Old-Fashioned Sweet Potatoes a la Pecan

Sweet Potatoes a la Pecan in baking dish

Sweet potatoes are a delightful, but often under-utilized vegetable. Often, they are served on Thanksgiving and then forgotten until the following November. That’s unfortunate. They are a seasonal, widely available vegetable in January, and they are very nutritious.

A cup of sweet potatoes contains more than 100% of the daily value (DV) for Vitamin A and almost half of the daily value for Vitamin C. They also contain substantive amounts of manganese (43% of DV), copper (36% of DV), pantothenic acid (35% of DV), Vitamin B6 (34% of DV, potassium (20% of DV), and niacin (19% of DV). Additionally, they contain 6.6 grams of fiber. So when I saw a recipe for Sweet Potatoes a la Pecan while browsing through a hundred-year-old cookbook, I decided to give it a try.

The recipe for Sweet Potatoes a la Pecan did not call for any added sweeteners, so the natural, rich, almost caramelly taste of the sweet potatoes had the opportunity to shine. The creamy mashed sweet potatoes combined with crunchy chopped pecan resulted in a lovely texture. This dish is perfect for these cold winter days.

Here’s the original recipe:

I’m uncertain about the origins of this recipe. It is from a cookbook page that was neatly pasted onto the inside front cover of a 1926 cookbook compiled by the Domestic Science Class of the Peoria, Illinois Women’s Club. At first, I thought that the page had fallen out of the cookbook, and had then been pasted by the cookbook’s owner onto the inside cover to keep it from getting lost. But the page number is more than a hundred pages higher than the last page of the cookbook, so it originated from another book.

Six sweet potatoes would make a lot of Sweet Potatoes a la Pecan, so I halved the recipe (except for the pecans). It seemed like a recipe that had pecans in the title should contain a substantive amount of chopped pecans, so I stirred two tablespoons of chopped pecans into the mashed sweet potato mixture, and also sprinkled some additional chopped pecans on top of the dish.

I’m surprised that the recipe called for sherry. The cookbook was published a hundred years ago, which was during prohibition, and I seldom see recipes calling for alcohol in cookbooks published during those years. However, since the recipe was pasted into the book, perhaps it is from a book published either prior to or after prohibition. I didn’t have any sherry, but Spruce Eats indicates that wine or apple cider vinegar can be substituted for sherry, so I used white wine.

I could not figure out how to make a mound of the sweet potato mixture on a baking sheet that could be successfully transferred in one piece to a serving plate after it was baked, so I just put the sweet potato mixture in a casserole dish.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Sweet Potatoes a la Pecan

Servings: 3 - 4
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate
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3 medium sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sherry, wine, or apple cider vinegar (I used white wine.)

2 tablespoons chopped pecans + additional chopped pecans for garnish (if desired)

Step 1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

Step 2. Peel the sweet potatoes, then cut into 1-inch cubes. Put in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil using high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes).

Step 3. Remove the sweet potatoes from the heat and drain, then mash the sweet potatoes. (An electric beater can be used to mash them.)

Step 4. Add the butter, salt, and sherry/wine/vinegar to the mashed sweet potatoes, and beat until well mixed. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of chopped pecans.

Step 5. Put the sweet potato mixture in a baking dish; and, if desired, top with additional chopped pecans.

Step 6. Put the baking dish in the oven to bake until the mixture is hot and lightly browned. (About 20 minutes if the sweet potatoes were hot when mashed; longer if they had partially cooled.). Remove from oven and serve.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-Fashioned Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple

Whew, the year is flying by. It is already November and it will soon be Thanksgiving. I’m starting to plan my Thanksgiving meal, which, of course, will include sweet potatoes. This year, I don’t want to make Candied Sweet Potatoes (boring) or Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows on top (too sweet); yet, to give a nod to tradition (and to keep my guests happy), a little brown sugar on the sweet potatoes would be good. With all these thoughts swirling through my head, my next step was to flip through hundred-year-old cookbooks to look for a promising sweet potato recipe.

And, I found a winner. Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple is easy to make, tasty, and makes a lovely presentation. Sweet potatoes are halved lengthwise, topped with half of a pineapple slice, and then smothered with a brown sugar and cinnamon sauce.

The Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple have the familiar rich caramel of brown sugar with an additional hint of cinnamon. The warm cinnamon notes balance nicely with the sunny pineapple and the earthy sweet potato.

