Beef & fonio meatballs with sweet potato stew

Active: 55 minutes; Total: 1 hour 55 minutes; Serves: 4 to 6

Fonio, cooked according to package direction, cooled	½ cup (measure after cooking!)
Onions, finely chopped	2 mediums
Parmesan, finely grated	1 ounce
Eggs, lightly beaten	1 large
Thyme, chopped	2 tablespoons
Garlic, finely chopped	4 cloves
Salt	1 ½ teaspoons + 3/4 teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground,	¼ teaspoon +
Beef, 80% lean ground	1 pound
Peanut oil	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
Bay leaf, fresh
Tomatoes, whole peeled, crushed by hand	28 ounces
Chicken broth, low-sodium	1 cup + ½ cup
Sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces	1 medium

1. Combine fonio, 1-cup onions, cheese, egg, thyme, 2-teaspoon garlic, 1 ½-teaspoons salt, ½-teaspoon pepper in a food processor. 
2. Process until the mixture forms a coarse paste, about 30 seconds. 
3. Transfer fonio mixture to a large bowl; add ground beef and 1-cup onions. 
4. Using your hands, gently combine the meat mixture. 
5. Shape sixteen balls; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
6. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours or overnight. 
7. Heat ¼-cup oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. 
8. Add bay leaf, remaining onions (about 2 cups), and remaining garlic (about 2-teaspoons). 
9. Cook, stirring often, until onions are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. 
10. Add tomatoes, 1-cup broth, 3/4-teaspoon salt, and ¼-teaspoon pepper. 
11. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. 
12. Stir in sweet potato and remaining ½-cup broth. 
13. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potato is almost tender, 18 to 24 minutes. 
14. Heat remaining 2-tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 
15. Working in batches if needed, cook meatballs in hot oil, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate. 
16. Nestle meatballs in skillet with sauce; cook, uncovered, over medium-low, until sweet potato is tender and meatballs are cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. 
17. Season with salt and pepper to taste; garnish with parmesan. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, March 2021.

Baked sweet potatoes with maple dressing

Active: 15 minutes; Total: 55 minutes; Serves: 4

Sweet potatoes, preferably yellow	4 medium
Butter, unsalted; room temperature	2 tablespoons
Salt, fine sea
Crème fraîche	½ cup
Maple syrup	1 tablespoon
Lime juice, freshly squeezed	1 tablespoon
Fish sauce	2 teaspoons
Black pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Scallions, thinly sliced, both green and white parts	2 tablespoons
Pinenuts, roasted	2 tablespoons
Red chile flakes	1 teaspoon
Lime zest	½ teaspoon

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. 
2. Rinse and scrub the potatoes under running tap water. 
3. Slice them lengthwise, and place them in a roasting pan, cut side facing up. 
4. Brush or smear with butter, and season with salt. 
5. Cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil and press around the edges to seal snugly. 
6. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil, flip the potatoes, and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes more, until the potatoes are cooked thoroughly and are tender. 
7. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. 
8. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, maple syrup, lime juice, fish sauce, and pepper; season to taste with salt.
9. In another small bowl, combine the scallions, pine nuts, chile flakes, and lime zest.
10. To serve, top the warm roasted potatoes with a few tablespoons of the dressing, and sprinkle with the scallion-nut mixture. 

Recipe adapted from Food52.

Irish fish pie

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 1 hour 30 minutes; Serves: 4 to 6

Sweet potatoes, orange-flesh, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes	1 ½ pounds
Cod, fresh, cut into 1-inch pieces	½ pound
Shrimp, large, shelled & deveined	½ pound
Bay scallops, picked for shell bits, remove tough band of muscle adhered to one side of each scallop	½ pound
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons
Onion, finely chopped	1 small
Milk, whole	2 cups
Bay leaves	2
Thyme, fresh	2 sprigs
Salt, fine sea	½ teaspoon + ½ teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon +
Flour, all-purpose	2 tablespoons
Chives, fresh, chopped	¼ cup

