Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet potatoes have been on my mind lately, possibly because they are commonly served during winter holiday meals or maybe because I am in the south, where sweet potatoes have been cultivated since the 16th century. In the southern States, sweet potatoes seem to be preferred over regular potatoes and due to their sweeter nature; they are found in a wide array of both savory and sweet dishes, including pies, casseroles, breads, stews and fries. Lately, I have come across sweet potato pancakes on menus and signs; at first I thought were similar to a European potato pancake using grated sweet potatoes as a base, which sounded delicious. However, I subsequently learned, in the south, they are referring to traditional breakfast pancakes, in which cooked mashed sweet potatoes are used in addition to the flour. I found baking the sweet potatoes before adding them to the pancakes, added a depth to the pancakes and created a rich sweet potato flavor in the finished product.

Sweet potatoes can be baked in advance. Sugar and spices can be adjusted to taste, depending upon personal preference.

1 lb sweet potatoes

2 c flour

2 ¼ c milk

¼ c butter, melted

2 eggs

4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

½ tsp salt

vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the whole sweet potatoes in the oven and bake until tender, 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly, peel and blend until smooth in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Add the dry ingredients to the blended sweet potatoes and thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter, add to the dry ingredients and potatoes, and gently fold to combine into a smooth batter.

3. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Once heated, coat the griddle or skillet with oil. Drop about ¼ c of the batter on to the griddle or skillet, repeating until the griddle or skillet is full. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on the surface, flip and cook until both sides are golden brown and pancakes are fully cooked. Repeat process with remaining batter.

4. Serve sweet potato pancakes warm with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Serves 3-4

Braised Collard Greens

Collard greens can be found in cuisines around the world and are a long-standing staple of the cuisine in the southern States. Collard greens are a non-head forming cruciferous vegetable, so a member of the Brassica family originating as a wild cabbage in Asia. The term collard comes from the Middle English term colewort or headless cabbage. Providing numerous nutrients, collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C and fiber, as well as providing support for the body's detoxification, antioxidant and inflammatory systems. Collard greens are a versatile, milder dark green and though they are delicious prepared any number of ways, braised with bacon and onions might be my favorite. Braised collard greens taste delicious with pumpkin purée, braised lentils and smashed potatoes.

1 bunch collard greens, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 medium red onion, finely sliced

2 strips bacon, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

1 cinnamon stick, two inches

water

salt and pepper

1. Place bacon in a Dutch oven or similar style pan over medium heat. Cook bacon until golden brown, stirring continually to prevent sticking, about 5 minutes.

2. Thoroughly wash sliced collard greens and add to bacon along with cinnamon stick. Cover pan, reduce heat to low and braise greens until tender. Braise greens until tender, 15-20 minutes, stir occasionally to prevent sticking, add slight amounts of water to maintain braising moisture for greens.

3. Once greens are tender, fold in onion and garlic and greens remove from heat.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4

Rustic Peach Berry Tart

Peaches are such a classic summer fruit and so fitting for an early August dessert. Both the botanical term persica and the word peach derive from an early belief in Europe that peaches originated in Persia. Originally domesticated in China thousands of years ago, peaches, a member of the rose family, made their way to Persia and the Mediterranean along the Silk Road. Domesticated peaches are classified as either clingstone, flesh clinging to the stone, or freestone, flesh free of the stone. Berries are a lovely compliment peaches and taste delicious on the shortbread like crust of this peach berry tart.

Any berry may be used in addition to or in place of strawberries.

1 ¼ c flour

2 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp butter

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

¼ tsp salt

2 peaches, pitted and sliced into ½ inch pieces

½ c strawberries, trimmed and quartered

¼ tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp corn starch

2 tbsp butter, softened

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium-mixing bowl. Add the butter and gently combine well with the flour mixture. Add the egg and milk; gently combine until the dough holds together. Press the dough evenly into a pie pan and place the crust into the fridge for about ½ an hour.

2. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine peaches and strawberries in medium mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar and cornstarch and combine well.

