Food and color are intertwined and connected. Each one has a certain association which brings images to our minds. Think of a ripe tomato and more than likely it is an image of a bright red one. Yellow is associated with bananas. Blue is for those lovely round berries of summer. Green is for a myriad of herbs and veggies including parsley and cucumbers. What happens when something is a different color? I say give it a try. It is what I did and made maple baked purple sweet potatoes.
It’s an adventure to try new foods. When Frieda’s sent me a package of goodies they included Stokes Purple® sweet potatoes. I zoomed in on them and couldn’t wait to see what they really tasted like. First there was some research to do. I had to find the right recipe and learn how to cook the purple ones. As it turns out, they are denser than the orange ones and take a little longer to be done.
How do the purple sweet potatoes taste? To me they taste like the orange ones. If you were given them in blind taste test you would think you were eating the orange ones. The color is what really puts them in a special spotlight. What a way to brighten up a plate with such lovely purple goodness. Baking them with maple syrup and a bit of butter adds delightful extra flavor too.
What purple foods do you enjoy? Perhaps eggplant, plums, or grapes? Now is the time to add a new one to your list and enjoy a fun and tasty food adventure.
Maple Baked Purple Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds purple sweet potatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Peel potatoes and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Cover the potatoes with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
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Drain potatoes and arrange the slices in a single layer in a large gratin dish.
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Season potatoes with salt and pepper.
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Cut the butter into small pieces and dot the potatoes with butter.
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Combine syrup with water and pour over potatoes.
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Bake for 15 minutes. Turn potatoes over and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until tender.
Recipe Notes
A recipe for maple baked purple sweet potatoes. It is an easy side dish with a wonderful color and will brighten up any meal.
Recipe adapted from Maple-Baked Sweet Potatoes by Food & Wine Magazine.
Disclosure: I received a package of assorted products from Freida’s at no charge. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated or contained within a guest post.
Stacy says
December 19, 2013 at 8:18 amThose purple sweet potatoes are so beautiful, Renee! I fear I would have to blindfold the family though since 50 percent of them won’t eat beets and they’d be sure I was tricking them somehow into trying the hated purple veg. Once they tasted, they could remove the blindfolds. 🙂
Renee says
December 21, 2013 at 1:39 pmToo funny about them thinking they are beets. Yes, blindfolds may be necessary.
Oakley says
December 19, 2013 at 11:29 amSo happy that you enjoyed the Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes! They really are gorgeous, a total show stopper. 🙂
Renee says
December 21, 2013 at 1:38 pmI completely agree. The color is just amazing.
Otto says
December 20, 2013 at 12:22 amI think you can add some honey on the sweet potatoes. It will taste better.
Renee says
December 21, 2013 at 1:37 pmHoney is a nice option too. I enjoyed the maple flavor of this recipe.
Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen says
December 20, 2013 at 1:12 pmShared on my Friday Flashback 🙂
http://www.bobbiskozykitchen.com/2013/12/friday-flashback-122013.html#.UrSIAfRDuSo
Renee says
December 21, 2013 at 1:35 pmThank you so much for including a link to my recipe in your post!
Anita at Hungry Couple says
December 22, 2013 at 4:57 pmI’ve never seen the purple ones in my market but I agree the color makes them look special. And maple is always a great flavor with sweet potatoes.
Renee says
December 28, 2013 at 10:55 amI hope you can find some of the purple ones soon. Ask the buyer at the market to look for them to stock.