How does Martha Stewart cook sweet potatoes?

Martha Stewart is known for her amazing recipes and cooking tips. She has shared numerous ways to cook sweet potatoes over the years across her magazines, websites, and television shows. Sweet potatoes are a versatile root vegetable that can be prepared in both sweet and savory applications. Martha Stewart has recipes to bake, grill, sauté, mash, and more using fresh sweet potatoes. Read on to learn how the renowned cookbook author and television personality Martha Stewart bakes, fries, purées, and generally prepares sweet potatoes to perfection.

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Does Martha Stewart Boil, Bake, or Microwave Sweet Potatoes?

Martha Stewart uses a variety of cooking methods when making sweet potatoes, depending on the recipe and desired end result. Here are some of the most common ways Martha Stewart cooks sweet potatoes:

Baking – Baking produces soft, tender sweet potatoes with caramelized sugars. Martha bakes whole sweet potatoes or wedges at 350°F or 400°F for 40-60 minutes.
Boiling – Martha boils sweet potato pieces for 15-25 minutes until fork tender for mashing, purees, soups, etc.
Microwaving – For quick cooking, Martha microwaves whole sweet potatoes pierced with a fork for 5-10 minutes.

Sautéing – Diced sweet potatoes are sautéed in butter or oil over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes.
Grilling – Grilled sweet potatoes get caramelized and smoky. Martha grills sliced potatoes over medium heat for 12-15 minutes.
Frying – Martha deep fries sweet potato slices or wedges for 4-6 minutes at 350°F for crispy sweet potato fries.

The cooking method really depends on the specific recipe, but Martha utilizes a wide range of techniques to bring out delicious flavors and textures in sweet potatoes.

What Are Martha Stewart’s Go-To Ingredients for Cooking Sweet Potatoes?

To complement and enhance the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes, Martha Stewart uses certain ingredients again and again when cooking them. Here are some of Martha’s go-to sweet potato cooking ingredients:

Butter – Butter provides richness and moisture and helps caramelize the natural sugars in sweet potatoes when sautéing or baking.

Brown sugar – Martha adds brown sugar to oven-roasted sweet potatoes for an extra hint of sweetness and delicious crisp, caramelized topping.
Cinnamon – This warming spice is perfect for bringing out the sweet side of sweet potatoes. Martha sprinkles it on before baking.
Ginger – Often paired with cinnamon, ginger adds spicy warmth to sweet potato dishes, like mashed sweet potatoes.

Orange juice – For brightness, Martha mixes orange juice into mashed or puréed sweet potatoes.
Maple syrup – Maple syrup makes an ideal sweetener for sweet potato pies, casseroles, sauces, and more.
Toasted nuts – Martha tops many baked or mashed sweet potato recipes with toasted pecan or walnut pieces.

Marshmallows – For an iconic pairing, Martha crowns her candied yams with gooey, toasted marshmallows.

Using ingredients like these, Martha Stewart draws out the natural flavor of sweet potatoes in both comforting and innovative ways across her recipes.

What Are Some of Martha Stewart’s Most Popular Sweet Potato Dishes?

Over her many years as a chef, Martha Stewart has developed numerous beloved sweet potato recipes. Here are 5 of her most popular sweet potato dishes:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Sugar – Wedges of peeled sweet potato tossed in oil, cinnamon, and brown sugar then roasted until caramelized.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Toasted Marshmallows – Layers of mashed sweet potatoes and apple pie filling topped with marshmallows.
Maple Sweet Potato Puree – Smooth, velvety sweet potato purée sweetened with maple syrup and orange juice.

Sweet Potato Fries – Crisp, crunchy baked sweet potato fries tossed in oil and spices.
Sweet Potato Soup – A creamy, comforting soup made from roasted sweet potatoes and aromatics.

These sweet potato recipes highlight Martha’s skills at crafting both sweet and savory dishes that allow the flavors of fresh sweet potatoes to shine.

What Does Martha Stewart Recommend for Storing and Freezing Sweet Potatoes?

To get the most out of fresh sweet potatoes, Martha Stewart offers these storage and freezing tips:

Store whole, unwashed sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place like the pantry for 1-2 weeks.
Refrigerate cooked, peeled sweet potatoes in an airtight container for up to one week.

Freeze cooked, mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight freezer bag for up to 6 months.
Freeze sliced, raw sweet potatoes on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer bag for 6-8 months.
Blanch sliced sweet potatoes for 2-3 minutes before freezing for the best texture.

With proper storage methods, you can enjoy sweet potatoes fresh or frozen for months past harvesting them.

What Are Martha Stewart’s Tips for Selecting Sweet Potatoes?

When shopping for sweet potatoes, Martha Stewart recommends:

Choose small to medium sized sweet potatoes, which will be sweeter with less starch.

Select smooth, firm sweet potatoes without cracks, bruises or mold.
Avoid any with sprouts or green patches, indicating high starch content.
The darker the skin, the sweeter the interior. Pick deep orange-colored sweet potatoes.

Handle sweet potatoes gently to prevent bruising and other damage.

Picking the freshest, high-quality sweet potatoes is key for Martha Stewart recipes to showcase their fabulous flavor.

Conclusion

Martha Stewart offers boundless recipes and tips for preparing sweet potatoes in delicious ways. She roasts, mashes, purées, fries, and simmers sweet potatoes to bring out their very best qualities. Signature Martha Stewart sweet potato dishes include cinnamon roasted wedges, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, and maple-orange mashed sweet potatoes. With proper selection and storage methods, you can enjoy sweet potatoes for months after purchase. Martha Stewart’s sweet potato recipes highlight the versatility and comforting flavors of this nutritious root vegetable.