Sweet potatoes are something we didn’t use very much in our cooking before. Maybe it’s because we generally prefer locally grown root vegetables, and sweet potatoes are usually shipped in from China, USA, or Israel. But yep, sometimes we treat ourselves with a few of these yummy things, and this mash really is a perfect way to enjoy them - basil pairs up so nicely with the sweetness of the root.
I actually tasted a hint of liquorice in this mash, maybe because of the combination of salty and sweet flavors.
Sweet Potato Mash:
- 2 sweet potatoes (about 500 g)
- 2 teaspoons muscovado sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons margarine
- 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice (or lime juice)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
- salt to taste
First I peeled and sliced the sweet potatoes, placed them in a cooking pot with the sugar and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and added enough water to cover. Then I boiled them until very soft.
Once they were cooked, I drained the water, added the margarine, and mashed the sweet potatoes with our potato masher. Then I stirred in the black pepper, chopped basil, lemon juice, and some salt, and served the mash with some stir-steamed veggies and an arugula salad.
8 Comments
yum! the basil seems like it would be a summer twist on sweet potatoes.
I love sweet potatoes, though I don’t prepare them very often because of their long voyage to France (here they often come from N. Africa). They are so good for you, though, and so sweet!
I have just recently become a sweet potato fan. They are a must in a coconut curry. Yum!
That mashed sweet potato looks delicious. It almost looks like a dish that I make every Christmas a turnip and carrot mash with a little butter and brown sugar. Yummy!
I like sweet potatoes and we eat them from time to time, but I don’t have a lot of experience cooking with them, and I would have never come with the idea to mix them with basil!
For me, sweet potatoes are one of the few locally grown veggies available in winter, so they’re a staple in my diet for several months of the year. This mash looks great—I’ll try to remember to experiment with some basil next winter!
Great idea to combine sweet potatoes with lemon & basil! Otherwise I usually just prepare mine in the oven with a bit of olive oil och steam them in my bamboo steamer.
Thanks for all these lovely comments! I love how everybody has their own way to enjoy sweet potatoes - they all sound wonderful.
-Anni.