Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples                serves 8 to 10

6 (about 4 lbs.) sweet potatoes

1 tsp. salt

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

9 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

6 tbsp. heavy cream

6 tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 c. Calvados or brandy

1/4 c. fresh orange juice

Heat oven to 425° F.
Bake potatoes until soft , 40 to 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and place in a bowl; add salt, and mash with fork.

Slice apples into 1/8" thick and place in a bowl. Add lemon juice; toss to combine.

In a medium skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter over med.-high heat. Add 2tbsp.brown sugar and cook stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook apples slices in the butter and sugar in 3 to 4 batches, until golden and caramelized, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In a medium skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter over high heat. Add 2 tbsp. brown sugar and cook until sugar dissolves. Stir in 4 tbsp. cream and the Calvados and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add to sweet potatoes, mixing well to combine. Transfer to a buttered 3 qt. ovenproof casserole. Arrange apples slices over potatoes and set aside.

In a medium skillet, melt 3 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp. brown sugar and cook until dissolved. Add remaining 2 tbsp. of cream and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in orange juice and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened and dark brown. Pour over apples and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.

Originally recommended by Vickie at Everything For The Kitchen | 36 Main Street | East Hartford | CT | 06118

*Sweet Potatoes or Yams? 

Actually North American sweet potatoes are neither potatoes nor yams.  Sweet potatoes sold in the USA are roots, not tubers, as are white potatoes; furthermore,  true “yams” are not grown to sell in markets in the United States. The Caribbean region produces many varieties of yams, which all have a thick skin, almost like bark, and are more starchy tasting than North American sweet potatoes when cooked..

Sweet potatoes show up in two basic varieties in North American markets.  Darker-skinned ones have more orange flesh (more beta carotene = more orange) and a higher sugar content, which makes them a good choice for caramelizing.  Lighter-skinned ones have more starch, thus are a good choice for a baking “potato.”  Served plain, a sweet potato is cholesterol-free and fat-free.  Of course, dressing them up as we tend to do negates those attributes.