Amanda Hessers Sweet Potato Casserole Recipes

SWEET POTATOES ANNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, slice the sweet potatoes on a mandoline. Soak prunes in port for 20 minutes, then drain and roughly chop. Coat a cast-iron skillet with butter, then arrange half of the potatoes in an overlapping circle until the bottom of the skillet is covered. Brush the top generously with melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter half of the prunes over the sweet potatoes, then repeat the whole process. Press down on the potatoes so they are compact.
• Bake 20-30 minutes until potatoes are cooked through and nicely caramelized. Run a knife around the edge of the skillet to loosen. Place a serving plate on top of the skillet and flip over to serve.

TWO-POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a medium gratin dish. Line bottom with a layer of Yukon Gold potatoes. Sprinkle with a little thyme and nutmeg. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and pour over a little cream. Add a layer of sweet potato slices, and repeat with the thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cream. Continue layering, ending with sweet potatoes, thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper and cream.
• Bake in oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Cover with aluminum foil if top gets too dark.

SWEET POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until very tender, about 45 minutes. Drain well.
• Mash the potatoes in a bowl. The potatoes should yield about 2¾ cups mashed potatoes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add butter to hot potatoes, and mash until smooth. Add sugar, nutmeg, egg and vanilla, mixing well. Combine baking powder with evaporated milk, and stir to blend. Add to mashed potatoes. Whisk mixture until velvety. Mound into pie shell, then spread evenly to edges.
• Bake until pie has set and is lightly browned on top, about 55 minutes. Cool to room temperature before serving.

SWEET POTATO AND GRUYèRE GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or shallow gratin dish. Butter a piece of foil large enough to cover top of pan. Sprinkle Parmesan all over bottom of pan.
• In a medium pot, bring cream, sage, rosemary, garlic, nutmeg and a pinch of salt to a simmer. Simmer until reduced by 1/4, about 10 minutes.
• In a large, heatproof bowl, whisk eggs just enough to break them up. Slowly pour hot cream into eggs to combine, whisking while pouring, and reserve the mixture.
• Meanwhile, using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds.
• Place 1 layer of potatoes in the pan, slightly overlapping as you go, using about a third of the slices. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste, then pour 1/3 of the egg mixture over potatoes. Top with 1/2 cup Gruyère. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper and 1/3 egg mixture. Top with 1/2 cup Gruyère. Top with remaining potatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and remaining egg mixture (but not the remaining cheese). Press down to compact the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake until potatoes are tender, about 40 minutes, then remove foil, sprinkle top with remaining 2/3 cup Gruyère and bake until browned and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve.

SWEET POTATOES WITH MAPLE AND CHIPOTLES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Place potatoes on large baking sheet and bake until soft, 35 to 40 minutes for medium potatoes, up to 1 hour for large.
• Meanwhile, combine syrup, sour cream or crème fraîche, chipotle purée, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• When potatoes are tender, remove from oven and slice in two lengthwise. Scoop hot flesh into a potato ricer or food mill, and purée into bowl with other ingredients. Stir with rubber spatula to combine. Potatoes should be light and fluffy. Taste for seasoning, transfer to warm serving bowl and serve immediately.