Mediterranean Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4-6
Wikipedia says: The most commonly-understood version of the Mediterranean diet was presented by Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University's School of Public Health in the mid-1990s. Based on "food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s", this diet, in addition to "regular physical activity," emphasized "abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (principally cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts". Total fat in this diet is 25% to 35% of calories, with saturated fat at 8% or less of calories.
The principal aspects of this diet include high olive oil consumption, high consumption of legumes, high consumption of unrefined cereals, high consumption of fruits, high consumption of vegetables, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate to high consumption of fish, low consumption of meat and meat products, and moderate wine consumption.
That aside, the true story is that the entire Mediterranean basin was “influenced” by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey), an imperial monarchy that lasted from 1299 to November 1, 1922. No discussion of Mediterranean cuisine can begin without examining the Turkish cuisine at its heart.
This sweet potato dish is reminiscent of one I had in Istanbul where the subtle taste of pomegranates lingered on the palate.
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 stick butter, cut into cubes (substitute olive oil)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 pinch salt
1 cup reserved cooking liquid
Preparation: 1. Boil the cubed sweet potato and potato in a pot of water until soft, 10 minutes. 2. Reserve one cup of the cooking water. 3. In a large bowl combine the cooked potatoes, cubed butter, brown sugar, pomegranate molasses and pinch of salt. Mix together. 4. Take one cup of the mixture and place it in a blender. Add the cooking liquid and chopped mint and blend. 5. Return the mixture from the blender to the bowl and mash. 6. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve as a side dish in small bowls, with a spring of mint as garnish.
Try the Sultan's Kitchen: A Turkish Cookbook (Paperback), by Ozcan Ozan
Richard Wottrich
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