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Squeezebox Sweet Potatoes with Sugarcane Cream Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Acadiana Table" by George Graham


Recipe Introduction

"Listening to chank-a-chank, Cajun French songs featuring a classic squeezebox accordion, is a Sunday morning ritual for me and my dog, Molly. With the radio blaring, we take a ride to the local markets and farm stands for Sunday dinner ingredients. In the autumn months, two classic Southern staples are sure to show up on the dinner table: yams and pecans. The farms around St. Landry Parish are famous for growing the sweetest yams in the country, and a bit farther north is Cane River pecan country. While the tried-and-true baked sweet potato casserole topped with chopped pecans and marshmallows is a familiar holiday course, I embarked on a journey to combine these ingredients into a new interpretation. It was the image in my mind of that squeezebox that got my creative juices flowing as I recalled seeing techniques using the Hasselback method of serving potatoes cut into thin rounds that unfold for a delightful accordion-style presentation. Why not use that trick on sweet potatoes?"

List of Ingredients

Sugarcane Cream Sauce:
◦� 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
◦� � cup dark brown sugar
◦� 2 tablespoons sugarcane molasses
◦� 1 cup heavy cream
◦� 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

Sweet Potatoes:
◦� 2 very large sweet potatoes
◦� 6 tablespoons (� stick) unsalted butter
◦� 6 tablespoons olive oil
◦� 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus 1 sprig for garnish
◦� � cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
◦� 2 tablespoons sugarcane molasses
◦� Coarse sea salt
◦� � cup chopped pecans, toasted



Recipe

Sugarcane Cream Sauce:
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and molasses, stirring until the sugars melt and begin to sizzle. Immediately pour in the cream and whisk vigorously as you add the rum (if using). Turn the heat off and continue whisking as the sauce comes together. Remove from the stovetop and keep warm until serving.

Sweet Potatoes:
Preheat the oven to 400� F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Using a pair of chopsticks as a guide, place a potato between the sticks on a cutting board. Using a sharp, thin-blade knife, cut down into the potato crosswise until you hit the chopstick. Continue slicing across the potato in ⅛-inch intervals. The slices should create a fan-like, accordion-style pattern across the potato. Repeat with the second potato; transfer to the prepared baking pan.

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter and olive oil to a low sizzle. Add the rosemary and saut� briefly to release the flavor. Add the brown sugar and molasses, along with a sprinkle of sea salt and the pecans.

Spoon the sauce over the potatoes, making sure to work the pecan pieces down into the potatoes to help separate the segments. Cover the baking pan with another piece of foil and seal tightly. Bake for 1 � hours. At around the halfway point, check the potatoes and carefully fan out the round segments so that they cook in an even accordion-fold pattern during the remaining time in the oven.

For serving, place on a platter and drizzle over some of the Sugarcane Cream Sauce.

Serves 4



❧ Table Tips:

✫ If you need to reheat just before serving, feel free to microwave on high until heated.

✫ Of course, the rum is an optional ingredient, but I highly suggest it for flavor and punch.