No celebration of fall would be complete without paying homage to the sweet potato. These hearty root vegetables are always there when you need a comforting casserole, a Thanksgiving side dish that doesn’t come from a can, or an order of French fries minus the gluten.
The trouble with sweet potatoes is precisely the “sweet” part. Now there’s nothing wrong with embracing this sweetness (sweet potato pie anyone?), but it is kind of a shame that sweet potatoes get pigeon-holed for it when they are so versatile in any range of the flavor spectrum.
Sweet potatoes actually do really well when paired with savory flavors. They are often served with peanuts or in stews in several West African countries and are a favorite pizza topping at chains like Dominos and Pizza Hut in Korea.
This savory sweet potato dish was inspired by Gourmande in the Kitchen and uses Divina roasted red tomatoes and Kalamata Olives to balance the sweetness of the potato. The result is creamy, smoky, fruity and earthy all at once, and yet no one of the flavors quite overpowers the others. The stuffed-potatoes make a show-stealing side dish and are hearty enough to be a light meal on their own. Just the thing for the cozy fall nights ahead!
Ingredients:
- 2 medium red skinned sweet potatoes
- 4 tbsp sheep’s milk feta cheese, cut into small cubes
- 4 tbsp Divina Pitted Kalamata Olives, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp Divina Roasted Red Tomatoes, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tsp fresh oregano; chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with a fork. Place them directly on middle oven rack with a piece of foil on the rack below.
- Bake until the sweet potatoes are soft enough for a knife to slide in easily and cooked through, about 45-60 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.
- While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the topping. Mix together remaining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside until the sweet potatoes are done.
- Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center to expose cooked insides, top with feta mixture and serve.
