Friday, August 7, 2009

Grilled Sweet Potato Salad

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 6 comments » / csa, sides

I’m so happy to finally share with you this Grilled Sweet Potato Salad recipe we ate alongside our Tequila Citrus Grilled Chicken. I’ve made it multiple times this summer. I first made it earlier in the season, when we got a HUGE sweet potato in our CSA box. That sweet potato was almost as big as a small cantaloupe! We had our friend and his two teenage kids over for a little cookout that day and I wanted to find a new way to serve the monstrous sweet potato. It was the day I made the broccoli slaw that I love so much. Because we were “entertaining” I didn’t want to look TOO much like a weirdo and take tons and tons of photos of the food, so I skipped the photo session, knowing for sure I’d be making the sweet potatos again.

This was such a refreshingly different take on sweet potatoes. There’s no reason to relegate sweet potatoes to an existence only covered and smothered in cinnamon and marshmallows. I’ve been enjoying sweet potato fries and chips for quite some time; tossed in oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, roasted, and served with ketchup. When I served this variation, everyone raved about the taste. Most everyone recognized familiar flavors, but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. When I revealed it was cumin and lime, they were like “Yeah…. This is good!”

This is a great dish to serve to company because it’s super simple to prepare, yet impressive in appearance and flavor. I know I sound like one big broken record, but I have such a weakness for brightly colored foods. When The Boy and I were shopping for ingredients for my Sweet Heat Chicken Chili, I ran across purple sweet potatoes and just couldn’t resist adding one to the cart for future use. I’m not a huge cilantro fan, although I can appreciate the aroma more than the taste. I went ahead and served the sweet potatoes with cilantro, because it just looked so pretty! 🙂

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Grilled Sweet Potato Salad

adapted from Gourmet, as seen on Serious Eats

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Lime wedges
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

In a large saucepan cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch and simmer, covered, until a paring knife inserted into the potato comes out with some resistance, about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size of potatoes.

Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. While the charcoal is lighting and potatoes are boiling, whisk together oil, salt, and cumin in a small bowl.

In a colander drain potatoes and rinse under cold water to cool. With a sharp knife peel potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush oil mixture onto both sides of potato slices, reserving remaining cumin oil.

Grill slices on an oiled grate directly over the hot coals until golden brown, about 1-3 minutes on each side, and transfer with tongs to a platter. (I chose to wrap mine in aluminum foil and place on the grill)

Whisk lime juice into remaining cumin oil with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle over potatoes. Serve potato salad with lime wedges and sprinkled with cilantro.

And next up? Black Beans with Lime

Part 1: Guacamole for Two
Part 2: Tequila Citrus Grilled Chicken