cooking-thru-shortstack

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Vol. 7 - Broccoli!

I'll be honest, this one is going to be more of a struggle for me. Nothing against broccoli, I don't really mind it, but I don't really love it. Plus, the lack of baking recipes always bums me out.

But there are some genuinely interesting ones in here I'm excited to try -- hopefully they'll turn me around on these florets and stems.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Sweet Potatoes is finished!

What a ride. I had cooked out of this book a fair amount before I stared this project, so I already knew the wonders of Sweet Potato Biscuits & Jam, the Shepard's Pie, and most of all, the joy that is Sweet Potato and Coconut Milk Soup.

But I wasn't prepared for some truly fantastic recipes that I'd never felt the need to make before now -- Sweet Potato Skins? Chaat, with the amazing cilantro yogurt and tamarind date sauces? Twice baked Sweet Potatoes? All incredible transformations of this humble tuber.

Only one recipe in this book was disappointing, and that's saying something. I loved sweet potaotes before, but now I practically worship them. See you next for Vol. 7 -- Broccoli!

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Short Stack Editions, Vol. 6 - Sweet Potatoes

Here is the full list of recipes from Sweet Potatoes, along with my rating.

How to Roast Sweet Potatoes

How to Steam Sweet Potatoes

Three Compound Butters -- 4 Stars

Thanksgiving Casserole with Maple-Ginger Meringue -- 4 Stars

Sweet Potato Biscuits -- 5 Stars

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin, Coriander and Chile -- 4 Stars

Shepard's Pie -- 5 Stars

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Tahini -- 5 Stars

Sweet Potato Skins -- 5 Stars

Savory Sweet Potato Soufflés -- 5 Stars

Sweet Phyllo Roses -- 4 Stars

Garlic-Chile Sweet Potato Wedges -- 3 Stars

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Marjoram-Almond Sauce -- 5 Stars

Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad -- 5 Stars

Sweet Potato Coconut Milk Soup -- 5 Stars

Japanese Beef and Sweet Potato Stew -- 1 Star

Cardamom & Coconut Milk Sweet Potato Pie -- 5 Stars

Chaat with Two Sauces -- 5 Stars

Chinese Sweet Potato Cakes -- 3 Stars

Sweet Potato Jam -- 5 Stars

Trifle with Sweet Potato Jam, Apple and Maple Walnuts -- 4 Stars

Sweet Potato Agrodolce -- 4 Stars

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Sweet Potato Agrodolce - 4 Stars

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

 Dairy Free

If you have sweet potatoes, and you need to whip up an interesting and spicy side dish in a flash, look no further. The pepper flakes made this hot, so if you prefer a milder option half the flakes or omit them entirely. Scott notes not to peel the potatoes here, just thoroughly scrub them and keep the skins on -- for flavor and texture. And he's right.

Ingredients:

1 pound (about 2 medium) sweet potatoes, scrubbed well

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 2 tbsp)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

3 tbsp sherry vinegar

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp unsulfured molasses

2 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley

Cut the potatoes into pieces roughly 1/2 by 1 inch in size.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the garlic and cook, sirring, until it begins to turn golden around the edges, 30 seconds. Add the red pepper flakes, sweet potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the sweet potatoes start to brown, about 5 minutes. 

Stirin the sherry vinegar, then the molasses. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve. 

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Trifle with Sweet Potato Jam, Apple and Maple Walnuts - 4 Stars

Vegetarian

Gluten Free

Who doesn't love that one episode of Friends? Well, not me -- no hate, just never watched the show. But while preparing for this recipe the boyfriend told me all about it, funny stuff. Anyway.

I'm sad to say that this is another dessert that seems more trouble than it's really worth, and another one for odd wet desserts that probably shouldn't be so wet. I love cake, I love custard, I love jam; but do we need them all on the same plate? That being said, this is a very good combination of flavors. Unfortunately for me, my custard didn't fully set and was a bit more liquid than called for; that's clearly something I need to work on. But overall, the only flavor that stuck out was the sherry -- feel free to swap for a lighter, sweeter liquor, like a mild rum or maybe St. Germain -- and let me know if you do, because this is a group dessert and I don't have the opportunity to make it that often. 

I did the sheet-pan-divided-by-aluminum-foil method, and it worked -- I thought for sure it was doomed to fail, but it went completely fine. Don't skimp on the walnuts -- in fact, make a double serving to give this soft mushy pile of sweetness some more needed crunch.

