Ancho Chili Sweet Potato Puree Recipes

ANCHO SWEET-POTATO PURéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. and line a baking sheet with foil.
• Prick sweet potatoes in several places with a fork and bake on baking sheet in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour. Cool potatoes until they can be handled.
• Wearing rubber gloves, stem and seed chiles and tear into 1-inch pieces. In a small saucepan bring chiles and cream to a boil. In a blender purée mixture until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).
• Scoop flesh from potatoes into a food processor, discarding skins, and purée with cream mixture, salt, and 2 tablespoons butter. Purée may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and cooled before being chilled, covered.
• Transfer purée to a large saucepan and heat over moderate heat, stirring, until hot, stirring in more salt and butter if desired.

SWEET POTATOES WITH ANCHO CHILE BUTTER

Steps:

• Slice sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch round slices. Arrange potatoes in a lightly greased baking dish.
• Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, melted butter and cider in a bowl. Sprinkle each layer of potatoes with the mixture.
• Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for about 35 minutes or until almost soft.
• In another bowl whisk in the soft butter, maple syrup, chile powder and salt and pepper. Remove the foil, and pour in the chile butter mixture and continue baking for another 15 minutes until golden color. Keep warm.

BASIC ANCHO CHILE PUREE

Steps:

• Soak the dried chiles in hot water for about 1 hour.
• Drain (but reserve a little of the soaking water), then pull the stem ends off and discard. The seeds can be discarded or blended with the chiles, depending on how spicy you want the purée to be. (I found it helpful to go ahead and chop/cut the chiles into smaller pieces prior to grinding/blending.).
• Blend the chiles in a food processor until smooth, adding a small amount of their soaking water if necessary (no more than 1/4 cup).
• Press the purée through a medium mesh strainer with a rubber spatula, leaving the leftover large pieces in the strainer. Discard large pieces.
• This will give you more chile puree than is needed for most recipes. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze the puree in ice cube trays for easy measuring and future use.

PAN ROASTED VENISON WITH CRUSHED BLACKBERRY-ANCHO CHILE SAUCE AND SWEET POTATO-TOASTED PINE NUT POLENTA

Steps:

• Whisk together the gin, Port, red wine, thyme, and juniper berries in a medium shallow baking dish. Add the venison and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Remove from marinade and pat dry. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Season the venison with salt and pepper and cook on 1 side until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Plate with the Sweet Potato-Toasted Pine Nut Polenta, drizzled with the Crushed Blackberry-Ancho Chile Sauce.
• Brush a little oil on a baking sheet and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Add stock or water plus salt, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal with a wire whisk.
• Once all of the cornmeal is whisked in turn the heat to low and continue cooking, mixing with a wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Stir in the mashed sweet potato and butter and mix until combined. Stir the pine nuts into the mixture, season with salt and pepper and pour the mixture into the prepared baking sheet. Cover the top with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm and chilled.
• Remove from the refrigerator and cut into triangles, circles, or squares. Heat oil in a large saute pan, season the polenta slices with salt and pepper, and saute on both sides until golden brown.
• Melt the butter in a medium non-reactive saucepan over medium heat. Cook the celery, carrot, and onions until soft. Add the peppercorns, port, red wine, cranberry juice, ancho puree, brown sugar, and stock and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half. Strain into a clean pot, add the blackberries, and cook over medium heat until the blackberries are soft, using the back of a fork, gently crush the blackberries. Season with salt, to taste.
• Combine the ancho and water in a small bowl and let stand 1 hour. Drain well, reserving the soaking liquid. Remove the seeds and stems and puree in a food processor with the garlic, cilantro, and about 1/2 cup of the liquid, or more if needed.

SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN CHILI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Combine sweet potatoes, chipotle pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large bowl and toss to coat. Spread sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
• Roast sweet potatoes in the preheated oven until the outside is crunchy and inside is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Cook and stir remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, ancho chile powder, cumin, and dried oregano together in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Pour tomatoes and water into the onion mixture and bring to a simmer. Add cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and cocoa powder. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Stir black beans and cooled sweet potatoes into the onion-tomato mixture. Add more water if mixture is too thick. Simmer until heated through, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.