Get Your Mojo Working with Sweet Potatoes with Mojo Picon Sauce
Jazz up your summer barbecue with sweet potatoes tossed with almonds, pumpkin seeds and a smoky Spanish dressing.
A chef of German heritage recently told me she was flabbergasted upon immigrating here to discover that Americans, for the most part, only cook turkey once a year — on Thanksgiving. In her native country, turkey is enjoyed with gusto year-round.
I often think that about sweet potatoes. We bring them to the table with great fanfare for Thanksgiving, and even Christmas. But after that, we kind of lose interest until November rolls around again.
Why not have them in June? I just did, and am so glad I did.
Because “Sweet Potatoes with Mojo Pican Sauce” is one of those great side dishes that feels right anytime of year. Heck, I even paired them with smoked baby back ribs, and they were a phenomenal accompaniment.
The recipe is from “The New Spanish: Bites, Feasts and Drinks” (Kyle), of which I received a review copy. The cookbook is by Jonah Miller and Nate Adler, native New Yorkers and childhood friends who opened Huertas in the East Village in 2014.
Their food is Spanish to be sure, but flavored with their own twists. “Tortilla de Calabazi” adds butternut squash and fried sage to the traditional egg and potato tortilla; “Spanish Kimchi,” a European twist on the Korean staple with swett and hot pimenton; “Arroz Al Chino,” fried rice with saffron, bacon and shrimp; and “Flan de Maiz,” the classic flan turned on its head by the use of fresh corn.