Ingredients for the custard:

2 large eggs

2 egg yolks

3 tbsp granulated sugar

Kosher salt

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 vanilla bean, scrapped

Ingredients for the sponge cake:

1 tbsp unsalted butter

4 large eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all purpose flour, sifted

Ingredients for the maple walnuts:

1/2 cup unsalted walnut pieces

3 tbsp pure maple syrup

Kosher salt

Ingredients for the apples:

3 tart apples such as Granny Smith -- peeled, cored and roughly chopped

3 cooking apples such a Fuji -- peeled, cored and roughly chopped

2 tbsp honey

1/2 to 1 cup sweet sherry such as cream or oloroso

1 1/2 cups Sweet Potato Jam

Ingredients for the whipped cream:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Make the custard: In a large bowl, add the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt and whisk gently to combine.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium low heat, add the whole milk, heavy cream, vanilla seeds and pod and a pinch of salt. Stir and bring nearly to as simmer, whisking frequently, until small bubbles rise to the surface, about 5 minutes (do not let the mixture boil).

Add half of the milk mixture to the bowl with the eggs by pouring it in a slow stream, while whisking constantly until combined. Return the saucepan to medium low heat and add the egg mixture. Cook, scraping down the sides and bottom of the pan with a spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens and reads 180˚ on an instant read thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. (If the custard has small clumps, stain through a fine mesh sieve.) Cover with plastic wrap, gently pressing the plastic wrap on the surface of the custard (this prevents the custard from forming a skin). Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.

Make the sponge cake: Preheat the oven to 325˚. Line a rimmed 9 1/2-by-6 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper (or divide a 9-by13-by2-inch sheet pan in two by rolling a long piece of aluminum foil into a 9-inch by 2-inch strip and placing it across the middle of the baking sheet parallel to the short sides. Then line one half of the sheet with parchment paper). Grease the parchment paper with the butter. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at a high speed until tripled in volume, 3 to 4 minutes. Add about a quarter of the flour, and using a spatula, fold the flour into the egg mixture. Repeat with the remaining flour. Pour the batter onto the lined and greased parchment. Bake until the top is lightly golden brown, about 25 minutes. Carefully flip the cake out onto a wire rack to cool; discard the parchment.

Make the maple walnuts: In a small skillet over medium heat, add the walnuts, maple syrup, and a sizable pinch of salt. Cook, sitting frequently, until the maple syrup coats the walnuts and they become sticky, about 5 minutes. Spread the nuts out on a small plate and tle them cool. 

Make the apples: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped apples and honey. Cook, stirring, until the honey melts, about 2 minutes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tart apples have a slight crunch and the cooking apples are tender and beginning to fall apart, about 15 minutes. 

Cut the sponge cake into pieces 1/2 inch wide and about 2 to 3 inches long. Layer in the bottom of a 4-quart bowl (glass is ideal). Pour 1/2 cup of sherry over the cake. It should be a little wet with booze; if it's not, add more sherry. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl at high speed until it thickens and forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes.

On top of the sponge cake, layer the sweet potato jam, then the apples, then the chilled custard and finally the whipped cream. Sprinkle with the maple walnuts. Cover the trifle with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and transfer to the refrigerator to set, at least 2 hours. Serve by scooping the trifle into individual bowls, making sure to get all the layers. 

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Sweet Potato Jam - 5 Stars

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

This is such a gem of a recipe. If you're like me, you grew up loving jelly for it's sweet fruit taste but ambivalent towards jam, which had suspicious chunks of fruits and worse, seeds, lurking within. I eventually got over my aversion to chunks of fruit, but this jam has the bonus of a uniform texture, almost like a thick applesauce, that I really appreciate. This is delicious on anything. It's tangy, tart, and sweet, and oddly just like a sweet potato. If you're only going to make two recipes from this book, make this your second, along with the Sweet Potato Biscuits.

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/4 pounds (2 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pure almond extract

Grate the sweet potatoes into long, thick shreds. (The grating disk of a food processor produces the best results, but the large holes of a box grater will work as well.)

In a medium bowl, combine the shredded potatoes and sugar and mix well with your hands.

Add the mixture to a medium large saucepan and set over medium heat. Cover and cook, stirring and smashing frequently with the back of a wooden spoon, until the potatoes have mostly collapsed, about 30 minutes.