3. When the oven is preheated, remove the crust from the fridge and spread fruit evenly over the dough. Dot the softened butter over the fruit. Place the tart in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

4. Remove pie from oven. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes ones 9" tart

Rustic Apple Pie

Apple pies are quintessential Americana cuisine and though delicious throughout the year, pies are a lovely summer dessert. Apples, a member of the rose family, were among the earliest trees to be cultivated by humans in Central Asia where apples originated. Apple trees were brought to the States during the 17th century and continue to be one of the most widely cultivated trees. Though in the States we consume only a handful of different apples, there are actually thousands of apple cultivars presenting a vast range of characteristics. Apples are the perfect filling for a freeform pie due to their sturdiness and relative lack of juice. Rustic apple pies are the perfect summer dessert, fresh, easy and delicious.

1 ¼ c flour

½ c butter

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

ice water

4 medium macintosh or similar apples

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp corn starch

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp butter

1 egg, beaten

1. Gently combine flour, butter, sugar and salt until crumbly in texture, either by hand or food processor. Slowly add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, gently combining ingredients until dough forms into a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place dough in fridge.

2. Peel apples and slice into ¼-½ inch wedges. Toss apple slices with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Set apples aside.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 12-14 inch crust round. Remove top sheet of parchment paper, place crust round and bottom sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

4. Mound filling into a circle in the center of crust about 1" thick, leaving a 2" edge. Place small pieces of butter on top of filling. Fold edge of crust around apple filling, gently pressing folded crust around filling. Using a pastry brush, brush crust with egg.

5. Place pie in oven and bake until crust is golden brown and apples are tender, 30-40 minutes. Remove pie from oven; cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes one pie

Chicken and Vegetable Tagine with Garlic Currant Couscous

I became interested in cooking tagines a few years ago, while making a northern African inspired meal for a belly-dancing event at the Feathered Pipe Ranch. Tagines are braised stews of spiced meats and vegetables found in Morocco. They receive their name from the clay pot they are cooked in, which consists of a wide shallow bottom dish and a conical cover. A close friend gave me a tagine a few years ago, but alas it is in storage so I made do with a Dutch oven. Beet and tangerine salad or arugula and orange salad are bright citrus additions to a tagine.

Larger golden beets will work as well; I would not use red beets, as they will dye the entire dish. Additional carrots, squash or turnips may be used instead of beets. Water could substitute for wine. If you are using a tagine pot, the braising portion of the recipe would happen in the oven after being readied on the range.

Chicken and Vegetable Tagine

1 lb chicken thighs, skinned and boned

1 medium yellow onion, trimmed and chopped

2 medium yukon potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½ inch rounds

10 small golden beets, quartered

1 zucchini, trimmed, halved and sliced into ½ inch segments

½ green pepper, trimmed and finely diced

1 tart apple, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

½ c white wine

1 c chicken stock

½ c water

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp honey

1 sprig of thyme

¼ c parsley, roughly chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Garlic Currant Couscous

2 c cooked couscous

½ c currants

½ red onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped

¼ c parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Chicken and Vegetable Tagine

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and brown both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from Dutch oven, place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Working in separate batches, brown onions, apples, potatoes, carrots and beets in the Dutch oven over medium heat, placing browned vegetables aside with chicken and adding olive oil to Dutch oven as necessary.

3. Next, combine white wine, cinnamon, honey thyme and garlic to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, return browned chicken and vegetables to the Dutch oven and bring liquid back to a simmer. Once simmering again, add water and chicken stock, stir to combine. Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and green pepper, cover and continue to simmer until tender, about 5 minutes, adding water ¼ c at a time as necessary to maintain cooking liquid.

5. Once all vegetables are tender, add parsley and remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm over garlic currant couscous.

Garlic Currant Couscous

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until onions begin to brown slightly. Add currants and continue sautéing until currants are soft. Turn heat off, add parsley and garlic and sauté off heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Combine sautéed ingredients with cooked couscous in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 3-4