Sweet Potato Gratin With Chile Spiced Pecans Food

SWEET POTATO GRATIN WITH CHILE-SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°. Roast the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt the butter. Add the pecans, sugar and chipotle powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar starts to caramelize and the pecans are well-coated, 8 minutes. Spread the pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and let cool. Set the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into the bowl of a mixer; discard the skins. Add the honey, cinnamon, allspice and cloves and mix. Add the cream and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer the sweet potato puree to a buttered 8-by-11-inch baking dish. Scatter the marshmallows on top. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400° and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until the sweet potatoes are lightly puffed and browned. Sprinkle with the pecans and let the sweet potato soufflé rest for 10 minutes before serving. MAKE AHEAD The sweet potato puree can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature and top with the marshmallows before baking. The spiced nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

SWEET POTATO GALETTE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor to mix. While pulsing, drop the butter through the feed tube. Continue pulsing, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the mixture looks like coarse meal dotted with small and large chunks. Add water a little at a time, mixing in short and longer pulses between additions, until bumpy curds form. They should hold together when pinched. Press the dough into a ball, then flatten into a disk and place between parchment paper.
• Roll the dough into a circle a bit larger than 11 inches in diameter, then trim to 11 inches; prick all over with a fork. Refrigerate between parchment on a baking sheet for at least 2 hours (or freeze for 1 hour).
• Center a rack in the oven and heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cover the chilled crust (still between parchment on the baking sheet) with another baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the top baking sheet and parchment paper and bake for another 8 minutes or so, until lightly golden. Set aside. (You can make this up to 8 hours ahead.)
• Make the galette: In a medium bowl, with a flexible spatula, beat together the cream cheese, Parmesan, milk, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon chile powder and the salt. Taste and add more chile, if you'd like. (It will get hotter when it bakes.) Cut the potato and the apple into very thin rounds using a mandoline or sharp knife.
• While you don't want the cheese mixture to completely cover the crust, you do want the potato and apple slices to go right to the edge of the crust, so spread the cheese mixture over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Then, cover the entire crust with the potato and apple slices in slightly overlapping concentric circles. (You may have some slices left.) Mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, the oil and 1/4 teaspoon chile powder. Brush this mixture over the galette (just gloss the top - you might not need all of the mixture). Sprinkle with Parmesan and pecans, if using.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are softened and cooked through (test with the point of a knife). Scatter with chives, if using, and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. The galette is also good warm or at room temperature.

SWEET POTATO GRATIN WITH CHILE-SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Roast the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet until tender, about 1 hr 10 minute.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt the butter. Add the pecans, sugar and chipotle powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar starts to caramelize and the pecans are well coated (approx. 8 min).
• Spread pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and let cool.
• Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a food processor; discard skins. Add the honey, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves to the processor and puree. Add the cream and puree. Season with salt and pepper.
• Scrape the potatoes into a 9x13 baking dish; scatter marsh mellows on top.
• Bake in the top third of the oven for 25 minutes, until the marsh mellows are golden. Sprinkle with pecans and serve.

SWEET POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Peel and slice yams 1/8" thick- easily done in a food processer.
• Layer yam slices (overlapping) lengthwise in a 13 x 9 casserole.
• Sprinkle with salt, pepper, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• Repeat yam and spice layers.
• Pour whipping cream over everything so dish is half full.
• Bake 1 hour.

CHIPOTLE SCALLOPED SWEET POTATOES WITH SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pecans, sugar, adobo sauce, cumin and chili powder until pecans are coated. Spread onto foil; set aside., In a small bowl, combine the cream, chipotle peppers, salt and pepper. Arrange a third of the sweet potatoes in a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Pour 2/3 cup cream mixture over potatoes. Repeat layers twice., Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with spiced pecans. Bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.