ashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Red Onions
Here, sweet potatoes, a staple of autumn cooking, are accented with caramelized red onions. If you have picky eaters, you can eliminate the red onions, but you can always make them anyway as an optional topping for the potatoes.
2 Tbs. olive oil
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
5 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt, to taste
3/4 to 1 cup half-and-half, heated
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
In a large fry pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil with 2 Tbs. of the butter. When the butter melts, add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion to a bowl, cover and keep warm.
In a large saucepan, combine the sweet potatoes with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, add a generous pinch of salt and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the pan. Shake the pan gently over low heat briefly to evaporate any lingering water. Pass the sweet potatoes through a food mill or ricer placed over a bowl, or mash them in a bowl with a potato masher. Stir in the hot half-and-half, the remaining 4 Tbs. butter cut into pieces and the caramelized onions. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serves 6.
Adapted from Halloween Treats by Donata Maggipinto © 1998. Used by permission of Chronicle Books.
Photography by Richard Jung.
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