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Hot Honey Baked Sweet Potatoes

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Goat cheese and honey are a tried-and-true dream flavor pairing — the culinary equivalent of a couple who finish each other’s sentences. But whip that goat cheese into a cloud, drizzle it with honey that’s been introduced to cayenne and hot sauce, and pile it onto a baked sweet potato? Darlin’, now you’ve got yourself a party, and everyone’s invited.

These aren’t just baked sweet potatoes. They’re plush, blushing little orange pillows that spend over an hour getting cozy in a hot oven until they practically collapse with tenderness. Split them open and they burst forth, steam curling up like they’ve got secrets to tell. Then comes the fun part: a pat of butter melting into the crevices, a generous dollop of that impossibly silky goat-cheese whipped cream (whisked until it’s somewhere between a frosting and a sigh), and a drizzle of hot honey that walks the line between sweet seduction and spicy warning shot.

Scatter over some toasted nuts and a flurry of rosemary, and suddenly you’re not eating a side dish — you’re nibbling on something that tastes like the bar snacks at the fanciest dive bar in town. Sweet, spicy, herby, rich: it’s a lot going on, in the best possible way. Simple baked sweet potatoes never stood a chance.

*You could save some time by using a premade bottled hot honey such as Mike’s or Melinda’s. A word to the wise, if you make your homemade hot honey too early, it could seize up and harden (trust me on this one!). This recipe can easily be cut in half to four servings, which is shown here. See below for main dish options.

Hot Honey Baked Sweet Potatoes

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 small to medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed (about 3 lbs.)
  • ¼ cup clover honey *(see head note)
  • ½ tsp. ground cayenne
  • 2 tsp. hot sauce
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 4 to 5 oz. goat cheese or blue cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pats
  • ½ cup roasted, salted pecans, coarsely chopped
  • Finely chopped rosemary or sage, for topping

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees and line a large rimmed sheet pan with foil. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and place them along the edges of the pan (where it gets the hottest).
  2. Bake until tender and reduced in size, 1 to 1¼ hours. A fork should pierce through the largest potato’s center easily.
  3. To a large bowl, add the goat cheese, heavy cream and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mixture by hand or with an electric mixer until smooth, thick and the consistency of sour cream, 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the honey and cayenne pepper. Heat the mixture over medium, stirring occasionally, until bubbling. (Watch carefully so it does not burn.) Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the hot sauce and season with black pepper. Use immediately so that the honey does not harden.
  5. A couple minutes after the potatoes have been removed from the oven, slice each in half lengthwise without cutting through the bottom. Then, using both hands, gently pinch the bottoms up to push out some of the potato flesh. Season with salt.
  6. To assemble, top each potato with a pat of butter, a dollop of goat-cheese whipped cream, some nuts, a generous drizzle of hot honey and a sprinkle of rosemary.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Eric Kim for NYTimes Cooking

Pork

  • Roasted pork loin or tenderloin. Pork and sweet potatoes are a classic pairing, and the rosemary or sage on top ties right in.
  • Pork chops (bone-in, seared or grilled). A simple pan sauce with Dijon or apple cider vinegar would balance the sweetness.
  • Roasted ham. Great for a holiday table, especially with the goat or blue cheese echoing a charcuterie vibe.

Poultry

  • Herb-roasted chicken (whole or bone-in thighs). Easy, crowd-pleasing, and lets the potatoes be the star.
  • Roast turkey or turkey breast. A natural fit for fall and Thanksgiving-style meals.
  • Crispy duck breast. Richer and more elegant, and the honey and pecans work well with it.

Beef

  • Seared steak (ribeye, strip, or flat iron). The saltiness of a good steak plays well against the sweet heat, especially if you went with blue cheese.
  • Braised short ribs or pot roast. Hearty and comforting for a cold-weather dinner.
  • Meatloaf. A homey option, especially with a tangy glaze.

Seafood

  • Pan-seared salmon. Its richness stands up to the potatoes, and a squeeze of lemon helps cut the sweetness.
  • Blackened or grilled shrimp. The cayenne in the potatoes will echo the spice.

