Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Latkes

Special equipment: 8-inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 45 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled (about two large sweet potatoes)
• 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Sour cream and applesauce for serving

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °F. Grate onion and sweet potatoes using a food processor fitted with a medium grate, or on the large holes of a box grater. Combine in a medium bowl.
   
2. Place half of the onion and potato mixture on a clean kitchen towel. Roll the towel around the mixture and wring the towel to draw out excess moisture. Unroll the towel and transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining onion and potatoes
   
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the white rice flour, salt, and pepper. Add to the potato mixture and stir to combine. Add the eggs and stir to combine. Line a rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels and set it near the stove but safely away from the burner. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
   
4. Working in batches, drop the potato mixture into the hot oil by scant 1/4-cups. (The mixture should sizzle when it hits the oil.) Using two forks, flatten each latke a little in the pan. (You almost “pull” the latkes apart to flatten.)
   
5. Fry until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip with a pancake flipper or spatula and fry an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven while you cook remaining latkes. Serve with sour cream and apple sauce.

Tangy Slow Cooker Brisket With Potatoes and Sweet Peppers

Special equipment: Slow cooker

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 10 hours

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Cracked black pepper
• 3 pound beef brisket
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced
• 2 pounds small potatoes, such as fingerlings
• 2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted, diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Procedures

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering. Season brisket with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.
   
2. Transfer brisket to a slow cooker and add remaining ingredients. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours or until tender.
   
3. Remove brisket from slow cooker and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice against the grain. Place on a platter along with vegetables. Spoon sauce on top or place in a gravy boat to pass alongside.

Pumpkin Sweet Swirl Buns

Note: The great thing about this recipe is that you do most of the work the night before, then refrigerate the formed rolls and bake them the next day. But don't let them rest for more than one night. Sooner or later, the dough will over-rise or the gluten will degrade and you'll have a pan full of sludge instead of a pan full of buns.
You can knead this dough by hand, but it takes quite a while—a stand mixer makes the job much, much easier.

Special equipment: Stand mixer (optional, see note above)

Ingredients

serves Makes 9 rolls, active time 25 minutes, total time 1 day (including overnight rest)

• 1 cup (about 8 ounces) canned pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) lukewarm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 13 1/2 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• Non-stick baking spray
• 1/4 cup hazelnut meal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Procedures

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the pumpkin purée, water, yeast, sugar, and bread flour. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the salt and butter and continue kneading until the butter is completely incorporated into the dough, a few minutes longer. Alternatively, knead by hand.
   
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour. The dough should have visibly risen, but it won't double in size. Flour your work surface and spray a 9-inch square pan with baking spray.
   
3. Turn out the dough and form it into a rough square. With a rolling pin, roll into a rough 10- by 8-inch rectangle.
   
4. In a small bowl, combine the hazelnut meal, sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and cinnamon. Spread this mixture evenly over the top of the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch uncovered on one of the long sides. Starting from the other long side, roll the dough up loosely, and when you reach the uncovered edge, seal the seam by pinching it together. If there are any sections of the dough that are fatter, roll it gently so the whole roll is approximately the same diameter.
   
5. Cut the roll into nine even pieces. Place the pieces, cut side down, in the pan. The filling is quite loose and will want to come out as you lift the pieces. The easiest way to move them without losing a lot of filling is to flip the pieces onto a large dough scraper and move the to the pan and slide them off. When you've moved all nine pieces to the pan, scoop up any of the filling that's left on the counter and sprinkle it over the buns. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or put it in a large plastic bag and close the bag. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours
   
6. When you're ready to bake, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap (or remove the pan from the plastic bag) and bake at 350°F until the buns are nicely browned, about 40 minutes. If you're not sure if the buns are done, you can take the dough's temperature—it should be about 200°F, but make sure you're checking the temperature of the dough and not the sugar filling.
   
7. Let the pan cool on a rack. Drizzle the buns with a sugar icing, if desired (powdered sugar and just a bit of water to reach a drizzling consistency).

