This is Super Bowl weekend
and my sister is preparing roast pork for dinner and asked me to bring the
starch. I am sure there will be plenty
of nachos, chips and guacamole to snack on during the game. With that in mind, I thought something
wholesome perhaps. She asked for something,
“different” since she typically serves buttered noodles or potatoes with
roasted pork. Then the ideal came to me as I walk in the produce section of a
market in Flushing. Okinawan Sweet Potatoes!
Hard to believe that
something so…beige on the outside,
can be so beautiful and vibrant on the
inside.
Okinawan Sweet Potatoes are
plentiful in Asian markets this time of year. These tubers are actually native
to the Americas and believed
to have made its way to Japan
after 1492. The Japanese people quickly
embraced the Okinawan sweet potato where it is found in tempura, purees and some
pastries.
The radiant purple hue is
not without its health benefits.
Like most fruits/vegetables high in the purple-blue pigment, Okinawan Sweet
Potatoes are rich in a flavonoid know as anthocyanin. Like blueberries, red
cabbage and eggplant the Okinawan Sweet Potato is a powerful antioxidant that’s been shown to have positive affects on brain health
and Alzheimer’s. It is also high in fiber and vitamin C.
So, I decided to roast my
Okinawan Sweet Potatoes making it easier to serve on a buffet. The hint of citrus helps bring out the flavor
of the potato and the ginger is a nice complement.
Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
3# Okinawan sweet potatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped
ginger
½ teaspoon salt
Orange zest (optional
garnish)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F
Peel potatoes
Cut by hand or with a
mandolin ¼ inch thick
Place in a large bowl; add
olive oil, juices, ginger and salt.
Toss until potatoes are well
coated.
Place on a cooling rack in
a sheet pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or
until potatoes are soft inside
Remove from oven allow to
cool
Garnish with orange zest
if desired.
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