ISO Review: Braised Cinnamon-Anise Sweet Potatoes

[jtoepfert100]

Has anyone tried this recipe? It intrigues me but I can't come up with any reviews. Wondered if it was worth a shot.

Braised Cinnamon-Anise Sweet Potatoes
From Cooking Light


Serve this spiced side dish cold or at room temperature. Save the tasty cooking liquid for flavoring stir-fries, rice, or tofu.

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup (1 1/2-inch) sliced green onions
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 (1/4-inch) slices peeled fresh ginger, crushed
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 whole star anise, crushed
4 cups water
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons sake (rice wine) or sherry
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced green onions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup onions and next 6 ingredients (3/4 cup onions through anise); stir-fry 15 seconds. Add water, soy sauce, and sake; bring to a boil. Add potatoes. Reduce heat; simmer 25 minutes or until tender. Cool to room temperature. Remove potatoes from cooking liquid with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons onions.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 140(7% from fat); FAT 1.1g(sat 0.2g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 2.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 25mg; SODIUM 134mg; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 30.3g

Nina Simmonds
Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003

[tholbrook]

You got my interest! I love sweet potatoes - just not when they're made even sweeter with brown sugar, syrup, etc.

I have some whole star anise in my pantry and I like the flavor it adds. So I'll be putting this one on my "to try" list.

[jtoepfert100]

That's exactly why this interested me. Can't stand the standard, sugary sweet potato fare. I'm going to try and fit this in this weekend. I did end up making the Honey Mustard Whipped Sweet Potatoes last night since I didn't have time to do this one. I highly recommend these to anyone else who doesn't care for oversweetened spuds.:)

[swquilts]

Jen - What Honey Mustard Sweet Potatoes??

DH doesn't like sweet sweet potatoes either. I, on the otherhand, can go either way! ;)

[jtoepfert100]

swquilts - Here you go. I used my hand mixer instead of a food processor with good results:

Honey Mustard-Whipped Sweet Potatoes
From Cooking Light


Serve this simple, creamy dish as a side to chicken or pork.
This recipe goes with Tarragon Chicken With Roasted Vegetables

1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup sliced onion
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup low-salt chicken broth

Melt margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sweet potatoes; sauté 5 minutes. Add mustard and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are very tender.

Place sweet potato mixture in a food processor; process until smooth.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 198(18% from fat); FAT 4g(sat 0.7g,mono 1.3g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 3.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 34mg; SODIUM 187mg; FIBER 4.3g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.3g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1997

[swquilts]

Thanks! :D

[tholbrook]

Originally posted by jtoepfert100
That's exactly why this interested me. Can't stand the standard, sugary sweet potato fare. I'm going to try and fit this in this weekend. I did end up making the Honey Mustard Whipped Sweet Potatoes last night since I didn't have time to do this one. I highly recommend these to anyone else who doesn't care for oversweetened spuds.:)

I agree - I made the Honey Mustard Whipped Sweet Potatoes for Easter dinner and I thought they were really good. My father-in-law was quite skeptical when I told him what it was (my MIL is the one who makes the brown sugar/butter-laden sweet potato dish, so that is the only thing he has had). He kind of made a face when he first tried it, but then I kept seeing him dish out one spoonful after the other during dinner.

I'm not crazy about mustard so I didn't add as much as the recipe called for... next time I will add the full amount. I think that I would just coarsely mash them next time too.

Anyway, thanks for posting the Braised Cinnamon-Anise Sweet Potatoes recipe, Jen! I'm looking forward to trying it soon!

[jtoepfert100]

Well, almost one year later I finally got around to making these. They are excellent! They come together fairly quickly and the house smells incredible while they are cooking. I checked my sweet potatoes around 19 minutes and they were done already and I probably will cook them a few minutes less next time (I don't like my potatoes too tender). There is a hint of sweetness from the cinnamon and star anise but the other aromatics in the braising liquid keep it from being too sweet. I think the star anise is what makes this dish so special. Believe it or not, I served them with CL's Chili Glazed Tofu w/ Asparagus and Rice (another excellent dish) and the flavors really went nicely together. :)