeats of recipes we already have with minor variations. This one was new, though, and also a huge hit with everyone, and a nice dinner (or brunch!) on a cold winter day.

We had some extra coconut milk in the fridge, so we replaced some of the water in the recipe with additional coconut milk, making it a roughly 1:1 ratio for the same total volume. I've written it up without this modification.

Salmon Coconut Soup

Hello Fresh

Ingredients

• 340g carrots, peeled, bisected lengthwise, and cut into 5mm half-moons
• 340g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 10cm cubes
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 C "red curry base"¹
• 1-2 red Thai chilis, finely chopped
• 500g salmon filets, skin on
• 200mL coconut milk
• 750mL water
• ½ tsp salt
• 450g bok choi, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Add carrots, sweet potatoes, and oil to a large pot.
2. Cook over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, 5-10 minutes.
3. Add curry base and chilis. Cook, stirring, until coated and fragrant, ~30 seconds.
4. Add coconut milk, water, and salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
5. Add salmon. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, covered, until salmon is cooked through, ~5 minutes.
6. Stir in bok choi and cook until wilted.

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¹ This is not the same as red curry paste; symbol suspects it to be red curry paste diluted with fish sauce and possibly other liquids and aromatics. This is sometimes sold as "red curry paste" in grocery stores, but has a lighter colour and consistency and is meant to be used by the cup rather than the teaspoon. ^Back