Pan-Cooked Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Drizzle

Sweet potatoes from raw to on the table in 20 minutes! It always seems to take more like an hour and 20 minutes to roast them, even when they are cut up and cooked at a reasonably high temperature. You will have to watch them more closely but such is life. Also when I say "1 large or 2 medium" sweet potatoes, I mean the amount you will eat, obvs, whatever that is.

The balsamic drizzle is the simplest thing ever, and it definitely added to the appeal. I put in a bit of hot pepper but if you don't want things particularly hot a good grind of black pepper should work well too.

Now I'm a bit sad because our sweet potato crop was not great last year, and there are only enough left for 2 more meals. The "seed" sweet potatoes are currently sitting in glass jars to root and sprout though, so we expect to have them again next fall. Let's hope for a better growing season! 

2 servings
20 minutes prep time

Make the Sauce:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons apple butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground Aleppo or black pepper

Mix together; and set aside, in a little serving jug or dish.

Cook the Sweet Potatoes:
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes
2 to 3 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

Wash and trim the sweet potatoes, so the 2 narrow ends are flat and parallel to each other. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4" slices.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, or use 2 skillets if you will need that to get them all in in a single layer. The oil should cover the bottom of the pan generously, but we are not deep-frying here.

When the pan is to the usual temperature for cooking eggs, pancakes, etc, gently put in sweet potato slices. Careful - the oil may spatter. They can touch each other and generally be quite crowded, but they should not overlap. Pour in about 1/4 cup of water to each pan - stand back for spattering, again. Put a lid on the pan(s) and cook for 4 or 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and turn the sweet potato slices over. They should be nicely browned, and the sweet potatoes should show definite signs of softening. Continue cooking the sweet potatoes for another 4 or 5 minutes, this time with the lid off. When the water is all evaporated, the sweet potatoes are nicely browned on both sides, and the flesh is tender but still holding together, transfer them to a serving plate.

Serve drizzled with the balsamic sauce.





Last year at this time I made Tea-Braised Pork.

Posted in: Ontario Food