Add the lime juice, salt, and almond extract. Stir well. Transfer to a lidded container and store in the refrigerator. The jam will keep for at least 2 months. 

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Chinese Sweet Potato Cakes - 3 Stars

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

I used to have an aversion to the idea of deep frying things at home -- I still sort of do, but that's more to do with clean up and the amount of oil that it takes. Besides that, as this recipe showed me, it's actually super easy to deep fry anything. (And I got some Fry Away for cleanup, so I don't even really have to worry about that part anymore).

Still, it's a big to do, so I don't really see myself making this again. It's perfect as a fried food goes -- crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. The glutinous rice flour (I used tapioca flour as a substitute) makes the sweet potato take on a mochi-like texture. Oddly enough, it's not very sweet -- the dipping sauce you make with pomegranate molasses or honey does add some sweetness, but this cake could easily be repurposed as a savory fried snack simply by serving it with some cheese dip or tzatziki / hummus. It might be even better as a savory appetizer rather than a sweet dessert, but if you're craving a sweeter flavor, add more sugar to the sweet potato.

These cakes also heat up very well the next day in a toaster oven -- so well that it's like they're freshly fried. 

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces and steamed

1/2 cup glutinous rice flour

Kosher salt

Canola or other neutral oil, for deep frying

1/4 cup pomegranate molasses or honey [I used both and mixed them together]

1/2 tsp orange flower water

Place the eggs, panko and cornstarch in three separate medium bowls. Beat the eggs with a fork.

Pass the potato flesh through a food mill, potato ricer or sieve set over a bowl. Stir in the glutinous rice flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Coat your hands with some of the cornstarch. Using your hands, scoop a golf-ball-size piece of dough and roll it in the cornstarch. Alternate the ball between your palms, shaking off excess cornstarch and flattening it into a puck about 1/2 inch thick. Using a pastry brush, brush one side of the puck with the beaten egg and dip the egg-washed side into the panko. Brush the other side with the egg, then press it into the panko. The puck should be well coated with panko. Place the puck on the parchment and repeat with the remaining dough.

In a large skillet, add enough oil to reach halfway up the sies and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 325˚ on a deep-fry thermometer Lower the heat to medium and add some of the potato cakes. Don't crowd the oil. Flip the pucks with tongs or chopsticks every minute until they begin to puff and turn deep golden brown, about 4 minutes total for each puck. Use a slotted spatula to transfer the fire dpotato cakes to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repat uni all the potato cakes have been fried. 

In a small bowl, combine the pomegranate molasses (or honey_ and orange flower water. Serve the cases immediately with the sauce on the side or drizzled over the top. 

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Japanese Beef & Sweet Potato Stew - 1 Star

Gluten Free

Diary Free

I can't tell you how much I wish I could save this recipe. Apart from one crucial, central detail, the stew is great -- the flavor is tasty, the process is simple -- but that's something of the problem.

You see, Scott has made one very terrible, and sadly obvious, blunder: he presumes you can cook tough stew meat to a tender finish in 40 minutes.

Anyone that has any experience in working with cheaper stew meat cuts knows this is just absurd. Still, once, long ago when I tried out this book for the first time, I did make a solid effort to try, even though my boyfriend told me it would be a disaster. And it was, or at least it was a partial disaster -- the soup base of the stew was very good, and was the perfect sort of cozy flavor you'd want on a cold blustery day. The meat, however, was like chewing on shoes. 

So I thought, this time, I'll stew it properly, giving the meat as long as it takes. Well, you see the issue there too, don't you? Stewing the...stew properly meant stewing everything else for a good two hours on the stove (if not more), meaning the chunks of soft sweet potato liquidized in the process. Now, this was still a good flavor, and the meat was tender. But it was missing the other element in a stew, which is something else to chew and enjoy besides the meat. 

So somewhere, out there now, there exists someone with the patience and the experience to retool this recipe into a fusion slow-cooker knockout of a stew. Someone will know just how to flavor the beef and for how long to slow cook it, and when to add all the other ingredients together in a way that doesn't mean the star anise and orange peel go bitter in the broth, and the potatoes hold at least a suggestion of their former texture. 

But not me -- there are already several incredible recipes in this book, so I'm willing and lazy to just let this be the single dud in the bunch. I'm including that recipe here, for perhaps one day this chosen one will find it, and deliver this stew to its full potential. We can only dream.

