Golden Sweet Potato Soup

Serves 6 ( about 1 cup servings)

Ingredients

2 TBS butter
¼ cup finely chopped onions
1 TBS flour
1 tsp curry powder
3 ½ cups chicken broth
1 lb. sweet potatoes (3 medium) cooked, peeled and mashed  (use mostly Kotobuki with a few Jewel for color)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup light cream
Chopped parsley

Preparation

• In a large saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the onion until translucent.

• Stir in flour and curry powder. Cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in chicken broth. Add mashed sweet potato, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  
• Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to bubble. Add light cream and heat thoroughly. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Sweet Potato Salad

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

3½  lbs. sweet potatoes  (mixture of Kotobuki, Jewel and/or Okinawan)
Salted water
1 medium onion, cut into thin rings
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
Honey Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe follows)

Preparation

• Wash the sweet potatoes. Heat enough salted water to cover the potatoes. Bring water to boil and add potatoes in their jackets. Cover and cook for 20 - 30 minutes until fork tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
  
• When cool enough to handle, peel and halve lengthwise; then cut into 1/4" slices. Combine sweet potato slices, onion rings and green peppers in a large bowl. Pour Honey Vinaigrette Dressing over the salad mixture and toss lightly to coat. Cover and refrigerate 3 - 6 hours or overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

1 cup tarragon vinegar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 TBS honey
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp each dried oregano and thyme, crumbled

• Combine all ingredients in jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well-mixed. Let sit 3- 6 hours to let the flavors blend. Then remove garlic cloves and bay leaves and add to the salad mixture.

Spicy Sweet Potato Wontons

1 cup baked sweet potatoes, mashed (Kotobuki or Okinawan for delicate, nutty flavor;  Jewel or Garnet for sweet flavor)
3 TBS minced fresh ginger
3 serrano chilies, seeded and minced
2 - 3 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
1 -2 stalks green onion, chopped
½ tsp soy sauce
¼ cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped
16 - 20 wonton wrappers (squares or rounds)
Light oil, such as canola oil, for frying

Dipping sauce:

Preparation

• Bake sweet potatoes in their jackets in a 350° oven for 30 minutes.  Test for doneness.  If still firm, bake 15 minutes longer.
  
• When cool, peel and mash the potatoes and combine them with ginger, chilies, cilantro, green onions, soy sauce, and peanuts and mix well.

Sweet Potato Latkes

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

4 cups (packed) coarsely grated Kotobuki sweet potatoes (about 1 - 2 medium size)
½ cup grated onion
3 - 4 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste
4 beaten eggs (yolks optional)
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup minced parsley (optional)
Oil or clarified butter (for frying)

Toppings: sour cream, yogurt or applesauce

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients (except frying oil) and mix well.
  
• Heat a small amount of oil or clarified butter in s skillet until it is very hot. Use a non-slotted spoon to form thin pancakes, patting the batter down. Fry on both sides until brown, adding small amounts of additional oil, as needed.
  
• Serve hot, with toppings.

• Note: Batter stores well for several days if kept in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.