Roasted Sweet Potato and Poblano Nachos with Guacamole

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 40 minutes

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 poblano chilies
• 2 serrano chilies
• 2 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 (16-ounce) can refried black beans
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 3 avocados
• 1 tablespoon fresh juice from about 1 lime
• Handful fresh cilantro, stems removed, leaves chopped
• 1 bag of tortilla chips
• 8 ounces Oaxacan cheese, or other string cheese (Monterrey Jack will only do in a pinch)

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 450°F. Combine cubed sweet potatoes, poblanos, serranos, and garlic cloves in a large roasting pan, and toss with oil. Season with a big pinch of salt. Transfer to the oven and cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned and the chilies are blackened in spots, 15 to 20 minutes total. Set pan aside to cool for a few minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat refried black beans in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Pour in half the chicken stock, and stir until smooth. You want the beans to be a spreadable consistency, not thick, so that they are easy to spoon on the chips. If still thick, add the rest of the chicken stock. Reduce the heat if necessary to maintain a very gentle simmer, and cook until beans are warm. Then reduce heat to low.
   
3. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop out the flesh. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, along with the lime juice, cilantro, and a big pinch of salt. Use the back of your knife to mash the roasted garlic cloves and add those to the bowl. Remove the stems and seeds from the roasted serrano chilies, chop the flesh and add to the bowl. Stir guacamole with a spoon until creamy. Taste and, if necessary, season with more salt.
   
4. When poblanos are ready to handle, peel their blackened skins, and then remove the stems and seeds. Cut the flesh into 1/4-inch thick strips. If using Oaxcan or another string cheese, pull cheese into long thin strands. If using Monterey Jack, shred on a box grater.
   
5. Preheat broiler to high. Place a couple handfuls of chips on four oven-safe plates, and arrange the chips so that they are mostly in one layer, even if many of their corners overlap. Top each plate with a quarter of the beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and poblanos, and then add a generous handful of the cheese. One at a time, place under the broiler until cheese just starts to melt, 15 to 30 seconds. Top each with a big scoop of the guacamole. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Galettes

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

• 3 sweet potatoes, about ?12 ounces (350 g) each
• 9 ounces (250 g) puff pastry
• 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
• 6 1/2 tablespoons (100 ml) sour cream
• 3 1/2 tablespoons (100 g) aged goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 1 medium-hot chile, finely ?chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Coarse sea salt and freshly ?ground black pepper

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Bake the sweet potatoes in their skins for 35 to 45 minutes, until they soften up but are still slightly raw in the center (check by inserting a small knife). Leave until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into slices 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.
   
2. While the sweet potatoes are in the oven, roll out the puff pastry ?to about 1/16 inch (2 mm) thick on a lightly floured work surface. Cut ?out four 2 3/4 by 5 1/2-inch (7 by 14-cm) rectangles and prick them all over with a fork. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, place the pastry rectangles on it, well spaced apart, and leave to rest in the fridge for at least half an hour.
   
3. Remove the pastry from the fridge and brush lightly with the beaten egg. Using an icing spatula, spread a thin layer of sour cream on the pastries, leaving a 1/4-inch (5-mm) border all round. Arrange the potato slices on the pastry, slightly overlapping, keeping the border clear. Season with salt and pepper, crumble the goat cheese on top, and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and chile. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is cooked through. Check underneath; it should be ?golden brown.
   
4. While the galettes are cooking, stir together the olive oil, garlic, parsley, and a pinch of salt. As soon as the pastries come out of ?the oven, brush them with this mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spiced Sweet Potato Cookies

Special equipment

stand mixer, baking sheet, parchment paper

Ingredients

serves makes 2 dozen cookies, active time 15 minutes, total time 2 hours

• 1 1/2 cups plus 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (see note)

Procedures

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and light brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses, and beat to combine. Add sweet potato puree and beat until well incorporated. Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until it just comes together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap (it will be soft) and chill in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
   
3. Adjust oven rack to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until browned and darkened at the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cooled cookies can be kept in a airtight container for up to 3 days.

Sweet Potato Brioche French Toast

Special equipment

food processor or mesh strainer, stand mixer, rolling pin, 2 loaf pans, rack

Ingredients

serves Makes 2 loaves, 16 pieces of French toast, active time 2 hours, total time 2-3 days

• For the Brioche
• 1 cup sweet potato puree, from about 3 medium or 2 large sweet potatoes (see instructions)
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 4 eggs, divided
• 5 1/8 cups all purpose flour, divided
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
•  
• For the Filling
• 1 cup sweet potato puree
• 2 egg yolks
•  
• For the Soak
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• Pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon Allspice Dram
• 3 egg yolks
•  
• For the Syrup
• 1/4 cup sweet potato puree
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• Pinch salt