Ingredients: 

2 tbsp neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed, divided

1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef stew meat, cutin to 1/2 to 1/4 inch pieces

8 scallions, white and light green parts cut into two inch lengths and green tops thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 10 coin-size pieces ginger (unpeeled)

1 star anise pod

2 cups chicken stock, divided

Strips of zest from 1 orange

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large ones), peeled and cubed 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a Dutch oven or large braising pan set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add half of the beef and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are browned, about 10 minutes. (If the beef starts releasing its juices, drain the liquid.) Transfer the beef to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and the remaining beef, then transfer the rest of the beef to the plate and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the beef fat. 

Return the pan to medium high heat. Add the white and light green scallions, a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the scallions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the ginger and star anise and stir for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of stock, the browned beef, orange peel, soy sauce, mirin and sweet potatoes. Cover and cook over medium low heat until the beef and sweet potatoes are tender about 40 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with the reserved scallion tops and serve. 

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Strawberry Compound Butter -- 5 Stars

Vegetarian

Gluten Free

So this, as well as almost anything that calls for in-season local strawberries, is definitely worth making.

I don't have a photo for you (it's a long story...I forgot to take a photo when I had the butter fresh and the biscuits ready. You see, I'm trying to eat healthily so that means fewer carbs, which means it's difficult to pair this butter with anything I can eat in one sitting. Pancakes? Too many; boyfriend won't have any, waste of good flour and milk. Biscuits? Again, no company is coming over for a bit, so I'd be the only one eating them again, like last time. So into the freezer it went, beautiful and flecked with pink), but it should still be attempted, especially if you eat any kind of bread or toast or carby-good treats.

I'm freezing mine for now, and hopefully I'll have the opportunity to share it with guests soon. It's too good not to share.

Strawberry Compound Butter -- coming in part 2!

This is one of those recipes that definitely call for local, in season strawberries. Coming this march!

Ingredients:

1 cup strawberries, hulled (about 3 oz total)

1 tbsp honey

1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature

In a food processor, combine the strawberries and honey and process until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced by half. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 15 minutes.

Once the strawberry mixture has cooled, return it to the food processor with the butter and pulse until fully combined.

Place the strawberry butter in the center of a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper, then fold the bottom of the sheet of paper over the butter to align it with the top of the sheet. Hold on to the bottom piece of paper, and using one edge of a laking sheet, push against the butter until it forms a neat 6 inch log. Twist the paper ends and wrap the log in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm and slice into rounds as needed. The butter will keep f9or a week in the refrigerator or a month in the freezer.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

So this was well worth the wait!

Pickled Strawberries -- 5 Stars

Now, I have an aversion to pickles -- that is, cucumbers treated with brine.

But let it be known that pickling anything else, by any other method, is absolutely 100% fine by me. Including this.

These berries retain their brightness and sweetness, but layered within is a tanginess that defies description. The mint and vanilla are highly present in a way that feels strangely harmonious.

The sweet version is great for ice cream (can confirm) and the savory version (so Susan has spoken) is great for salads. After the strawberries are gone, the leftover former-vinegar mixture is a bright pink, and you can bet I'm narrowing in on the perfect cocktail for its use as I type. Possibly the Strawberry Rhubarb Rum Fizz from Ian's volume.

The only thing that may trip you up is properly treating the mason jar for canning, which sometimes involves boiling. I'm dubious about trying it without the proper equipment, but you can easily wash and rinse your jar and bake it on a baking sheet in the oven for ten minutes at 275˚ (though I'd double check against a source for trusted kitchen recipes -- everyone has a different method).

Pickled Strawberries -- coming in part 2!

Another recipe that calls for fresh, local, in season strawberries. Come back in March / April!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup regular rice wine vinegar (not seasoned)

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 sprigs mint

2 1/4 cup strawberries, hulled (about 1/2 pound whole)

Two 8 oz canning jars or one 16 oz canning jar, sanitized and completely dry

In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, vanilla bean and 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Simmer until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Let cool until lukewarm.

Meanwhile, place 1 sprig of mint into each 8 ounce canning jar. Cut a shallow X into the hulled end of each strawberry and divide between the jars. (If you're using one larger jar, combine the mint and strawberries.)

Once the vinegar mixture has cooled slightly, pour it into the jar(s) over the strawberries and mint. Seal and refrigerate overnight. The pickled strawberries will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

I finally got some local berries! Going to update strawberry compound butter soon, but I need more to make the frozen yogurt and pickled strawberries from Susan's book. Stay tuned and if you haven't yet, visit your local farmer's market and get these beautiful berries before the season is over.