This recipe made the cut and goes on my Thanksgiving menu.

Here is the original recipe:

Recipe for Sweet Potatos with Pineapple — Source: Cookbook compiled by the Women of the Country Club Christian Church, Kansas City, Missouri (1925)

Here is the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple

Servings: 6 - 12
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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Note: The number of sweet potatoes used in this recipe is somewhat flexible. The size of the sweet potatoes and how many fit in the dish should be considered. Relatively small, uniform sweet potatoes that are not particularly long work well with this recipe.

4 – 6 medium sweet potatoes

4 – 6 slices of canned pineapple

1 teaspoon salt

Water

Sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups brown sugar

¾ cup water

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

Step 1. Peel the sweet potatoes, then cut lengthwise. Put the cut sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven or large saucepan; cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil using high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes have just softened (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat and drain. (Do not overcook. The sweet potatoes should still maintain their shape and not be extremely soft.)

Step 2. Preheat oven to 350° F. Arrange the cooked sweet potato halves in a flat baking dish. (I used a 7 X 11 inch baking dish, though there is sufficient sauce to use a 9 X 13 inch dish, if desired). The sweet potato halves should be placed close to each other in the baking dish with the rounded side down. If the sweet potatoes are not level (or if some are higher than others), use a knife to trim off a small portion of the rounded side.

Step 3. Put half of a pineapple slice on top of each sweet potato half.

Step 4. In the meantime, make the sauce. Put the butter in a saucepan, then melt using low heat. Add the brown sugar, ¾ cup water, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes (or until the sauce begins to thicken); stir occasionally.

Step 5. Pour the sauce over the sweet potatoes and pineapple. Put in the oven, and cook until hot and bubbly (20 – 30 minutes). If the top of the sweet potatoes and pineapple looks dry midway through the cooking time, baste using a spoon to put a little of the syrup over them.

Step 6. Remove from oven and serve.

www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-Fashioned Creamed Sweet Potatoes

Creamed Sweet Potatoes

I’m always looking for new ways to serve vegetables, so was intrigued by a hundred-year-old recipe for Creamed Sweet Potatoes. The recipe actually called for both diced sweet potatoes and celery. The combination worked well together, and I was pleased with how the recipe turned out.

Here’s the original recipe:

When I made this recipe, I was uncertain whether I was supposed to use left-over cold sweet potatoes that had previously been cooked, or if I was supposed to peel sweet potatoes and cut the uncooked sweet potatoes into cubes. I decided to go with the latter approach. The reason I used uncooked diced sweet potatoes is because they can easily be over-cooked and become very mushy. I wanted the sweet potatoes pieces to hold their shape.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Creamed Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 3 - 4
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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1 cup half and half (light cream)

2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup celery (about 1 stalk), diced

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon chopped parsley (or 1 tablespoon parsley flakes) – I used parsley flakes.

Put half and half in a saucepan; add diced sweet potatoes. Using medium heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Genty stir occasionally while cooking, being sure to stir all the way to the bottom of the pan since the cream will easily scorch. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, gently stir in the paprika and parsley, then add the celery. Heat for another minute or two (until the mixture is hot and bubbly); remove from the heat and serve.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples

I love candied sweet potatoes, but they can be a bit boring, so I decided to look for another way to serve sweet potatoes. I found a recipe for Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples in a hundred-year-old cookbook and decided to give it a try.

The Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples were delightful. Sliced sweet potatoes and apples were embedded in a buttery brown sugar sauce.

I knew this recipe was a winner when my husband said, “You should make this again for Thanksgiving.”

Here’s the original recipe:

And, here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Servings: 3 - 4
Time: 1 hours 50 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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3 medium sweet potatoes

water

1 1/2 cups sour apples (Granny Smith, Braeburn, etc.), peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt (if desired, use less)

Put sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil using high heat, then reduce heat and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender when tested by inserting a knife (30-40 minutes). Remove from heat, drain, and cool slightly so the sweet potatoes can be handled. Gently remove the peels from the cooked sweet potatoes, then slice into 1/4 inch pieces.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Put 1/2 of the sliced sweet potatoes into a 1-quart baking dish, then top with 1/2 of the sliced apples. Sprinkle with half of the brown sugar; dot with small pieces of half of the butter and sprinkle with half the salt. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Put in oven and bake for 1 hour.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

(Black) Walnuts and Sweet Potatoes

Black Walnuts and Sweet Potatoes

I love the bold, earthy taste of black walnuts – but seldom see them in stores, so I often forage for them. One of my favorite autumn activities is gathering black walnuts, hulling them (oh, what mess!), and then on a cold winter day cracking them to get the nut meats out. I now have a jar of black walnuts in my refrigerator so was excited to see a recipe for Walnuts and Sweet Potatoes that called for black walnuts in a hundred-year-old cookbook.

