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Sweet Potato Pastelón

I know this is not exactly a potato, but I wanted to add a new recipe to my Potato Festival collection. In English, it fits. In Spanish, it does not (Pastelón de Batata Mameya). It’s delicious and super easy in either Spanish or English, so here it goes…

SWEET POTATO PASTELON

1 medium sweet potato or batata mameya – washed, peeled and cubed into 1″ slices

1/2 tomato – chopped finely

1/2 onion – chopped finely

1/4 green pepper – chopped finely

1 tbs butter or margarine

2 tbs Parmesan cheese

Extra-virgin Olive oil

Canola spray

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium pot, place sweet potato cubes, almost cover with water, sprinkle with some salt. Cover and boil until fork tender. This should take about 15 minutes.
In a small skillet, pour about 1tbs olive oil and sautee the onions and peppers. When they’re starting to turn soft, add the tomatoes until everything is soft and cooked. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain the boiled sweet potatoes and return to the hot pot. Add the butter, Parmesan cheese and mash until smooth with a potato masher.
Transfer mashed sweet potato to a glass baking dish sprayed with canola oil. Spread it evenly. Now, pour the sauteed mixture of onions, peppers and tomato on top of the mashed sweet potatoes.
Place in a 350 degree oven so the sweet potato compacts a bit and the flavors meld. For about 10-15 minutes. It’s just for melding the flavors, because everything is basically cooked.

Serve with a simple salad for a nice supper or light lunch.

And if you’re in a hurry… just serve the mashed sweet potato and spoon the tomato/onion/pepper mixture over it. It tastes just the same.

Tags: batata, sweet potato

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Categories main courses, Potato Festival

Sweet Potato Flan

26 Nov

This is a recipe to dissipate any myths that good desserts can only be made with eggs. This is an egg-less flan full of flavor and smooth texture.

I use the sweet potato with an orange-colored flesh, which are also called yams. In Spanish, or at least in Puerto Rico, we call these “batata mameya”. I included some pictures for reassurance. These, I find, are tad less sweet than the white sweet potato.

SWEET POTATO FLAN

1 medium sweet potato, baked – about 1 cup of baked flesh

1 carton evaporated milk

1 can condensed milk

1 pack of cream cheese – you can use 1/3 less fat version

2 tablespoons vanilla extract or vanilla powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

strip of lemon rind or grated lemon zest

3/4 cup brown sugar – for caramel

Bake the sweet potato in a 400 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. I encourage you to do this ahead of time. Just cut the ends of the potato, pierce it with a fork all around and bake.
After baking, remove the flesh from the skin and mash it well with a fork.
Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
Place brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Mix a bit of water and carmelize about 10 -12 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix in a blender or food processor the baked sweet potato flesh, milks, cream cheese, vanilla and cornstarch. You’ll also mix in the grated lemon zest, if using. If using a piece of lemon rind, don’t put it in yet. If you feel the blender is too full, just mix the milks first. Take some out, blend the sweet potato with the remaining milks and then put it all together. It will fit.
Drizzle the caramel in a glass dish and twirl making sure you cover the whole bottom of the dish with caramel. Careful if using a metal baking dish… the caramel is hot and heats the metal FAST.
Pour flan mixture on top of the caramel.
Drop in the piece of lemon peel.
Place baking dish in a water bath.
Bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You’ll know it’s done when the top is browned and a knife or wooden skewer comes out clean.
Take out of the water bath and chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
When ready to serve… Release over a dish so the caramel side is on top.