Strawberry Freezer Jam -- 4 Stars

vegetarian

vegan

dairy free

gluten free

So I FINALLY got to get some local strawberries -- and I picked them myself! I had to go to a farm about an hour away to do so, but it was worth. the. trip.

The hype IS real, guys. While some supermarket strawberries can be flavorful, it's nothing compared to locally grown berries. Look:

As tasty as they look, I promise.

Anyway, I tried out this jam recipe in an effort to preserve some of the 8 pounds of berries I took with me that day from going bad, and it's delicious -- a bit too sweet for my taste (probably my mistake, as all I had on hand was baker's sugar), but the strawberry flavor that comes through is pure and bright.

You may want to consider adding a tablespoon of lemon or lime juice for acidity, but if you don't mind a sweeter jam and you're too intimidated to actually dive into canning anything, this is the recipe for you.

Apart from spreading on toast and biscuits, I've also used this jam as a filling in a layer cake, and plan on using it in a lot of hybrid deserts until I run out -- I still have one full mason jar in the freezer.

Ingredients:

6 heaping whole strawberries, hulled and quartered, about 1 3/4 pounds

3 cups sugar, divided

one 1.75 oz box Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin for Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes

In a large bowl, lightly crush the strawberries with the back of a wooden spoon. Place a fine-mesh sieve over another bowl and strain the strawberries. Transfer 4 cups of the crushed strawberries to a medium bowl and add 2 cups of the sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes. Add the remaining crushed strawberries to the bowl with the reserved juice. Crush a bit more (you should have approximately 1 cup of the strawberry mixture), then set aside.

In a medium pot, combine the remaining cup of sugar and the pectin. Add the strawberry-juice mixture to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute while stirring, then remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved strawberry-sugar mixture and stir for 1 minute more, until well blended and the sugar has dissolved.

Divide the jam among six 8-oz jars or three 16 oz jars, leaving 1/2 inch of space between the jam and the lip of the jar. Seal and let the jam sit at room temperature for 24 hours. The jam can also be stored in resealable plastic bags. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to a year.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Sweet Potato Chaat - 5 stars

Vegetarian

Gluten Free

This was always a recipe that caught my eye when I first got this little book. I could not imagine what this tasted like, only that I was certain I would love it. I love saucy food, and I love Indian food -- this was sure to be a stunning win....and I was right!

My only issue with this recipe is that tamarind pulp is harder to find than you'd expect. I'd say your best bet is actually an Indian market or spice store over a generic Asian market, but your luck might be better than mine. I had to borrow some pulp from a friend who happens to do a lot of Indian-style cooking.

A mandolin is essential for this - and I'm glad I got one, if only for this recipe, as I plan on making this over and over and over. It's sweet, tangy, spicy, sour, and so soft. I made a half recipe and ate the leftovers cold, which were also stunning.

You could serve this to multiple people by layering the potato slices and sauces in jars, like a savory-sweet parfait, or layer it family style on a platter. A note on the sauces: you can prepare them ahead of time as the sauce keeps for 2 to 3 days.

Ingredients for the tamarind-date sauce:

1 golfball-size clump packaged tamarind pulp (available at Asian markets)

1/2 cup boiling water

5 dates, pitted

Ingredients for the mint-cilantro sauce:

1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves and tender stems

1/2 cup firmly packed mint leaves

4 thai bird chiles, stemmed

1/4 cup whole-milk yogurt

2 ginger coins (unpeeled)

Kosher salt

For the chaat:

1 tbs canola or other neutral oil

1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 medium) -- peeled, quartered and sliced crosswise, into very thin slices (a mandolin will come in handy)

Kosher salt

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tbs finely chopped cilantro leaves

Make the tamarind-date sauce: in a small bowl, combine the tamarind and boiling water breaking up the tamarind with a spoon. Let soak for 15 minutes. Strain the tamarind through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl. You should get 1/3 cup of strained tamarind liquid.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the tamarind liquid, dates and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the dates break apart adn the liquid is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes. Using a handheld immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the sauce until it's smooth. Transfer to an airtight container; it will keep in the refrigerator for at least 3 days.