1. Add the potatoes to a large saucepan, add cool water to cover by 1 inch; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
2. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the potatoes are fully tender, about 15 minutes; drain. 
3. Mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher; set aside 2 cups, reserve any remaining for another use. 
4. Preheat your oven to 375°F. 
5. Melt 2-tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
6. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. 
7. Pour the milk into the pan, and add the bay leaves and thyme. 
8. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often. 
9. Stir in ½-teaspoon salt. 
10. Poach each type of seafood individually; place the cod in the simmering milk and cook until the fish is nearly cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. 
11. Lift the cod from the milk with a slotted spoon, and place in a 2- to 3-quart casserole dish. 
12. Add the scallops to the milk, and poach until opaque, about 30 seconds. 
13. Lift from the milk with a slotted spoon, and add to the dish with the fish. 
14. Add the shrimp, and poach until they just begin to curl, about 1 minute. 
15. Lift them from the milk with a slotted spoon, and add to the dish. 
16. Use your hands or fork to flake cod into bite-sized pieces. 
17. Season with ½-teaspoon salt and ½-teaspoon pepper. 
18. In a small bowl, mash 2-tablespoons butter with the flour. 
19. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the milk. 
20. Bring the milk to a simmer once again, and whisk the butter mixture into the until no lumps remain. 
21. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. 
22. Pour béchamel over the seafood in the casserole dish. 
23. Add the chives, and fold gently to combine everything. 
24. Taste the filling and adjust seasonings, if needed. 
25. Reheat 2-cups potatoes in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, or in a pot, stirring until warm. 
26. Stir in the remaining 2-tablespoons butter until it melts, and season lightly with salt. 
27. Pipe or spread the puree over the filling, sealing the edges. 
28. Bake until the filling is bubbly and the topping is browned, about 20 minutes. 
29. Let stand for a few minutes before serving. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Holiday Recipes.

Sweet potato tacos

Active: 25 minutes; Sous vide cook time: 1 hour; Servings: 4 to 6

Sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch dice (about 4 cups)	1 ½ pounds
Chipotle chiles in adobe, chopped	3 to 4
Cumin, ground	1 ½ teaspoons
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon +
Canna-infused oil	1 tablespoon
Canola oil	1 tablespoon
Corn tortillas, 6-inch	12
Pepper, freshly ground
Lime juice	½ lime
Pickled red onions
Sour cream	½ cup
Cotija cheese, crumbled	½ cup
Cilantro, chopped	Garnish

1. Preheat your sous vide to 185°F. 
2. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, chiles, cumin, salt, and canna-infused oil until the potato pieces are evenly coated. 
3. To ensure you bag sinks, place 1 to 2 pounds of weight into a gallon-size freezer-safe ziplock bag. 
4. Add the potato mixture to the bag, and seal using the water displacement method. 
5. When the water has reached the target temperature, lower the bagged potatoes into the water bath and cook for 1 hour. The potatoes are ready if you can crush them through the bag with a firm pinch. 
6. Remove the bag from the water bath and transfer the potatoes to a plate, discarding the liquid; set aside. 
7. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. 
8. When the pan is hot, working in batches, heat the tortillas by placing them directly into the skillet and then waiting until they begin to steam and blister, about 20 seconds. 
9. Flip them with tongs or a spatula, and cook the other side until they again begin to steam and blister, about 30 seconds. Depending on the size of your skillet, you can heat three to four tortillas at a time. 
10. After each batch is heated, transfer the tortillas to a plate and cover them with a kitchen towel or aluminum foil to keep warm. 
11. When all the tortillas have been heated, and with the pan still over medium-high heat, add the remaining canola oil to the skillet, and then add the potato mixture. The pieces do not need to fit in a single layer. 
12. Sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until charred and blackened on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes. 
13. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and them add the lime juice. 
14. To assemble the tacos, spread a small dollop of the sour cream onto the middle of each tortilla. 
15. Divide the potato mixture evenly among the tortillas. 
16. Top each taco with a sprinkle of cheese, cilantro, and pickled red onions. 
17. Arrange the tacos on individual plates and serve with additional lime wedges and hot sauce. 

