Living 2 Eat |

.

Bourbon-Laced Sweet Potatoes

.

4 medium sweet potatoes, baked (see Note below)

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk (whole or 2 percent)

1/4 cup bourbon

As soon as the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and place in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the butter and brown sugar, and mix at medium speed until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix for 2 minutes. Serve at once, or gently reheat if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Sweet potatoes can be boiled, roasted and fried, but for this recipe the texture is better when they are baked. Also, they are very easy to peel when baked. To bake, wash them well and poke several holes in the skin with a fork. Place on a pan in a 375°F oven, and cook until fork tender, about 45 minutes. You can save some time by baking them in the microwave for 5 or 6 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a fork, but the texture is slightly different.  For more information on this recipe, click here.

411 - How to Select and Store

Choose sweet potatoes that are firm and do not have any cracks, bruises or soft spots. Avoid those that are displayed in the refrigerated section of the produce department since cold temperature negatively alters their taste.

Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place, where they will keep fresh for up to ten days. Ideally, they should be kept out of the refrigerator in a cool, dry, dark place not above 60F, which would fit the characteristics of a root cellar. Yet since most people don’t have root cellars, we’d suggest just keeping your sweet potatoes loose (not in a plastic bag) an storing them in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated cupboard away from sources of excess heat (like the stove).