Make the mint-cilantro sauce: In a food processor, combine the cilantro, mint, chiles, yogurt, ginger, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 cup of water. Process until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container; it will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Make the chaat: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat until very hot. Add the sweet potatoes and 1/2 tsp of salt and toss with tongs or a heatproof spatula. Cook, turning occasionally, being sure to roate the potato slices on the bottom to the top, until the sweet potatoes are tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. (As you cook them, the potato slices will start to turn translucent. Keep moving the opaque slices to the bottom.) It's fine if the potatoes start to break apart if they start to stick add a tiny bit of water to the skillet.

Place half of the cooked sweet potatoes in a layer on a large plate. Add 1/4 cup of the tamarind-date sauce. Top with the remaining sweet potatoes, then 2 tbs (or more) or the mint-cilantro sauce, scallions and cilantro. Serve family style, being sure to scoop to the bottom of the stack to snag some of both sauces and the other toppings.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad - 5 Stars

Vegetarian

Vegan

Dairy Free

Gluten Free

If you like a tart, tangy, complex layer of flavors, you'll love this salad. You'll also love it if you love alliums, especially if you like them raw -- the shallots are cooked in the acid of the lemon, but that doesn't stop them from being deliciously pungent.

I have to admit that the first time I made this I wasn't impressed (I think I used the white sweet potato instead of the classic orange) and the flavor was muted. Using the classic orange sweet potato, however, yielded powerful results.

It is also absurdly easy to make. Steaming the potatoes takes the longest amount of time, but if you can prepare them a day ahead you can throw this together in less than 15 minutes and take it anywhere you need to go -- a potluck, office lunch, a small get together -- it travels and keeps well, getting even better the next day, so prepare it ahead of time if you can.

Ingredients:

1 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 3 large shallots)

Kosher salt

Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp paprika

3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes) -- peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and steamed until tender, then cooled in the refrigerator

1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves

In a bowl large enough to hold the sweet potatoes, combine the shallots, 1/2 tsp of salt and the lemon juice. Let the shallots macerate until they soften slightly, up to ten minutes.

Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, paprika and olive oil. Add the sweet potatoes and stir until they're coated. Add the parsley, toss and serve.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Cardamom & Coconut Milk Sweet Potato Pie - 5 Stars

Vegetarian (depending on fat selected for the crust)

This is a heavenly pie. Cooking through these books has made me very familiar with the process of baking a pie from scratch, and while this one is not the easiest to make, it is worth so much more than the effort it takes to make it.

The cardamom and coconut milk bring out the natural sweetness of the potato while giving it a creamy, light decadence and a touch of sophistication. This pie made people light up at work, and having tried it still warm from the oven and then again when chilled, it's fantastic both ways -- but best when cold, which is the mark of a good pie in my book.

The crust is also one of the less fussy and neat crust recipes I've made, possibly ever? It's buttery and flakey, and you can apply this crust easily to something savory as well as the crust itself is not sweet. According to Scott's notes on the subject, he got the dough recipe from Cook's Illustrated, and the fat needs to be extremely cold. I used lard for the first time and put it in the freezer about 30 minutes before beginning the crust, and the results were fantastic. Shortening works too.

I had to take this pie out and bring it over to a party (we were running late), so the picture below you can see the surface that the pie hasn't fully settled just yet. Didn't stop anyone from enjoying it.

Ingredients for the crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp sugar

6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

4 tbsp cold lard or vegetable shortening

1/4 cup ice-cold water

Ingredients for the filling:

1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 1 extra large potato or 2 medium potatoes)

2 cloves

3 cardamom pods, smashed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup tightly packed light-brown sugar

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk(shake the can well before opening and measuring)

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the butter, using your hands to coat the pieces with the flour. [Actually, don't do this. This is a bad idea because if you do and you want to do it safely, you have to remove the blade and therefore flour will get into the space where the blade normally rests and it's annoying. Scott, not sure if you were thinking this one through, bud.] Pulse for five 1-second bursts. Add the lard (or shortening) and pulse about four more times, until there are no dough pieces larger than a pea. Don't overprocess. Turn the mixture out into a large bowl.

Add 2 tbsp of the ice-cold water to the dough. Using your hands, fold the water into the dough, pressing it into a ball. The dough is ready when it barely comes together; add another tbs of water if needed. Use your hands to shape the dough into a flat disk about 4 inches wide. Wrap the disk with plastic wrap and put it int he refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (You can leave it there for up to 2 days.)

