Whipped Sweet Potatoes

My friend’s pinched face leansclose to me and whispers.

“Turmeric? Brown sugar—no—garlic?”

It is always the same when people try to discover my secret for perfect whipped sweet potatoes. They always underestimate simplicity. Truth is, I only use four ingredients: sweet potatoes, salt, fat, and magic (the most important ingredient in all cooking). Whether it is a quick dinner with my wife or pre-prepped meals for friends and family, the simplicity of this recipe makes it my go-to, and why not? Sweet potatoes are a naturally-sweetened, complex-carb, which is loaded with vitamins A and C, making them both healthy and delicious.

Step 1: Wash, peel, and cut potatoes.

When peeling, do it over a bowl to make clean up a breeze, and of course watch your fingers. Even as a professional chef, I cut myself 5-6 times a year when using a peeler compared to a knife.

After peeling, cut the potatoes. Slice them in half—hot dog style—and then slice them into coins of a roughly equal size. Remember that the larger the size of the coins, the longer they will take to cook.

Step 2: Simmer and drain.

Place your potato coins into a pot. Cover them with water and salt (I recommend the Himalayan sea salt for the diehards). If you have a lid, cover and bring to a simmer for 25-30 minutes.

After cooking, drain the potatoes into a colander and let sit for about five minutes—no longer as it will make the next step difficult— to allow as much water to be expelled as possible.

Step 3: The best for last: fat.

Transfer the potatoes to a mixer, and whisk to incorporate a tablespoon of fat per potato used. I personally use coconut oil by Nutiva or Grassfed butter by Kerrygold.

Taste and add salt until it tastes sweet and tad salty, like kettle corn.

I told you it was simple. To make this even more efficient, make a large portion. Sweet potatoes are resilient enough to be cooled and reheated, or even frozen, in an airtight container, for up to 6 months.

I would love to hear what your experience was like with this or any of my recipes, and of course feel free to email [info@honeyandthymeus.com] or Facebook message me with any questions,

Until next time,

Chef Josh Charles