2.11.10 Sweet Potato Skins
We have officially hit that time of year in New England. The time of year when you lose track of how many times you’ve shoveled of your car this week (although you are pretty sure you’d need both your fingers and toes to count). When your hat and snow boots have a permanent spot by the door. And you are making silent promises to check out real estate in Palm Beach, while bribing your husband with beer and total tv control if you can just stay inside and snuggle with the dog instead of shoveling the driveway. And yummy food, of course.
These nights, I’m grateful to be the cook. And more than happy to oblige the request a for piping hot, hearty, post-shoveling meal. Just don’t tell the shoveler that I spent more time snuggling than cooking.
Sweet Potato Skins
makes 4 skins
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 T butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 t olive oil
1 t za’atar
1 t red pepper flakes
a few pinches of salt
Preheat oven 400F. Scrub potatoes to remove dirt, and pierce each 4-5 times with a fork. Place directly on oven rack and bake 60-70 minutes, until cooked through. Remove potatoes from oven and place on a cutting board.
In a small sauté pan, heat butter over medium-low heat . Add garlic and onions. Cook 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
Cut each sweet potato in half, lengthwise. Scoop out a bit of flesh (saving for another use), leaving a 1/2" border all around. Place the four halves, cut side up on a baking sheet. Spoon the garlic and onions over the top, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with za’atar, red pepper flakes and salt. Broil 2-4 minutes, until edges of skins begin to brown.
Reader Comments (27)
You have really outdone yourself on these. I've eyed the za'atar at penzey's, but now I have a proper excuse to finally buy it. I have some gorgeous sweets at home that will be waiting for it.
Those look super yummy! Any chance you have a tasty recipe for sweet potato fries?
i have imagined this kind of recipe and to see your pictures and recipe has certainly spurred me to action, i want to make these this weekend for sure. Stay warm!
Oh man. I am all over these. There's a reason I'm starting to mention you in the same breath as Heidi Swanson and David Lebovitz. :)
Jennifer, I love sweet potato fries tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Especially yummy with a curry dipping sauce. I haven’t had much success getting them crunchy on the outside (even with high cooking temps) but I heard if you boil the cut fries first this is the key. I haven’t given it a try yet!
The Bee and The Bobbin, Wow, thank you- that totally made my day!
Now THAT looks good!
this is so great! potato skins always tempt me, so it's nice to see them vegetarian style.
This is soo yummie!! I just showed it to my love and wonder if he will make for us. :)
I've been so busy with preparing for chinese new year and valentine's but sure am happy i found time to drop by your gorgeous space! Have a lovely merry happy weekend and a sweet sweet valentine's! Love to yoU!
As much as I love sweet potatoes, I almost never make them. Clearly that has to change! I feel for you guys with the current weather. When we got all that snow last year, we couldn't get out because no one out here has a shovel! Stay warm and keep cooking!
Everytime i stop by ... you make me want to eat:)
Those look amazing!!
These look great. I'll be trying these this week but where do I get the Za'atar? Thanks for the recipe!
These look great! Can't wait to make them. What is za’atar and where can I find it?
Hi El & Michelle- Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend of thyme, oregano, marjoram, sesame seeds, salt and (possibly depending on the blend) cumin, savory, coriander and fennel seed. I got it online at Dean & Deluca and also Penzeys stocks it, but check a Middle Eastern market, if you have one close.
Oh boy, these just made an appearance on my menu for this week. The question is, how many times will I make them? They look so delicious that I'm guessing it will be more than once!
Beer, tv control, and food... that's a good bribe
These potato skins had me at hello:) A great recipe once again, Erin!
SUPER skins, Erin--love the spices used here! And a very good "bribe" too...food always wins my hubby over too! ;o)
MMM sweet potatoes!! Nom nom nom, I love that you put a kick in these potato skins, good lawd these look good :) Sorry to hear you guys are having snowy weather up in New England, hopefully Spring will come soon. In the meantime, stay warm and eat lots!
This looks so amazing! I'm off to figure out a substitute for the za'atar so I can cook this STAT! :)
Ah! These look amazing. I lovelovelove sweet potatoes.
Dearest sweet Erin, thank you so much for your lovely well wishes on my "hearts and sweetness" post! I am soo soo happy! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!
I am definitely making these! I love the salty-sweet-spicy combo. Great photograph too.
There's no snow here to shovel but I'd definitely love to have these for dinner!
These look gorgeous! Sadly, I tried to make them tonight but I must have defective sweet potatoes. After baking and cooling enough to handle them, the skins had come away from the flesh and there was no saving them. I couldn't leave a 1/4" of anything behind. Now I have to find how I can parlay a pile of sweet potato mush into something yummy!
Hmmm... maybe they were overcooked? I'm not really sure since that has never happened to me, but I hope you were able to salvage your dinner!
These were super yummy and easy. Thanks for the recipe. I found za'atar at Christinas in Inman Square. I'm not sure what else to do with it, so i guess i'll have to make more sweet potato skins!
These were the perfect compliment to a steak dinner. A nice change of pace from the more traditional baked or twice baked potato and loved the za'atar flavoring. The spice was worth going out of my way to find.