Recipe: Creamy Vanilla-Scented Sweet Potatoes

I was looking for a sweet potato recipe that wasn't too complicated but whose flavors would enhance turkey and its accoutrements.  I found this recipe in the 101 Cookbook recipe archives; the author, in turn, found the recipe in Terrance Brennan's cookbook, Artisanal Cooking. The flavors of orange zest, vanilla and sweet potato are sublime together.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, cleaned and left a bit damp
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/3 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• Toasted walnuts, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until tender to a fork tip, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool until warm enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel and discard the skin. Put the potatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
3. Meanwhile, pour the cream into a 2-quart pot, add the vanilla bean and orange zest, if using, and set it over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove and discard vanilla bean. Pour the mixture over the potatoes in the processor and add the butter.
4. Purée the potato mixture until smooth. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with toasted walnuts, if using.

This recipe was adapted by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Nov. 24, 2010.