The recipe was delightful. It called for sugar instead of the usual brown sugar used in sweet potato recipes which allowed the robust taste of the black walnuts to shine.

Here’s the original recipe:

Walnuts and Sweet Potatoes Recipe — Source: Larkin Housewives’ Cook Book (1923)

This recipe calls for a lot of sweet potatoes (12), so when I updated the recipe I reduced it to 4 sweet potatoes (2 pounds). After all the specificity about the number of sweet potatoes, the recipe was oddly unspecific about the amounts for the other ingredients. So when I updated, the recipe I also added amounts for the other ingredients. And, I changed the name from Walnuts and Sweet Potatoes to Black Walnuts and Sweet Potatoes to better describe the recipe.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Black Walnuts and Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 4-6
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: moderate
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2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium sweet potatoes)

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup black walnuts, coarsely chopped

Wash sweet potatoes and then place in a Dutch oven or other large pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil using high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let cool enough to handle. Remove skins from the sweet potatoes. They should slip off easily. Then cut the sweet potatoes in quarters and arrange in a shallow baking dish.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 375° F. Dot the sweet potatoes pieces with small pieces of butter, then generously sprinkle with sugar. Top with the chopped black walnuts. Put in oven, and bake until the sweet potatoes are hot, and the sugar is melted and bubbly.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-fashioned Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a holiday classic, so I was pleased to find a hundred-year-old recipe for Glazed Sweet Potatoes. The sweet potatoes are glazed with a sugar sauce and baked until tender. The glaze is made with white sugar (not the brown sugar or maple syrup that is more typically used today). The Glazed Sweet Potatoes were tender and sweet, but they were not immersed in a thick sauce – rather (as the recipe title says) they had a sugar glaze.

Here’s the original recipe:

The old recipe called for boiling the sweet potatoes for 10 minutes to make it easy to slip the skins off them, however, the skins didn’t come off very easily. I don’t think that they were boiled for quite long enough, so when I updated the recipe, I indicated that they should be boiled by 15 minutes.

Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:

Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 9 - 12
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: moderate
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6 medium sweet potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

water

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Wash sweet potatoes and then place in a Dutch oven or other large pan. Cover with water and add the salt to the water; bring to a boil using high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool enough to handle. Remove skins from the sweet potatoes. They should slip off easily. Then cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and arrange in a large rectangular casserole dish.

In the meantime, preheat oven to 375° F. And, make the sauce that will be used to glaze the sweet potatoes by putting the sugar and water in a saucepan; stir. Using medium heat, bring to a boil while continuing to stir. Boil for 3 minutes then remove from heat and stir butter into the sauce.

Using a basting brush, spread sugar syrup on the arranged sweet potato halves. Put in oven and bake until tender and the syrup begins to brown (about 30 – 40 minutes). While baking, baste several times with the syrup.

http://www.ahundredyearsago.com

Old-fashioned Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

Sweet potatoes are the perfect Fall vegetable – they’re both delicious and nutritious. They are a rich source of vitamins A and C, and contain substantial amounts of calcium and potassium. So when I saw a hundred-year-old recipe for Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, I had to give it a try.

The recipe was a winner. It was easy-to-make, visually appealing, and most important, tasty. Here’s the original recipe:

Source: Larkin Housewives Cook Book (1917)

And, here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks (I halved the original recipe.):

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Servings: 3 - 4
Time: approximately 1 hour
Difficulty: easy
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3 medium sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash pepper

2 teaspoons minced parsley

1 egg white, beaten

Preheat oven to 400° F. Prick each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place of a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until tender (about 45 minutes – 1 hour, depending upon size). Take out of oven, and cut each sweet potato in half. Gently scoop out pulp, and put into a bowl. Mash; then add butter, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix thoroughly, then refill the skins. (The mixture should be heaped and nicely rounded–which means that not all the potato skins will be needed. ) Brush with beaten egg white. Put under the broiler until the top is lightly browned.

I used less salt than called for in the original recipe because it seemed excessive for my taste.