Why, why, why do people PERSIST in putting marshmallow crud on sweet potatoes? Let me give you three reasons why you shouldn't:
1. Sweet potatoes are sweet. Marshmallow creme is sweet, but not in the same way. It's like serving buttered fatback. Sweet potatoes need contrast, not insulin-spiking similarity.
2. Marshmallow creme burns. This is because it is almost entirely made of sugar. You want to know why pies are baked with meringue on top and not marshmallow creme? Egg white is protein. It can endure the heat a lot better, and it can insulate whatever sugar you mix into it from burning.
3. Most importantly, all that gooey disgusting white stuff means you don't actually taste the subtle flavor of the sweet potato. Marshmallow creme has turned millions off to the nutritional benefits of the American yam. There's enough beta carotene in your average sweet potato to make a first grade class see perfectly in the dark.
So, here, I offer an alternative to the traditional American holiday culinary nightmare. Leave the supersweet foods on the dessert cart; a slice of pecan pie is heaven enough.
BLIND SWEET POTATO JEFFERSON
two (2) sweet potatoes*
1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
sprig or two fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp dry)
sprig fresh marjoram (or 1/4 tsp dry)
1/4 tsp salt
clove or two garlic (optional)
aluminum foil
Preheat oven to 325F. Wash the sweet potatoes and peel if you desire. Cut potatoes into whatever serving option you wish -- cubed, sliced, etc. -- but make sure the size is pretty consistent. Move cubed potatoes to a bowl; add 1 tbsp olive oil, herbs, salt, and garlic, then toss to coat 'n' combine. Move mixture to the aluminum foil, offset slightly, no more than one layer deep. We're making a packet or billet here, so make sure you have enough of an edge that you can crimp it tightly. Sprinkle over the last teaspoon of olive oil; this is the last defense against the caramelizing sugars sticking to the foil. Place another piece of foil of equal size over the top of the previous piece; roll and crimp the edges until you get a tight seal and the potatoes aren't crowding. Bake for, well, it's hard to say. Ovens are all different. I usually go for an hour, but I have a pizza stone to regulate the temperature. 1 1/4 hours has worked for me in crowded ovens. Don't go over 1 1/2 hours, though, lest you smell the horror that is burning sugar. No matter what, pull the packet out of the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before opening it. The potatoes should have some caramelization and be tender. If they aren't tender, well, there's the microwave to finish them off. If they're burnt, well, check your freezer for frozen vegetables.
I call it "blind" because the packet makes it impossible to see what's going on; I like it doing it this way because the steam can't leak out. If you aren't all that confident in your cooking skills, go with a lidded casserole and check after an hour how things are. Results won't be exactly the same, but hey, better than marshmallow coated insulin bombs.
* - By "sweet potato" I mean the white sweet potato and the orange variety we Americans call the yam. It's not really a yam but a sweet potato. Yeah, confusing, I know.
