Rachael's Daytime Talk Show
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes -- 10/18/07

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed well
  • Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound chorizo, usually one package, casing removed and sliced into half moons
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock (eyeball it)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon sauce
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest, juice of 1/2 orange
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • A pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 cup shredded smoked cheddar cheese
  • A couple of scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
  • For the salad:
  • 2 tablespoons spicy mustard
  • Juice of 1/2 orange
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 to 2 romaine hearts, roughly chopped
  • 1 fresh bell pepper, chopped

Yields: 4 servings

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Place the potatoes on a small baking sheet. Drizzle with a little EVOO and rub them with some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake them 45 minutes to an hour, until tender. When the potatoes have finished baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool enough that you can handle them.

Step

While the potatoes are cooling, heat a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the chorizo until crisp, 4-5 minutes. Remove the cooked chorizo from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Preheat broiler to high.

Step

When you’re able to handle the potatoes, cut them lengthwise, being careful not to cut them all the way through (you should be able to open the potato like a book). Scoop out the cooked insides using a spoon, then transfer them to the same pan you cooked the chorizo in. Make sure not pierce the skin of the potato, you want it to keep its shape.

Step

To the pan, add the chicken stock, butter, pumpkin, honey, garlic, chipotle and adobo sauce, orange zest, juice of 1/2 orange, nutmeg, salt and freshly ground pepper. Mash everything together using a potato masher.

Step

Carefully refill the potato skin shells with the mashed potato mixture and transfer them back to the baking sheet. Top each potato with some of the reserved crispy chorizo and a small handful of shredded cheese. Place the potatoes under the broiler to melt the cheese, about 1 minute.

To serve, top each potato with some chopped scallions and serve a simple salad alongside.