Haitian style baked sweet potatoes

Today’s recipe features our local sweet potatoes, which I have oven-roasted, mashed and reduced to a puree topped with prepared cod.

– Annick, you don’t eat sweet potatoes?

– I am not a fan. It’s a bulb one can easily choke on.

– Choke on sweet potatoes!?! what are you talking about?

– She’s right; you can choke  if you’re not careful how you eat them

– Whatever you guys say…

This conversation is commonplace between my dad, my mother and I. It happens every single time sweet potatoes are featured on the menu.

To this day, my father still can’t seem to understand why I often frown upon sweet potatoes, a bulb he has a seasonal fondness for. Seasonal because once or twice a year he seems to develop an obsession for them. For two weeks at a time, he will only buy those bulbs, and request that they be included on every menu regardless of our opinion.

It’s not that I actually dislike sweet potatoes. I’m simply not as big a fan as my dad is.

Truth be told, as the above conversation states, I find our sweet potatoes difficult to eat. They’re one of those rare bulbs that feel very dry, and require lots of water to go down.

Their dryness probably comes from the fact they are very starchy, perhaps even starchier than other varieties.

Our local sweet potatoes are different from the most commonly sold and presented orange-fleshed ones. Unfortunately, it is difficult for me to pinpoint the exact variety they belong to. They do, however, in my opinion based on an online search, seem to be akin to some of the Japanese varieties.

Haitian sweet potatoes, if I may call them that, have an outer skin that is more on the pinkish side of the color spectrum, though it can sometimes be beige as well. They boast a cream whitish colored flesh, which turns grey once the bulb is cooked.

Haitian sweet potatoes have an outer skin that is more on the pinkish side of the color spectrum. | tchakayiti.com

Their starchiness only seems to disappear when they are grated and baked into our famous pain patate, also known as Haitian pain patate (sweet potato pudding), my favorite way of eating this bulb.

You must be wondering why I am serving you baked sweet potatoes today.

The answer is simple. I was curious to find out whether they would acquire a different texture or not when pureed. Turns out they do.

Our oven-roasted sweet potatoes seem to lose their starchiness, thus their dryness. With the added cream and cheese, they acquire a silky-smooth texture that resembles that of a mash potato. Since they’re baked in their skin, they also have a pleasant smoky flavor.

In my opinion, these mashed Haitian sweet potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to my prepared cod.

These Haitian sweet potatoes are oven-roasted, mashed and reduced to a puree topped with prepared cod. | tchakayiti.com

At first glance, this particular recipe may not look like your typical Haitian dish. Yet, it is merely a personal take on a typical meal I revisited: cod fish and “vivre.”

I hope you’ll enjoy it.

This Haitian sweet potato is oven-roasted, mashed and reduced to a puree topped with prepared cod. | tchakayiti.com

Haitian style baked sweet potatoes pureed and stuffed with prepared cod

This recipe features local Haitian sweet potatoes, which are oven-roasted, mashed and reduced to a puree topped with my prepared cod.
5 from 2 votes
Cook Time 2 hours
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

To bake the sweet potatoes

  • 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 or 2 tbsp olive oil

For the puree

  • 1/2 cup grated Tête de Maure or sharp cheese
  • 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
  • 1 tsp garlic powder or to taste
  • 20 cl cream

For the creamy topping

  • 1/4 cup cream
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 or 2 garlic cloves

For the garnish

  • Green onions
  • Parsley
  • Brightened shallots

Instructions
 

For the baked sweet potatoes

  • Wash the sweet potatoes
  • Pat them dry
  • Poke them with a fork and coat them with the olive oil and salt
  • Wrap in foil
  • Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment
  • Bake for about 1h30 minutes or until fully cooked
  • Let cool

For the creamy sauce

  • While the sweet potatoes are cooking season the cream with salt, pepper and garlic
  • Keep that cream cool in the fridge

Putting it all together

  • Once the sweet potatoes have cooled down, cut a thin opening in the skin, and take out the flesh without ripping the skin out. Preserve the outer skin. You'll stuff it with the sweet potato mash
  • Mash the flesh into a puree 
  • Season with salt, pepper, garlic and cheese
  • Add the cream
  • Mix until the puree acquires a smooth texture
  • Fill the preserved skin with the mashed sweet potato
  • Finish with my prepared cod or with the topping of your choice
  • Garnish with green onions and brightened shallots
  • Drizzle that mixture on top of your mashed sweet potatoes
  • Serve

Notes

Though I indicate proportions, you can definitely adjust the seasoning according to your taste. These proportions work because I added the prepared cod,  which is already salty and rich in flavors. That recipe is on the blog. 
Please note that the pleasant smoky flavors will disappear as your mashed sweet potatoes get cooler. If you like the smokiness as much as I do, I thus recommend that you serve your sweet potatoes while they're still warm.
Keyword cod, food blog, haiti, haitian food, recipes, salt fish, sweet potatoes
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1 Comment

  • Sandra H

    5 stars
    I second that, always good

  • Martine Romain Megie

    5 stars
    All recipes on Tchakayiti are good. You must give them a try!!!!

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