The sweetness of the potatoes, the creaminess of the nut butter and the spicy warmth of cardamom and red pepper come together to create a delicious balance of flavors in this melt in your mouth gratin.
A decade ago in Paris, sweet potatoes were an exotic vegetable found mainly in the markets catering to the African and Asian communities. But things have changed and these days not only sweet potatoes, but many other ingredients previously associated with ethnic cuisines such as butternut squash, okra, plantains, ginger and cilantro can be found in the local market stalls and the corner supermarket.
As proof that this rough-skinned vegetable has arrived, I found the idea for this recipe recently on a French food blog – tried it and loved it. It makes a delicious main course vegetarian dish or can be a side dish to roasted chicken or a cote de boeuf. It will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table this year.
*You can use any nut butter – hazelnut, walnut, cashew and even peanut butter. I usually go for almond butter, but it’s really up to you. Whichever one you pick, make sure its unsweetened.
Ingredients
- Serves 8
- 2.2 lbs (1 kg) sweet potatoes
- ¾ cup (150 g) almond nut butter or purée * (see note above)
- 1 cup (200 g) crème fraiche (or heavy cream)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper (or more if you like things spicy!)
- 10 branches of fresh cilantro (coriander), finely chopped
- ½ t ground cardamom
- 1 ½ ounces (40 g) cashew nuts, grilled and salted, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (120 mls) water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 390 °F (200°C). Lightly brush the bottom and sides of a 1.5 L/1.5 Qt oval or round shaped gratin dish with melted butter or olive oil. (A rectangle dish or 26 cm/11-inch skillet also would work.
- Peel and slice the potatoes ¼ inch (1/2 cm) thick on a mandolin slicer or by hand.
- In a large bowl, combine the nut butter, crème fraîche (or cream) and oil; whisk until smooth. Stir in the grated garlic, chopped cilantro, cardamom, red pepper, salt, and a few turns of fresh pepper. Add the potato slices and toss to evenly coat.
- Arrange the slices vertically in the prepared dish, sprinkling them with the chopped cashews as you go. If using a round baking dish, work around the perimeter and into the center until all the potatoes have been added. The potatoes should be loosely packed. If necessary, slice an additional potato, coat with any left-over cream mixture and add to the dish. To finish, add the 1/2 cup (120 mls) of water, gently pouring over the potatoes in the dish.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake 45–55 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife and the surface is crispy.
- If near the end of the cooking time you find that the dish is starting to brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
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https://www.charlottepuckette.com/recipes/vegetables-and-grains/sweet-potato-and-almond-butter-gratin/