Lightly flour a work surface. Unwrap the chilled dough and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a circle about 10 inches wide, dusting it with additional flour as necessary so that it does not stick to the work surface. Transfer the crust to an 8 or 0 inch pie tin.

Make the filling: Preheat the oven to 325˚. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces. Add the sweet potato pieces to a baking dish small enough to fit them rather snugly (an 8 by 8 dish will work well). Add 1 cup of water: the water level should be about 1/2 inch deep. If it isn't, add more water until the depth reaches about 1/2 inch. Add the cloves and the smashed cardamom pods. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake until the sweet potatoes offer absolutely no resistance when their centers are pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes.

Pass the sweet potatoes through a food mill, potato ricer or sieve into a large bowl. Let cool. Strain the cooking liquid (you should have between 1/4 and 1/2 cup).

Increase the oven temperature to 350˚. Add the beaten eggs to the sweet potato puree, mixing well. Add 1/4 cup of the spiced cooked liquid and mix well. IN a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and brown sugar until no clumps remain. Sift the flour and salt into the bowl of sugar and stir. Add the sugar-flour mixture to the sweet potatoes and stir well, until the sweet potatoes and sugar are uniformly combined. Stir in the coconut milk.

Add the filling to the pie tin. Trim the dough hanging over the edges of the pie and crimp the edges with a fork. Bake until a cake tester or knife placed in the center of the pie comes out clean and the top of the filling is cracked in places, about 1 hour. [Note: I did not have any cracks, but it was indeed cooked all the way through. Go by what your tester says, but if you want to bake longer than an hour, cover the crust with tinfoil.] If the edges of the crust start to darken before the filling is cooked, cover the rim of the crust with foil.

Let the pie cool before serving it by itself or with sweetened whip cream or ice cream.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Marjoram-Almond Sauce whatever damn sauce you like - 5 Stars

Vegetarian (depending on what sauce you use)

Dairy free (depending on what sauce you use)

So this was one of the more interesting recipes I was dying to try out, mainly because of the gnocchi, which I've always wanted to make, but also to a smaller degree, the weird-ass sauce described here.

I've become no stranger to making sauces from scratch. After watching almost all of the Home Movies series with Alison Roman (who also wrote Volume 13 of the Shortstack series - Lemons!) I now am very familiar with building a sauce that is more like a paste that loosens up and emulsifies when the pasta or fat water hits it in the pan. So that's why I was curious to see what a sauce made up of primarily dry ingredients was meant to turn out.

Spoiler: it didn't turn out. While dried breadcrumb sauces are indeed a thing, this one is not. So don't bother with the sauce, unless you're some kind of sauce wizard -- I'll include the whole recipe here, of course, for those willing to try, but you'd be far better off with a your favorite jarred sauce (in my case I made a simple brown butter sage sauce).

Otherwise, the gnocchi are perfect, and very simple to make. The longest part was simply steaming the potatoes to the right level of tenderness. The dough came together quickly, and was quick to cook after that. Honestly, they were great just with a bit of olive oil and the Reggiano, as pictured below:

Ingredients for the sauce [that you should not bother making unless you are a sauce wizard or just prepared to fuck around and find out]:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 oil-cured anchovy filets

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp marjoram leaves

1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted almonds

1/4 fresh bread crumbs

2 tbsp roughly chopped pitted green olives

For the gnocchi:

1 1/2 cups steamed sweet potato flesh

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 2 oz), plus more to finish

Extra-virgin olive oil

Make the sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the anchovies and cook, smashing them with a spoon, until they dissolve into the oil, about 1 minute. Add the onion, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring, until the onion is very soft and slightly browned, about 12 minutes. Add the marjoram, almonds and bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until the bread crumbs begin to toast, about 5 minutes. Stir in the olives. Add more pepper to taste. The sauce should taste quite bold, but not overly salty (you'll be adding salted cooking water later). Keep warm over low heat.

Make the gnocchi: Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high so the water stays at a steady boil. Season the water until it tastes a little less salty than the ocean.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sweet potato flesh, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper and puree until smooth. Turn the mixture out into a large bowl. Stir in 1 cup of flour and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add additional flour in small increments until the dough comes together and can be easily kneaded. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead just until it stays together, about 1 minute. Don't knead the dough too much.

Pull off a small piece of dough and add it to the water. If the piece falls apart, add a bit more flour to the dough, then test another piece; repeat these steps, if necessary, until the dough doesn't disintegrate in the water.

