This Thanksgiving, a judicious use of red chile will spark up our holiday table. The dark, tangy robust flavor of dried red chile works well to counter the richness of many of the side dishes. It also proves a welcome change to boring salt and pepper seasoning.
Red chile pairs beautifully with sweet potato. Think sweet and savory, such as caramel corn mixed with cheese corn. The combo just works. A little sprinkle of dried chile powder stirred into mashed sweets lightened with cream and butter takes this delicious tuber into new territory. Find dried powdered guajillo peppers in stores with a large Mexican section or substitute dried powder ancho pepper or ordinary chili powder.
The second recipe that follows is inspired by a dish we swooned over at Owamni, a Native American restaurant in Minneapolis. There, white-fleshed sweet potatoes, roasted to golden goodness, are served topped with homemade dried red chile oil packed with crunchy bits. Home cooks can employ bottled chile crisp for expediency.
A perusal of the supermarket shelves finds a half dozen brands of this crunchy, savory, spicy condiment made popular by the Lao Gan Ma brand from China. Read the labels by brands such as Fly by Jing to determine if you like all the ingredients. Some contain peanuts, which your guests should know. I’m partial to the condiments that aren’t overly piquant and that contain Szechuan pepper for its unique tongue-tingling effect.
White-fleshed sweet potatoes, such as the Murasaki, have a coarser interior than the standard orange-fleshed Jewel variety. They also sport a chestnut flavor that tastes very holiday. The combination of roasting the potatoes and then topping them with chile crisp also works beautifully with wedges of small pie pumpkins or chunks of Mexican calabaza.
Red Chile Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Use a combination of red onions and green onions for an attractive finished dish.
- 4 medium-size orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds total
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped, or 4 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, plain yogurt, or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon guajillo chile powder or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion tops
Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet. Stir in onions. Cook over medium-low heat until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and put the flesh into a large microwave-safe bowl. Mash coarsely using an old-fashioned potato masher or a large fork. Stir in the onion mixture, cream, chile powder, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Mixture can be refrigerated, covered, up to two days.)
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges With Chile Crisp
You can use Murasaki sweet potatoes with their cream-color flesh or orange-fleshed sweet potatoes here. I also love this method for small pie pumpkins or Mexican calabaza wedges.- 4 large Murasaki sweet potatoes, about 12 ounces each, scrubbed clean
- 1/4 cup sunflower or expeller pressed canola oil, or alternative
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt, to taste
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup bottled chile crisp sauce with oil
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Roast, turning potatoes in oil occasionally and rotating the pan, until golden and tender to the tip of a knife, 40 to 50 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter. Brush with the oil from the chile crisp and top with some of the crunchy bits from the jar. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Serve hot.
