Food magazines are a big problem in my house. I only receive two a month (Bon Appetit and Cooking Light), but I refuse to throw them away. They are stacked and stashed in all over our condo, probably taking up more than their fair share of space, because you just NEVER KNOW when you might need the Thanksgiving 2005 (or was it 2006?) Bon Appetit that had a really, really good squash gratin recipe. My mom has a Bon Appetit from 1981 that has the world’s most amazing cheesecake recipe, so I come by this particular hoarding tendency naturally. I wish I had through of The Bitten Word, which is one of my favorite blogs, and I would feel much better about the magazines that spill out whenever I open certain drawers.
I am very glad the October issue of Cooking Light was still on the coffee table, because this was one awesome side dish. I love sweet potatoes, and I love sweet/tart/spicy combinations in sauces. This hits all those notes beautifully. I already have ideas about how to adapt the cranberry-chipotle pairing into other recipes. I love it when that happens.
Sweet Potatoes with Cranberry-Chipotle Dressing
adapted slightly from Cooking Light
- 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I used fresh)
- 1/4 cup water
- I tablespoon honey
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce (plus a little sauce)
- 3/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Preheat oven to 450°. Place sweet potatoes on a large jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until tender, turning after 15 minutes.
Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, cranberries, water, and honey in a saucepan. Finely chop the chipotle pepper. Add chopped chipotle and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce to pan. Place pan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Mash with a fork until chunky.
Combine potatoes, onions, and cilantro in a bowl. Add cranberry mixture to bowl; toss gently to coat.
Bess's Bistro 