Recipe: Sweet Potato Butter

SWEET POTATO BUTTER

Inspired by a velvet-smooth dip served at the vegetarian Sunflower Caf in Boulder, Colorado, this butter is also thick enough to spread. You do not have to be precise with quantities, but the cooking time will be affected by the size of the onion and the potato. Serve Sweet Potato Butter with celery sticks, green pepper strips and soy chips.

1 medium yellow onion
2 medium Beauregard, Garnet or Jewel yams (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons tahini
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the papery outer layer of the onion. Rub the onion and sweet potatoes with the oil, coating them lightly. Wrap the onion in a large square of aluminum foil. Wrap the yams in a second piece of foil.

Bake the onion and the sweet potatoes until the potatoes feel soft when squeezed while still wrapped in foil, 1 hour. Open the foil and let them sit until cool enough to handle.

With your fingers, peel away the 2 or 3 tough outer layers of the onion. Halve the onion and coarsely chop 1 half. Set the other half aside for another use. Peel the yams.

In a food processor, puree the sweet potatoes and chopped onion. Add the tahini. Whirl until the mixture is creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sweet Potato Butter keeps for 3 days, tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 3/4 cups.
Source: 12 Best Foods Cookbook