One of the things they don’t tell you about unemployment is the way the realization that you no longer have a job sneaks up on you at the most inappropriate times. Not surprising, really – job loss is a kind of grief after all. However, when you are standing in the middle of Whole Foods with a sweet potato in your hand, sobbing uncontrollably…well, let’s just say you don’t exactly ‘blend in’. You could pretend you are grieving the plight of the migrant farm worker who picked that tater, but face it you’d still look a tad loopy. Look on the bright side – it’s a fabulous way to clear out a crowded produce section fast. My suggestion? Strap on a pair of pretty heels, get in your kitchen and make something yummy with that wept-over spud. What the hell, you may as well get something tasty out of your meltdown. And, you might want to shop in a different market for a week or so….
A NOTE ABOUT CALORIE COUNTS: I’m a cook, not a scientist, so the calorie counts are approximate. I’ve calculated them by using an online calorie calculator and tallying up the calories in the ingredients. If I’m off a little here or there, well, just go for a walk around the block after eating.
A NOTE ABOUT THE SERVINGS PER RECIPE: You’ll notice rather quickly that many of the recipes included will be for one serving (as in ‘just me’). They can easily be multiplied if you are cooking for you plus a few (or just two…lucky you!)
Roasted sweet potatoes with lime syrup (from Gourmet Magazine)
Makes 8 servings
Cook’s note: Potatoes can be roasted and syrup made 1 day ahead (without tossing together). Chill separately in airtight containers. Reheat potatoes in a single roasting pan in oven, and heat syrup in a small saucepan until hot. Toss together, then toss with zest and sprinkle with chives.
3 1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (10 cups) 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and pre-heat oven to 450°F. Toss potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper in a bowl until coated well, then spread in 1 layer in 2 shallow baking pans (15 by 10 by 1 inch) and roast, uncovered, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until potatoes are tender and undersides are browned, 15 to 20 minutes total.
While potatoes roast, bring water, sugar, and lime juice to a boil in a very small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 4 minutes. Toss potatoes with syrup and zest in a large bowl, then sprinkle with chives. Calories: Approximately 210 calories per serving (based upon 8 servings).
Baked potato chips with rosemary salt – 1 serving
You’ll notice I’m using a russet here instead of a sweet potato. My meltdowns in markets are flexible, and so is my cooking! (plus, sweet potatoes don’t really get crispy when baking as chips).
1 medium russet potato (about 7 oz.) olive oil cooking spray or a tablespoon or two of olive oil Rosemary salt: 2 TBSP kosher salt, 1 TSP finely chopped fresh rosemary (or you can use dry if you don’t have fresh)
DO ABOUT 30 minutes and up to 3-4 hours ahead:
Slice the potato into thin chips (1/8″ thick) – I do this on a mandolin because I have one, but you could also use a ceramic slicer or whatever you have that would make uniform slices 1/8″ thick. You want to trim the ends of the potato off so that you have uniform thickness and width of the chips. That way, they will all cook at about the same time. Put the slices in a bowl of cold water to cover and stick in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to a half day ahead. You want to rinse some of the starch out of the potatoes so they bake up crisper. Mix the salt and chopped rosemary together and set aside. You won’t use all of it here, but it keeps really well in a jar or a dish – I have mine on my counter with my other salts and use it all the time on a bunch of stuff.
When you are ready to make the chips, pre-heat oven to 425°F, drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly on paper towels. Line cookie sheet or shallow baking pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray (if using) or drizzle with a little olive oil and use your fingers to schmush it all around so the entire try is covered. (FYI – ‘schmush’ is the technical term – you get the picture) Sprinkle the pan evenly with 1/2 tsp of the rosemary salt. Lay out the chips in one layer evenly on the pan, spray lightly with the cooking spray and sprinkle with another 1/2 tsp rosemary salt from a height. (HINT: if you sprinkle from a height above the pan, the salt will be distributed more evenly).
Bake for 10-15 or more minutes or until you start to see some browning on the chips. Flip the potatoes over, and bake for another 10+ minutes, keeping an eye on them so they don’t get too brown. How they look is the best indicator of if they are done – once you see brown spots both sides on each chip, they are done. Served warm is best. Calories: approximately 150 calories for 7 oz of raw potato, or about 21 cal per oz of raw potato.
Recipe note: These ‘chips’ will probably be preferred by those of you (like me) who saw the darker chips in the bag as a special treat. Very pale chip lovers might be disappointed and if so, well there’s a world of chips for you out of the bag.
TIPS: I’ve made these in my toaster oven when it’s too hot to turn the oven on and they come out great, especially when I set it to convection bake. You will need to adjust the timing down because they will cook faster, especially with convection bake. You can also vary the herb in the salt – thyme works very nicely here too.