11.01.2011

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes


Would you just look at that date? November 1st! Where did October go? And all of you in the northeast U.S. are probably wondering where fall went. Snow before Halloween. Amazing.

Thank heaven we don't have snow, but it hasn't stopped raining here in South Florida for days. And I mean a near-constant deluge. It's all remnants of Hurricane Rina. Well, weather like this has made me do some organizing around the house and some cookbook and magazine reading; and it's gotten me thinking about the (coming sooner than we think) holidays.

I was glancing through Fine Cooking Magazine and came across an intriguing sweet potato recipe. Every Thanksgiving, I invariably serve them in some form or another, sometimes savory, sometimes sweet, sometimes an old fashioned southern sweet potato pie. (I remember my mother used to make those mashed sweet potatoes with orange juice and topped with marshmallows back in the 50's. Anybody else remember that?)

So I decided on a test run, which I do when company's coming. Not so much when it's family. They're forgiving. :)  It was fabulous! Creamy sweet potatoes with sour cream, divine browned leeks and sweet sausage. And because I had some left over, I refrigerated them without the Gruyère and the next night, grated some on top and reheated them in a hot oven. Tasted great, so you could make these ahead....a real plus for a holiday dish. 

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Leeks and Sausage

From Fine Cooking Magazine, December/January Issue





Ingredients:
4 small sweet potatoes (about 8 oz. each)
1 Tbs. olive oil  
1/2 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage (or link sausage, casings removed) 
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 lb. leeks, white and light-green parts only, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 2 cups) 
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme   
Kosher salt 
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Gruyère

Method:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.
Poke the sweet potatoes a few times with the tip of a knife and arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake until completely tender when pierced in the fattest part with a skewer, 35 to 60 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, breaking it into small bits with the edge of a slotted spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 
Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat and add the butter. When it melts, add the leeks, sage, thyme, and 1-1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring stirring, until the mixture just starts to sizzle. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are very soft and starting to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes. 
When the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, carefully cut them in half lengthwise and gently scoop the flesh into a medium bowl, leaving about 1/8 inch of flesh in the shells. Mash the scooped flesh with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Stir in the sour cream and 1 tsp. salt. Fold the sausage and leeks into the mashed sweet potato and season to taste with salt. 
Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Mound the filling into the potato skins and top with the cheese. Put the potatoes in a 9x13-inch baking dish and broil until the cheese is golden, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.






36 comments:

  1. Mouthwatering! Those stuffed sweet potatoes look so comforting and enjoyable. Great flavors.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I love stuffed potatoes, and doing with sweet potatoes makes it even better!

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  3. They sound gorgeous! I am definitely going to try these!

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  4. I love regular old baked sweet potatoes but let's be honest. Twice baked is twice the delicious. These look fabulous!

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  5. I bought my first Christmas present yesterday. :/

    I really like Fine Cooking. I've found some really good ideas in that magazine. Love the Italian Sausage in this. Will be trying this one soon. Thanks for posting the recipe Barbara.

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  6. Snow before Hsllowe'en, Christmas decorations before Hallowe'en...it all seems to fit. Good thing I love the holidays. As for these little treats, loving the combination.

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  7. Now that looks like a great thing to eat on Trick or Treat night!

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  8. I just love stuffed potatoes. I have a great recipe I've bookmarked from martha stewart that I can't wait to try:
    http://www.marthastewart.com/319143/twice-baked-sweet-potatoes-with-sage-and
    Your version looks more satisfying though, I have to say.
    *kisses* HH

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  9. Barbara These look absoutely delicious, make me hungry!LOL gloria

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  10. You are like me today,now that it's November (!) it's time to turn our attention to the variety of wonderful side dishes for holiday meals.

    these stuffed sweet potatoes are unique and hearty--a great idea for Italian sausage

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  11. Barbara these would make the perfect dinner, I really like that you downplayed the sweetness of the potatoes. The leeks, sage, thyme and sausage sound so good, and I like the idea of making them ahead and doing the cheese later. Great recipe, it's a keeper for me.

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  12. Oh what a perfectly lovely thing to stuff these potatoes with! Mmm, I've never tried stuffing potatoes with sausage before, now I simply must! :-)

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  13. Twice stuffed sweet potatoes...what! It sounds amazing!

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  14. Love sweet potatoes so I can imagine how fantastic twice-baked has to be! Looks delicious.

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  15. I love the idea of using sweet potatoes for this dish! The leek-sausage filling is great too.

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  16. I've never had or seen stuffed sweet potatoes. We love them and I am definitely going to do this delicious looking and sounding recipes.

    So happy to be home and catching up in blogland!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  17. Oh these look and sound divine! I realized they are low carb too, a win-win for me. Thanks for sharing.

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  18. I love that combination and I am always looking for new sweet potato ideas...

    don't you just love Fine Cooking Magazine?

    it's one of my favorites...

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  19. I just love sweet potatoes. This recipe could be a meal in itself. It sounds delicious, Barbara.

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  20. Hi Barbara,

    You have just given me an idea for dinner tonight - haven't made stuffed potatoes for a while and they will go well with the steak we are having.
    Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Hope you are enjoying your week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  21. What a neat idea! I think I even have all the ingredients.

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  22. Ooh I've seen stuffed potatoes but not sweet potatoes! Great stuff (no pun intended)! :D

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  23. Stuffed with cheese AND sausage? It's potato heaven. :)

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  24. I'm sorry, but I am completely in denial. I do not accept that Thanksgiving is almost here! However, I keep getting sweet potatoes from my CSA, and with the melted Gruyere, this looks like a great use of them!

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  25. I think my family will quit me with no regrets if they see your dish! Everything they love is there!!
    I have to do this if I don't want to be left alone ;D

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  26. Oh, this looks so yummy, just my sort of food.

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  27. Those look so delicious! What a great combination of flavors.

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  28. I love this recipe.I really like the combination of sausage and sweet potatoes.

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  29. i LOVE that you snuck sausage into these--very clever thinking! you seem to know exactly what my palate wants. :)

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  30. I love twice baked sweet potatoes better than a regular old twice baked potato any day of the week. I've only ever had a cinnamon sugar version and a kale version. I'm definitely trying this version with the sausage. They look great!

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  31. Okay... yes. I am making these, for sure. I am obsessed with sweet potatoes, and when you combine them with twice baked potatoes... wow. Yep. I might just make these for Thanksgiving :)

    I hope you've been well, Barbara!

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  32. I saw the Gruyere cheese and thought "I'm in." And so I am. Delectable!

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  33. I've never thought to stuff sweet potatoes with sausage - great idea!

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  34. Ah, excellent idea! I have yet to twice bake a sweet potato!

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  35. Stuffed sweet potatoes , what a great & neat idea & that filling looks mouthwathering ,...really! ;)

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  36. What a great take on sweet potatoes...look seriously yum! Really good!!

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