Anthony Bourdain's ‘candied sweet potatoes’ are perfect for Thanksgiving
The late chef said the best Thanksgiving dinners don't veer away from the traditional meal. His delicious sweet potato dish fits the bill.
Chef Anthony Bourdain wrote in “Appetites: A Cookbook (2016”) that Thanksgiving should be kept simple and traditional - no need to get fancy.
“Thanksgiving is not the time for innovation,” he said. "Give the people what they want, and make sure it’s consistent with what they remember.”
For him, a traditional Thanksgiving meal includes turkey and gravy, stuffing, brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, and, yes, candied sweet potatoes, which happens to be former first lady Michelle Obama’s favorite fall vegetable.
The late chef also knows how stressful it is for homemakers to prepare for the holiday, which is why he shared his three-day method to make it more manageable.
He recommends prepping all the ingredients on day two, so that by day three (the actual holiday on the fourth Thursday of November) you can easily toss it together while the bird cooks.
His delicious candied sweet potato recipe made with bourbon only takes 10 minutes of prep and just over an hour of cooking.
READ MORE: History of Thanksgiving explained - everything to know about the contestious day
Ingredients
6 tbsp unsalted butter
3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh apple cider
3 tbsp bourbon
Kosher salt
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Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Grease a glass or ceramic baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter.
In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the sweet potatoes until barely tender, for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Drain well, and spread the potatoes in the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter with the brown sugar.
Whisk in the cider and bourbon, season with salt, and bring to a boil.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, for about 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and gently stir to coat.
Bake the sweet potatoes until tender and the sauce is syrupy, for 35 to 40 minutes.
