Recipe: Sweet Potato Souffle

NEW ORLEANS — Over the course of its 300-year history, New Orleans’ cuisine has been one of its greatest gifts to the world. Now, as we celebrate the city’s 300th birthday and WWL-TV’s 60th anniversary, our gift to you is a free e-cookbook, with free summertime recipes.

Click here to download the free "Summer Favorites" cookbook as well as the previous editions with Recipes for Cajun cooking, Lent, Global Cuisine and Holiday Recipes.

This edition of our "360 In the Kitchen" cookbook series focuses on dishes that are perfect for the long, hot south Louisiana summer. Coping with the heat and humidity of a New Orleans summer has been a way of life here from the beginning. From salads and dishes with lighter sauces to icy cool desserts, our cookbook gives you some creative recipe ideas to try without sacrificing any of the flavor that New Orleans cooks are known for.

Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup cream (or whole milk)
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 cup pecans, chopped and roasted

Cinnamon Sugar:

• 1/4 cup white sugar or light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Butter or spray with baking spray a 9x13 inch casserole or baking dish. Set aside.
3. Add 1 cup of pecans to a baking sheet and roast for a few minutes. Watch closely to not burn them. Remove from oven, cool and roughly chop.
4. In the meantime, add potatoes to a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Cover with water and sprinkle some salt, bring to a boil. Boil for about 15 minutes, when pierced with a fork, the potatoes should be tender.
5. Drain cooked sweet potatoes, mash until very smooth and set aside to cool off a bit.
6. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir and set aside.
7. In a medium bowl combine: melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, cream, flour, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest. Whisk well to combine, a hand mixer can be used as well. Add the mixture to the mashed sweet potatoes and stir until well combined.
8. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top.
9. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and cinnamon sugar evenly. Drizzle the melted butter on top.
10. Cover dish with foil, to avoid pecan topping from burning. Bake for about 30 minutes covered and then uncover and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned on the edges and top.
11. Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate for later.
12. This sweet potato souffle is a great side, but served with ice cream turns it into a wonderful dessert.

More Recipes:

• Thanksgiving Macaroni and Cheese
• Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing
• Succulent Upside Down Thanksgiving Turkey
• Spinach Bites
• Baked Spinach Dip
• Stuffed Mushrooms
• Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Bites

Watch Chef Kevin Belton every Tuesday morning on Eyewitness Morning News on WWL-TV and WUPL.

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