Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Last week I got a Facebook message from a Recipes for Health fan that said: “Help! Drowning in pounds of root vegetables from CSA…would love recipes for sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes, and carrots…” Since root vegetables and tubers keep well and can be cooked up into something delicious even after they have begun to go limp in the refrigerator, this week’s Recipes for Health should be useful. Root vegetables, tubers (potatoes and sweet potatoes, which are called yams by most vendors – I mean the ones with dark orange flesh), winter squash and cabbages are the only local vegetables available during the winter months in colder regions, so these recipes will be timely for many readers.
Roasting is a good place to begin with most root vegetables. They sweeten as they caramelize in a hot oven. I roasted baby carrots and thick red scallions (they may have been baby onions; I didn’t get the information from the farmer, I just bought them because they were lush and pretty) together and seasoned them with fresh thyme leaves, then sprinkled them with chopped toasted hazelnuts. I also roasted a medley of potatoes, including sweet potatoes, after tossing them with olive oil and sage, and got a wonderful range of colors, textures and tastes ranging from sweet to savory.
Sweet winter vegetables also pair well with spicy seasonings. I like to combine sweet potatoes and chipotle peppers, and this time in a hearty lentil stew that we enjoyed all week.
Spicy Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew With Chipotles
The sweetness of the sweet potatoes infuses this Mexican-inspired lentil dish along with the heat of the chipotles, which also have a certain sweetness as well because of the adobo sauce they are packed in. The combination, with the savory lentils, is a winner.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
2 medium carrots, diced
1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed
6 cups water
2 medium-size sweet potatoes (aka yams, with dark orange flesh, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut in large dice
1 to 2 chipotles in adobo, seeded and chopped (to taste)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (to taste)
Lime wedges for serving
1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant, about 30 seconds, and add the ground cumin seeds and carrots. Stir together for a minute, then add the lentils, water, sweet potatoes, chipotles, tomato paste, salt to taste and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 40 to 45 minutes, until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender and the broth fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the cilantro or parsley, simmer for another minute, and serve, passing lime wedges so diners can season their lentils with a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Advance preparation: This will be good for three or four days but it will thicken as the lentils continue to swell. If you want to thin it out, add water or stock.
Nutritional information per serving (6 servings): 320 calories; 3 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 59 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 119 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 19 grams protein
Nutritional information per serving (8 servings): 240 calories; 2 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 44 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 89 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 14 grams protein
Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”
Recipes for Health: Root Vegetable Sweetness — Recipes for Health
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