Cheesy, Spicy Black Bean Bake

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This smoky and spiced, black bean bake has lots of melty cheese and offers different suggestions for adjusting the spiciness. In the original recipe, the enchilada sauce was an option. We found that without it, the dish was too dry. While it makes a great party dip, it became our main dish on a bed of rice with a side salad.

Black beans shine in a deep-red mixture of fried garlic, caramelized tomato paste, smoked paprika and cumin. The whole skillet gets coated in a generous sprinkling of sharp Cheddar, then baked until melted. The final result is what you hope for from a really good chili or stew, but in a lot less time. For a spicier rendition, add a pinch of cayenne with the paprika, or douse the final skillet with hot sauce.

We served ours with Red Hot Blue corn chips, a bit of fresh guacamole, and a smattering of scallion slices and chopped cilantro. Other serving options include tortillas, tortilla chips, rice, a baked potato or fried eggs.

OPTIONS: A main dish served with tortilla chips or used as a side with tacos, burritos or enchiladas. Blend whole beans with refried beans. Add sautéed jalapeno or serrano peppers. Sprinkle in a liberal dose of freshly cracked peppercorns, or pour a few squirts of habanero sauce on top. Add a chopped chipotle pepper, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, and cream cheese to the bean mixture before popping in the oven. Use hot smoked paprika for more intense spice.

Cheesy, Spicy Black Bean Bake

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped small
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 10-oz. can enchilada sauce
  • 1½ tsp. smoked paprika (or HOT smoked)
  • ¼ tsp. red-pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 2 (14-oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 cups grated Cheddar
  • Optional toppings: guacamole, chopped cilantro, sliced scallion greens, sour cream

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 475 degrees.
  2. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Fry the garlic until lightly golden, about 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste, enchilada sauce, paprika, red-pepper flakes and cumin (be careful of splattering), and fry for 30 seconds, reducing the heat as needed to prevent the garlic from burning.
  4. Add the beans, water and generous pinches of salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top then bake until the cheese has melted, 5 to 10 minutes. If the top is not as browned as you’d like, run the skillet under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes. Add your toppings and serve immediately.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Ali Slagle for NYTimes Cooking

Skewered Fruit Tray

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During mid- and late-summer months, many fruits are at their peak. While we certainly aren’t encouraged to attend large gatherings during this pandemic, you still may be having some smaller family parties warranting a food contribution. Making this Skewered Fruit Tray will be a showstopper on the table.

Of course, you can use any fruit you want, but I’ll give you the run down on what was chosen for this particular pyramid. Start with a whole ripe pineapple, chop off the pointy top (don’t toss) and carve away the thick outer skin. Quarter the remaining flesh and remove the tough inner core. Slice each quarter lengthwise into two more strips each, and then cut those strips down into chunks.

The other fruits included fresh strawberries, with their green tops left intact; plus cantaloupe chunks, blueberries and blackberries. I alternated each wooden skewer (short ones) with either a pineapple or cantaloupe chunk to start with, then tapered the remaining fruits as shown ending with a large blueberry.

To assemble, place the pineapple crown in the center of a disposable platter and start placing the skewers, alternating between the cantaloupe and pineapple ends to create the first tier. Repeat with several more tiers until your cone shape is complete. If not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the party starts!

You’ll need about a pint of fresh blueberries, one quart of blackberries, two quarts of strawberries, one large ripe cantaloupe and a pineapple. (You may not necessarily end up using all of the fruit.) Other than a large platter, short wooden skewers, and a sharp knife, nothing else is needed other than your time.

The skewers were a huge hit at the (pre-pandemic) party I brought them to. Most people love fresh fruit and/or are looking to nibble on something healthy amid a selection of more caloric options. Other fruits that come to mind and would make a festive presentation are kiwi slices, green melon chunks, raspberries, peach chunks, and red, green or purple seedless grapes to name a few.

Now you could get even fancier and use a star or heart shaped cookie cutter on planks of melon or watermelon as accent pieces. Just think how much money you’ll save by making your own instead of paying for those Edible Arrangements!