Procedures

1. For the Brioche: Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 400°F. Gently scrub and pat dry sweet potatoes, then pierce all over with paring knife and place on lined sheet pan. Bake until juices caramelize and potatoes are baked through, 40-60 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then peel off skin and cut into chunks, removing any blemished or overly stringy spots. Cut into large chunks and puree completely in a food processor. Measure out one cup, then another 3/4 cup for the filling, which can be refrigerated.
   Note: If you don't have a food processor, the best way to puree the sweet potato is by forcing the warm baked potato chunks through a strainer. Press and scrape the puree with a plastic bowl scraper or sturdy spatula; you'll find that the tougher fibrous bits stay on the inside of the strainer and you can easily scrape the smooth puree from the bottom.
   
2. Combine warm water and yeast in bowl of stand mixer and set aside to dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg and 1 1/8 cup flour and mix on low speed with paddle until fully combined, then set aside and allow to rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Add sugar, salt, remaining eggs and flour and sweet potato puree and mix on low until completely combined, scraping bowl and beater as needed. On low speed, gradually add butter until completely combined, scraping as needed. Once all butter is incorporated and dough is uniform, transfer to a clean medium bowl and wrap tightly with plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
   
3. Set rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush insides of two loaf pans with butter. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into an 8x12 inch rectangle. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree and egg yolks for the filling. Spread half the filling evenly onto each rectangle, then roll the rectangles tightly as you would for a jelly roll cake, creating two 8 inch rolled logs. Place each seam-side down into prepared pans and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Once risen, melt a couple of pats of unsalted butter and brush gently onto each loaf. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn, brush with butter again and lower temperature to 350°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow loaves to cool fully before turning out. Wrap cooled loaves tightly in plastic and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
   
4. To Make French Toast: Set rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Combine milk and butter in small saucepan and place over medium heat. Once butter is fully melted, add sugar, salt, vanilla and Allspice dram and whisk to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Place egg yolks in small mixing bowl and gradually pour in hot liquid, whisking constantly. Pour soak into shallow pan (a pie pan is great for this) and slice brioche into inch-thick pieces. Soak each slice of bread in liquid for 30 seconds on each size, then set on a rack over a baking sheet. Melt a couple pats of butter in a large frying pan, once foamy add two pieces of soaked bread and cook until golden, 2-3 minutes. Flip and repeat with other side, then transfer to rack and bake 5 minutes. Repeat to cook as many pieces as desired.
   Note: Soak will hold for up to 3 days in the refrigerator if you want to make it ahead or if you have leftovers. Whisk before using to break up any lumps of butter.
   
5. To Make Syrup: Combine sweet potato puree, syrup, orange juice, allspice and salt in small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Pour generously over warm French toast.

Easy Sweet Potato and Pepper Hash with Eggs

Special equipment

Cast iron or non-stick skillet

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and seeded, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank's or Cholula
• Freshy ground black pepper
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in the sink.
   
2. Heat oil in a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add drained potatoes and spread into an even layer. Cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and onions and toss with a wooden spoon to combine. Continue to cook, allowing bottom of vegetables to brown. Flip vegetables and toss them with a wooden spoon to expose new sections to the bottom of the pan until well browned all over, about 10 minutes total. Stir in thyme leaves and hot sauce, cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds), and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
   
3. Make four shallow wells in the surface of the hash and break an egg into each. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer pan to oven and cook until eggs are barely set but still runny, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Make-Ahead Sweet and Sour Stir-Fried Eggplant with Snap Peas and Basil

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 1/2 cup red, brown or white rice
• Kosher salt
• 3/4 cup white or rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 Japanese eggplants, or 1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch half-moons (about 3 cups chopped)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar-snap or snow peas, ends trimmed
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Procedures

1. Cook rice according to package directions with large pinch salt, then let cool and pack into airtight container. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, soy and honey in small sauce pot. Bring to boil, then simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
   
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-hight heat until shimmering, then add eggplant, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to shrivel and char, 10 to 12 minutes. Add sugar-snap peas and saute until bright green, about 2 minutes longer. Pour in reduced sauce and toss over medium heat until vegetables are well coated, 1 minute. Pour on top of rice in airtight containter. Let cool to room temperature, stir in basil, then refrigerate until ready to eat. Eat cold or microwave covered with damp paper towel to reheat.