Do you know who Mark Bittman is? No eye rolling please. Not everyone does. There are cookbook bandwagons galore and everyone's jumped on one or two (or more), but we don't all march to the beat of the same drummer.
These days we never know from where the next band leader will come
Some are riding the wagon of a gerontologist who changed her mind and decided to write cookbooks. Others are enjoying the music made by a southern gent who is a Fulbright scholar and has taught in three universities. Today, instead of teaching language and literature, now he's writing about food.
Mark Bittman is one of those who have crossed the line from occupation (journalist) to cookbook author. Am I on Mark's bandwagon? No. I really don't know much about him at all, though I've heard his name for years. I can tell you a few things that I really appreciate about him.
First, no knead bread. He didn't create the bread (Jim Lahey did), but as the journalist he is, he brought it to our attention. Second, he is a journalist. I think it's in his DNA to research and to share the information he uncovers. I like that a lot.
In fact, the two recipes that he brings to Cooking Light take up three pages. Most of that space is used for narrative, explanation and advice. This is one of those. So, I bring you Mark Bittman.
The Process
Roast, roast, simmer, chop. If you can do that, you can make this.
Roast the sweet potatoes after drizzling them in oil and sprinkling them with salt and pepper.
Simmer the cranberries in a sauce with adobo sauce, honey, and chipotle peppers.
Chop cilantro and green onions.
Roast pumpkin seeds.
That's it, though I would spray the baking sheet with cooking spray. It'll keep the potato from sticking to the bottom. But that's just a simple aside. This is easy; deceptively so.
The Verdict
Three children ate mac and cheese. Three adults ate this salad. For the record, I used one (1) chipotle pepper and a scant teaspoon of adobo sauce. It was still really hot for all three of us (and Hubby loves heat).
The reactions regarding the flavors of the dish were mixed. Wendi, a neighbor friend, enjoyed the flavor of the chile with the sweet potato, but decided that she's not much of a fan of cranberries so picked around those. Hubby thought it had a bit too much heat but couldn't really didn't think it had anything to bowl him over as a dish.
I also found it too hot for my weiner little taste buds. I love cranberries and am not opposed to sweet potatoes. I did enjoy this, but it just didn't wow me the way I'd hoped it would, especially with the heat.
What I'd Do Different Next Time
I think the tart of the cranberry and the heat of the chile wasn't bridged with enough sweetness. The potatoes tried, but it needed more. The honey was a great idea, but there wasn't enough and I think if more had been added, it would have made all the difference. I would up the amount of honey to a quarter cup instead of just two teaspoons. I know that this is a 'light' recipe and that may remove it calorie-wise from that realm, but it would help.
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Cranberry-Chipotle Dressing - print this recipe
from Cooking Light Magazine, October 2011
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons honey
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkinseeds)
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Preheat oven to 450°.
Place sweet potatoes on a large jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes or until tender, turning after 15 minutes.
Place remaining 1 tablespoon oil, cranberries, water, and honey in a saucepan. Remove 1 or 2 chiles from can; finely chop to equal 1 tablespoon. Add chopped chipotle and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce to pan (reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use). Place pan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Mash with a potato masher or fork until chunky.
Place pepitas in a medium skillet; cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until lightly browned, shaking pan frequently.
Combine potatoes, pepitas, onions, and cilantro in a bowl. Add cranberry mixture to bowl; toss gently to coat.