Sweet Potato Chips with Rosemary Salt

Today I had a little craving for sweet potato chips. They are one of my favorite snack foods, salty and sweet, fried, and yet made with a vegetable that has so many nutrients one can almost pretend they are healthful. As I geared myself up to face the long lines at Trader Joe's on a Saturday, just to buy a bag of chips, a thought occurred to me. I had sweet potatoes on hand, sitting innocently in a basket in my pantry, waiting for their use, or the moment at which they begin to sprout and have to be discarded- whichever happened first. I also had a few sprigs of fresh rosemary.



I haven't done much frying before. For the most part, frying food isn't worth it for me. I eat a fairly healthy diet (with an exception made for baked sweets...) get lots of exercise and don't eat fast food. Many foods that are fried don't appeal to me, or make me sick if I eat them, I suppose the latter may just be a sign. When I made tortilla soup last year, I fried my own tortilla chips to top the soup. That was my first time truly deep frying anything. I decided deep frying something once a year is something I am ok with. My next experience in frying is due.

I grabbed my  mandolin slicer, and started slicing thin rounds off the sweet potatoes. A slicer certainly made getting nice even and thin slices easier, but this could also be done with a sharp knife and a steady hand if you don't have the equipment on hand.

Over the last year one addition to my kitchen has been a candy thermometer. I decided to do this right, and make sure I achieve the proper temperature before frying these chips. The last time around I just waited until the oil seemed *really hot* and then watched the chips carefully to know when they were done. This time was about the same, except I waited until the oil seemed *really hot* and the thermometer gave me a reading above 175 Fahrenheit.

One by one I slid the chips into the oil, watched as the oil bubbled and crackled frenetically around them. After about a minute in the oil, the sides of each chip had started to curl, and the color started to darken slightly. I fished the chips that looked ready out of the oil with a slotted spoon, and lay them on a paper towel lined plate to rest.

While they cooked I quickly chopped up some fresh rosemary. I gave the rosemary a few swift chops, before combining it with sea salt on my cutting board, and chopping some more. My hope was that the oils released from the herb would infuse the salt.

I sprinkled the rosemary salt over my still warm chips, and began to snack. I have often found with junk foods, much to my disappointment, that the commercial product really does taste better.  But I have to say, these chips were just as good if not better than any bagged sweet potato chips I have encountered. With results this delicious, I may have to start deep frying more than just once a year. A certain number of indulgences just seem necessary, right?

An additional note: I did also try baking some as an alternative, I lay them out on a baking sheet, brushed them with oil and sprinkled with salt and rosemary before placing in a hot oven. These weren't bad, they were actually quite good, but not quite as crisp as the fried version. A good alternative to use a bit less oil, but sadly still not quite as good as the original.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

On Saturday night a good friend of mine came to visit while in town for the MTELS. As it happens she is vegan, so I ended up searching through my cookbook collection for a recipe that both fit her vegan lifestyle, and was interesting enough for me to want to eat as well. While I respect those that choose veganism, the issue I always encounter is saying goodbye to the foods I love in exchange for what is sometimes boring food. This is not to say that I think vegan food is boring, just that it can be. So, as I searched, I ruled out those recipes that tried to imitate traditional meat or dairy products, and picked a simple dish I was quite excited about trying despite its lack of egg, dairy or meat.  The recipe I chose was the "Quick Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili" from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas, a recent gift from my cousin Anika.

With a short ingredient list, and quick cook time, this was the perfect last minute week night meal. Sure, Saturday isn't a week night by most standards, but as I work Saturdays and come home tired and with limited time, I would say this counts as weekday cooking as well as any other night.(Though to be fair, the amount of wine that was imbibed, and the eventual impromptu dance party- yes, that happened-, was not so very typical of a week night)



This dish was pure comfort. Sweet potatoes, sauteed onions, lots of garlic, vibrant red bell pepper, fresh cilantro, tomatoes, mild chili peppers and wholesome black beans came together in a very balanced way. This was not a spicy dish, though I could have chosen to make it so, but I found the complexity of the flavors to be interesting enough with out much of a kick (imagine that, I love hot food). This was also easily prepared in about 25 minutes, then left to sit for a little over an hour and reheated. Since I got home at 5:15 and got right to work, this was perfect timing for a 7:30pm meal. I served this dish with a side of red quinoa and a salad of butter and radicchio lettuces with fresh herbs and homemade vinaigrette.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chilli
Adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas
Serves 4 liberally
1 onion
2-3 cloves of garlic (I used 3 very large cloves)
2 large sweet potatoes ( or 4 small ones if you are shopping at Trader Joes where for some reason their sweet potatoes are always small...)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large red bell pepper
1 can diced tomatoes(I used the Trader Joe's "fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies"- and suggest it!)
1 can mild green chilies, or 1 green chili seeds and insides removed
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro + 2 more tbsp to garnish
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 cups of water or vegetable broth

In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the tbsp of olive oil. Chop and add the onion and allow to cook until translucent. Dice the garlic and add, covering pot and cooking for another 5-10 minutes until onion and garlic are golden.

Meanwhile... microwave the sweet potatoes- I found my smaller potatoes needed no more than 1.5 minutes on high, but larger ones can be given up until 2-3 minutes (you don't want them too soft, as they still will cook a little more at a later point- if in doubt microwave less, and avoid mushiness). Puncture in several places with a fork, and heat on a paper towel. Allow to cool. When cool enough to hold, peel the skin, and dice the potatoes into 1 1/2 cubes. Set aside.

Chop and add the red bell pepper, also add the beans, tomatoes, green chili pepper, cumin, oregano, and water/broth at this time.

Allow to cook for 10 minutes before adding the sweet potato and chopped fresh cilantro. Let cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, then cool and reheat, or serve right away. Garnish with more fresh cilantro if you wish.

Simple, flavorful, hearty, nutritious (don't forget that sweet potatoes are a SUPERFOOD- we all should eat more of those, right?), this was perfect for a rainy night in with company, and had their been any left overs, they would have been a happy addition to my next day's lunch.