Sweet Potato And Apricot Purée With Pecan Streusel Food

APRICOT SWEET POTATO BAKE

Steps:

• Drain sweet potatoes and apricots, reserving 1/2 cup juice from each; set aside. Cut apricots in half. Place sweet potatoes and apricots in a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish; set aside. , In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon; stir in reserved juices until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the sherry, raisins and orange zest. , Pour over sweet potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until bubbly.

SWEET POTATO PURéE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter 9- by 13-inch baking dish or 2-quart casserole. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Pierce each potato with fork and transfer to baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Cool until easy to handle.
• Meanwhile, make streusel: In medium bowl, combine flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 stick butter. Rub mixture between fingertips until blended and crumbly. Set aside.
• Halve potatoes lengthwise and scoop out flesh into large bowl. Add remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and 3/4 stick butter and mash with potato masher or, for a smoother purée, handheld electric mixer. Spread mixture in prepared dish and cool completely. (Streusel and purée can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, separately, covered.)
• Sprinkle streusel over potatoes. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. (Completed dish can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before reheating and let come to room temperature. Bake, loosely covered with foil, until heated through, about 25 minutes.)
• Variation:
• Sweet potato purée with marshmallows: Omit streusel. Spread purée in baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle top with 3 cups miniature marshmallows and broil until marshmallows are lightly browned, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

APRICOT-PECAN SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Place the sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Mix together brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, apricot nectar, water, and orange peel in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. When the sauce is thick, stir in the butter and pecans. Place the sweet potato chunks into the prepared baking dish, and pour the sauce over to coat all the potatoes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

SWEET POTATO AND APRICOT PURéE WITH PECAN STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Prick potatoes and bake in middle of oven 1 1/2 hours, or until very soft. Scoop flesh into a bowl.
• In a saucepan cover apricots by 1 inch with cold water and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons cooking liquid and drain apricots. In a food processor puree apricots with granulated sugar and reserved liquid until smooth.
• Add puree to potatoes with salt to taste and with an electric mixer beat until smooth. Spread mixture in a buttered 2-quart shallow baking dish. Puree may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
• Reduce oven temperature to 400°F.
• In a small bowl blend with your fingers flour, brown sugar, butter, pecans, and salt to taste until combined well and crumble over puree. Bake puree in middle of oven until heated through and streusel is bubbling, about 15 minutes.

SWEET POTATO PECAN STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix sugar, pecans, and butter in small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use.
• Butter 13x9x2 glass baking dish.
• Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 12 mins, drain, let stand in colander 15 minutes, puree in processor or with a masher.
• Beat eggs, syrup, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in large bowl. Mix in pureed sweet potatoes. Transfer sweet potato mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle pecan topping evenly over mixture.
• Bake til sweet potato mixture is set and topping bubbles, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes.

HASSELBACK SWEET POTATO WITH PECAN STREUSEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place sweet potato on a cutting board. Place a chopstick on either side. Cut the sweet potato into 1/8-inch-thick slices, making sure you don't cut all the way through. Transfer to a baking pan.
• Mix melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract together. Spoon over the sweet potato.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Using your hands, make streusel by combining 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar, pecans, flour, butter, and salt. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• Remove the sweet potato from the oven and sprinkle streusel over the top. Place in the broiler until streusel starts to brown, 1 to 3 minutes.

SWEET POTATO AND APRICOT PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Prick potatoes and bake in middle of oven for at least 1 hour, or until very soft. Allow to cool and then scoop flesh into a bowl.
• In a saucepan cover apricots by 1 inch with cold water and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and drain apricots.
• Puree apricots in a food processor with the granulated sugar and reserved liquid, until smooth.
• Add puree and salt to potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread mixture into a greased shallow 2-qt baking dish. (Note: Puree may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and kept chilled and covered).
• Reduce oven temperature to 400.
• In a small bowl blend remaining ingredients (flour, brown sugar, butter, pecans, and dash salt) with your fingers until combined well. Sprinkle over puree. Bake in oven until heated through and topping is bubbly, about 15 minutes.