One of the most exciting vegetables of winter to eat is the wonderful sweet
potato. Most of us have probably never had what is called a “yam.” True
yams can usually be found at Latin or West African markets. For years I
just could not understand the difference between sweet potatoes and yams,
but I do now. A real yam is not sweet and it has thick, rough skin. Not
only this, but it is shaped more like a sausage.

When we see “yams” at the supermarket, they are probably mislabeled Imomoea
batatas, or sweet potatoes. The “batatas” (say quickly three times) were
convoluted into “potato” quite easily. When slaves arrived in North America
from Africa, they saw the sweet potato and called it yam because it
resembled their true yam, the Dioscorea. The word “yam” is from the
Senegalese word for this large starchy tuber, nyami.

Then to confuse you more, in the 1930s, sweet potato growers in Louisiana
decided to call their crops “yams” to be a bit different from the rest of
the country. So their marketing led to more confusion, which still exists
today.

What we see in our stores is both “sweet potatoes” and “yams.” There is a
slight difference in exterior color. I asked the produce manager at my
store and he told me sweet potatoes are often freeze dried and stored for
awhile which makes them even sweeter and deepens their color. Since sweet
potatoes have so much natural sugar, they do not keep well. It is
recommended that you store them in a cool dark place, like a cellar, pantry
or basement where temperatures are a steady 45 to 55 degrees, not the
fridge. This way they will last from one to two weeks.

When shopping, choose those with the strongest color because they have the
most beta-carotene.

Fried Boniatos

Like regular potatoes, sweet potatoes come in a variety of colors. Boniatos
are reddish skinned, starchy and have white flesh. The flesh is dry, fluffy
and has a mild flavor much like chestnuts.

3 – 4 pounds of boniato sweet potatoes

1 inch of light canola or regular canola oil in a cast iron pan

Salt and a pinch of cayenne or chili powder

Peel potatoes and cut into strips like French fries. Pat dry with paper
towel and sprinkle with cayenne or chili powder. Preheat oil for a few
minutes. Cook fries in oil, turning frequently.

Smooth Potato Mash

3 large sweet potatoes

3 large white potatoes

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons milk or cream

2 tablespoons butter

Peel all the potatoes, quarter and boil them with the salt until tender,
about 20 – 25 minutes. Drain and mash, adding the brown sugar, milk or
cream and butter as you go. Serve hot as soon as possible. A tiny bit of
ground ginger or nutmeg may jazz up the flavor for you.

Winter Vegetable Stew

1 can pinto beans

1 can Anasazi beans

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons fresh oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 pounds butternut squash,

1-inch cubes

2 cups plum tomatoes, fresh or canned

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups corn kernels

1/2 cup pine nuts, roasted

1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Put all the herbs and spices (cumin, chili powder, oregano and cinnamon)
together in a small bowl and set aside. Use a heavy pot or Dutch oven and
heat the oil, saute the onion and garlic for five minutes. Add the reserved
herbs and spices and cook for another minute. Put the tomatoes and one half
cup of the broth in the pot and simmer all for a few minutes. Now add the
squash and a cup and a half of the remaining broth. When the squash is fork
tender, stir in the drained beans and stir for a few minutes more to heat
all thoroughly. Just before serving, stir in the chopped cilantro.

Sweet potatoes are very nice with pork, ham or chicken entrees. They also
have a natural affinity for certain flavorings like brown sugar, ginger,
butter, honey and orange. One of the newest and innovational snack foods is
“sweet potato chips.” Made the same way as regular white potato chips, they
have a sweeter salty taste.

Apples & Sweet Potatoes

4 large sweet potatoes, cooked and cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup apple juice

2 apples, cored and sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a large baking dish and line the bottom
with the sweet potatoes cut in 1/2-inch slices. Now pour the apple juice
over them and sprinkle all with the brown sugar. Bake uncovered for 30
minutes.

Notes & Tips

In winter, fresh vegetables may be hard to come by and we use canned or
frozen. It’s OK to use them, so make them look more attractive with some
parsley or cilantro. A sprig of parsley garnish on a plate makes it more
appealing for kids. My mom used to entice me with parsley “trees” on my
plate and mashed potato “mountains.”

A good non-toxic drain cleaner, try this at night before bedtime. Put one
cup of salt, any kind, and one cup of baking soda down the drain. Now
follow this with a pot of boiling water (a tea kettle works best).

I want to thank all of you who have sent in suggestions and ideas to
NativeCooking@aol.com. I am always learning things. Please let me know what
YOU want to see for recipes in this column.

Dale Carson is the author of three books, “New Native American Cooking,”
(temporarily out of print) “Native New England Cooking” and “A Dreamcatcher
Book.”

For ordering information write to Dale Carson, P.O. Box 13, Madison, CT
06443 or e-mail NativeCooking@aol.com.