ROUSES_Summer2023_Magazine Pages-Web

ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Sweet potatoes grown on the Gulf Coast have a distinct difference from those grown in northern states. Thanks to the rich soils in the South, our sweet potatoes are notably softer, resulting in higher natural sugar content, moistness and a vibrant orange flesh color. In fact, this soft variety of sweet potato is commonly referred to as a yam. The Gulf Coast’s sweet potato season kicks off with the planting of “seed potatoes” (small-sized potatoes saved from the previous crop) between April 1 and June 15. These potatoes are planted in rows and covered with plastic to retain heat in the soil until they start sprouting. The harvest season usually begins in early August and lasts until mid-November, with most of the work being done by hand due to the delicate nature of sweet potatoes. To prepare sweet potatoes for sale, they must undergo a curing process, which involves storing them in hot and humid conditions for a minimum of one week. This step enhances the flavors and solidifies the skin.

HOW TO ROAST SWEET POTATOES 1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Scrub sweet potatoes, then halve them lengthwise. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Toss the sweet potatoes with oil and season with salt to taste. Arrange them cut-side down on the prepared sheet pan, and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. 3. Bake, without flipping, until thoroughly soft, about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. 4. When tender, remove from oven and transfer to serving platter or dish.

SHORT ON TIME? Sweet potato fries are really easy to make, even without a fryer, but you can also use Alexia frozen fries and bite-size sweet potato puffs, like we did here. We paired them with Cedar’s Tzatziki Dip, which is made with cucumber, garlic and Greek yogurt; our Rouses in-house Fresh Guacamole; our Soicy Tomato Ketchup; Louisiana Fish Fry Garlic Butter Sauce; our Honey Mustard; and a fresh beet dip we whipped up using canned beets. Get the recipe on our website. Photos by Romney Caruso

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