Picholine
35 W. 64th St.
New York, NY
212-724-8585
Artisanal
2 Park Ave. at 32nd St.
New York, NY
212-725-8585
Artisanal Cheese Center
500 West 37th St.
New York, NY 10018
877-797-1200
Sweet
Potato-Vanilla Puree Chef Terrance Brennan of Picholine,
Artisanal and Artisanal Cheese Center – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 4 Servings
Fiery orange sweet potato and vanilla-infused
cream make for a rich and creamy side dish that echoes the marshmallow-topped
yams many of us grew up on. If you’re in a kitschy mood, you can
even serve it in a casserole with little marshmallows on top.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, cleaned and
left a bit damp
½ cup plus 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Black pepper in a mill
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and
bake in the oven until tender to a fork tip, about 1 hour. Remove from
oven and let cool until warm enough to handle, 10 to15 minutes. Peel and
discard the skin and discard. Put the potatoes in bowl of food processor
fitted with the steel blade.
Meanwhile, pour the cream into a 2-quart
pot and set it over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Use tongs to fish out and discard the vanilla bean.
Pour the mixture over the potatoes in the processor and add the butter.
Puree the potato mixture until smooth.
To make this and other purees more refined, push them through a fine-mesh
strainer set over a bowl, which will grant them a smoother texture and
mouthfeel. Season with salt and 4 grinds of pepper, or to taste.
The puree can be kept warm in a double-boiler
set over simmering water for up to 2 hours. Transfer to a bowl and serve.
