Some food is pretty. Some food is pretty ugly. But what’s even more interesting is how good the ugly food usually tastes. I suppose it’s because the food becomes ugly when smothered or slathered in some kind of sauce, rendering it unrecognizable to the eater. This dish is no exception.
I have always thought of the sweet potato as the ugly stepsister to the regular baking potato. The regular potato has a nice oval shape with sleek, rounded lines. While the sweet potato looks like some underground crazy tuber on steroids that twists and tortures itself through the soil as it grows. What goes on under the dirt, I have no idea.
However, you know what they say, “you’re beautiful on the inside”. And there is no doubt the sweet potato is one of the tastiest tubers around.
I never would have put these flavors together but somehow they are the perfect custardy match. These flavors intertwine to make one of the best scalloped potato tastes I have ever had.
Let’s whip it up together shall we…
Here is what you’ll need: Sweet Potatoes (or yams), heavy cream, granulated sugar, fresh ginger, fresh lemon juice and salt.
I used a mandolin to slice 2-1/2 pounds (8 cups) of sweet potatoes very thin.
To a large pot add 3 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger and 2 teaspoons salt.
Cook over high heat until reduced to about 2 cups of liquid, about 15 minutes. You will need to stir constantly otherwise it will burn. When done the mixture will be thick and somewhat custardy-like.
Stir the sweet potatoes into the cream mixture, coating each and every slice with the cream. Okay, you don’t have to get that crazy but you get the idea.
Ladle sweet potato-cream mixture into six individual creme brulee dishes or one shallow 2-quart casserole dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Seriously, this is so good. Not so pretty, but soooooooo good. I never thought a potato custard would have this effect on me. But then again what would you expect from a Potato Ho.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes In Lemon-Ginger Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced or use a microplane grater
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 2-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (or yams) peeled, thinly sliced
Directions
- Boil heavy cream, lemon juice, sugar, ginger and salt in a large pan on high heat. Stir constantly for 15 minutes, reducing to about 2 cups of liquid.
- Stir sweet potatoes into cream mixture and transfer to six individual creme brulee dishes or one 2-quart casserole dish.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.