Recipe warped from Sous Vide at Home by Lisa Q. Fetterman.

Pork chops with sweet potatoes & apricot glaze

Sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks	1 pound
Pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch chunks	2
Shallot, chopped	1
Ginger, 1-inch piece, minced
Thyme	3 sprigs
Oil, olive	1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Pork chops, 1-inch thick, rested at room temperature for 30 minutes	4
Jelly, apricot	2 tablespoons

1. Preheat the oven to 425F; line a baking sheet with foil, and place it in the oven. 
2. Toss the potatoes and pears together in a large bowl. 
3. Toss in the shallot, ginger, thyme, oil, ½-teaspoon salt, and pepper; mix with your hand. 
4. Remove the pan from the oven, and arrange the vegetables evenly on the hot pan. 
5. Roast for 15 minutes. 
6. While the vegetables are roasting, sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides. 
7. Make room for the pork chops on the pan, and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the pork reaches 145F on an instant-read thermometer and the potatoes are tender. 
8. Discard the thyme stems. 
9. Spread a layer of jelly on the chops. 
10. Switch the oven to broil, return the pan to the second-highest rack, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes to create a glaze. 
11. Rest the pork for at least 3 minutes. 
12. Divide the vegetables and chops among heated plates and serve immediately. 

Recipe mildly adapted from One Pan, Whole Family.

Orange chicken stew

Onion, chopped	1 medium
Bell pepper, red, chopped	1 medium
Carrots, thinly sliced	2 medium
Fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, core removed, thinly sliced	1 medium
Sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks	2 medium
Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless	1 ½ pounds
Salt, kosher
Pepper, freshly ground
Oil, olive	2 tablespoons
Thyme, dried	1 teaspoon
Broth, chicken	1 cup
Juice, orange	½ cup
Olives, kalamata, sliced	¼ cup
Parsley, chopped	¼ cup
Rice, cooked

1. Combine the vegetables in a bowl; set aside. 
2. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. 
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
4. Brown the chicken, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. 
5. Add the vegetables to the skillet with the thyme, a sprinkle of salt, and a few dashes of pepper, and sauté until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. 
6. Return the chicken to the pan along with the broth and juice, and bring to a boil. 
7. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are tender. 
8. Scoop the chicken from the pot, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook the liquid and vegetables for another 3 to 4 minutes to reduce. 
9. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, and return to the pot with half the parsley and the olives. 
10. Taste, and add more salt or pepper, as needed. 
11. Serve over the rice with a sprinkle of parsley. 

Recipe adapted from One Pan, Whole Family by Carla Snyder.

Sweet potato gnocchi with mint-pine nut pesto

Pine nuts	½ cup
Mint leaves, chopped	¼ cup
Lemon zest, finely grated	1 teaspoon
Lemon juice	2 tablespoons
Oil, extra-virgin olive	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
Salt, gray sea
Sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced ½-inch thick	1 ¾ pounds
Flour, gluten-free	1 cup
Cornstarch	5 tablespoons
Thyme leaves	Garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. 
2. Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 3 minutes. 
3. Transfer the nuts to a work surface, and let cool, then chop; transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the mint, zest, juice, and ¼-cup oil; season with salt. 
4. On a large rimmed baking sheet, spread the potatoes in a single layer. 
5. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes. 
6. Transfer to a food processor, and let cool, then pulse until smooth. 
7. Scrape the pureed potatoes into a large bowl, and stir in the flour, cornstarch, and 1-teaspoon salt. 
8. Lightly dust a rimmed baking sheet with flour. 
9. On a lightly floured work surface, cut the dough into eight pieces, and roll each piece in a ½-inch-thick rope, about 15 inches long. 
10. Using a knife, cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces. 
11. Roll each piece against the tines of a fork to make ridges, and transfer to the floured baking sheet. 
12. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the gnocchi until they rise to the surface, then cook 1 minute longer. 
13. Drain well and transfer to a serving bowl. 
14. Toss with 2-tablespoons oil, then spoon the pesto on top. 
15. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and more salt; serve. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, August 2017.