Add more flour to the work surface, if needed. Cut off about one-quarter of the dough and, using your hands, roll it into a 1/2 inch-thick rope. Cut the rope into 1-inch-long pieces. Set the gnocchi to one side of the floured surface and keep them from touching. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Add about half of the gnocchi to the boiling water and stir to be sure the gnocchi don't stick together. Once the gnocchi bob to the surface, after about 1 1/2 minutes, cook them for an additional minute, about 2 1/2 minutes total. Transfer the gnocchi to a large serving platter. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Repeat with the remaining gnocchi.

Warm the sauce [or whatever sauce you are choosing] over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup of the gnocchi cooking water to the sauce [this is only if needed, you may not] and cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces into a loose sauce, about 3 minutes. Spoon over the gnocchi, then top with olive oil and some freshly grated cheese.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

How to Steam Sweet Potatoes

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Line a large saucepan or wok with a steamer insert. Add enough water to almost reach the bottom of the steamer insert. Bring the water to a boil. Place the sweet potatoes in the steamer insert in an even layer. Cover and steam over high heat, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the potatoes are extremely tender and starting to turn to mush, about 35 minutes. (Keep an eye on the water level in the bottom of the pan or wok, replenishing as needed.)

Test a piece of sweet potato by setting it on a cutting board and smashing it with the side of a knife. The sweet potato should collapse easily under pressure. Let cool. Repeat the process as needed, until all of the potatoes are cooked.

[cooking-thru-shortstack]

Sweet Phyllo Roses - 4 Stars

Vegetarian

These are actually very tasty -- the reason why they're just 4 instead of 5 stars is due largely to the fact they are so fussy to make. Working with phyllo is a trial unto itself, and never, EVER believe anyone that tells you working with one sheet at a time is going to be just fine -- it won't be. Use 2-3 sheets at minimum.

Pictured here in our new fancy baking sheet and not on a plate because I took these immediately to family gathering and didn't want to dirty a plate I wouldn't end up bringing. Notice how the ones on the left look like they're shriveled and falling apart? Those are the ones I used 1 sheet of phyllo before going 'fuck it' and using 2-3. Even if they don't fold perfectly like the instructions show, they look much better than those broken little tubes.

Also, consider other warming spices -- cinnamon, ground ginger, or cloves, when grating your nutmeg. The taste and smell of nutmeg is a bit....evocative of soap for me by itself.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups roasted or steamed sweet potato flesh

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt

2 large eggs

4 sheets phyllo dough [LIES! Use as many as needed. Destroy a whole box if you have to.]

5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided (you may need more)

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Mash the sweet potatoes or pass them through a food mill or ricer. Using a spatula fold in the granulated sugar, nutmeg and 1/8 tsp of salt. Add the eggs and fold in until they're well incorporated.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Work through the next step as quickly as you can so the phyllo does not dry out. Or, to be safe, cover the phyllo with a damp towel as you work. Stack the phyllo sheets on a work surface with the long side closest to you. Cut the stack in half crosswise, perpendicular to the long side. Stack the two sets of phyllo on top of each other (you should now have a stack of 8 layers [just prepare as many sheets as you can -- sometimes when the sheets unfold there is a natural crease that causes them to tear down the middle anyway]). Rotate so the long side faces you.

Lightly brush the top piece of phyllo with melted butter. Leaving a 1 inch space from the edge, scoop about 1/4 cup of the sweet potato filling onto the long side of the sheet of phyllo and spread it toward the shorter edges while leaving a few inches of space on each side (see visual instructions below). Begin rolling the long side of that top sheet over the filling, jelly-roll style, pushing the filling towards the edges as you do so. When you have rolled halfway across the sheet, fold about 1/2 inch of each of the shorter sides toward the center (like a burrito). Continue rolling until you reach one end of the sheet.

Pushing on both ends of the log, squeeze the log gently toward its center (like playing an accordion) so that it creates folds along its length (it will keep the phyllo from breaking when you curl it up in the next step). Shape the log into a rose-like spiral and place it on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and filling.

Brush the tops of the coils generously with the remaining melted butter. Bake until the tops of the coils turn golden brown and are crackling all over, about 30 minutes. Remove the coils from the oven and, using a sifter, dust with the confectioners' sugar. Serve. (The roses also keep a few hours, so it's fine to make them ahead -- but the longer they sit, the less crisp the pastry becomes.)