Food & Wine USA - (02)February 2020

FEBRUARY 2020 79

“EXPECT NOT GOATS AND COWRIES, for my yams are dry, and the barns are empty,” wrote
Kukogho Iruesiri Samson, a Nigerian poet. Yams are considered to be the most com-
mon African staple aboard Middle Passage ships; some estimates say 100,000 yams
fed 500 slaves, sometimes their only foodstuff.
Contrary to some folks’ conception of holiday pies and marshmallow-studded mash,
New World sweet potatoes feature in those dishes, not yams, which are eaten in West
Africa, the Caribbean, throughout Latin America, and in parts of Asia and are a differ-
ent vegetable entirely. Sweet potatoes tend to be long and pointed, with orange flesh,
and are fairly sweet, while yams have whitish flesh and are larger and more cylindrical.
Sweet potatoes are creamier, yams floury, starchier. In either case, they can be boiled,
mashed, fried, or roasted over embers. Yams are honored in West African and Brazilian
ceremonies and offerings to the orixás, in song, and in literature. Okonkwo, Chinua
Achebe’s tragic hero in Things Fall Apart, reveled in planting yams, deeming them the
king of crops and thereby solidifying his manhood and ability to provide. In the New
World, enslaved Africans found the sweet potato, which took its place. Ralph Ellison’s
Invisible Man celebrated a Harlem sweet potato vendor’s steaming sugary pulp as
nectar. He apologized for his ebullience and Carolina homesickness with every bite.
As the sweet potato takes up the role of the yam—foodstuff for sacred twins and
ancestors—it epitomizes the adaptive creativity of the diaspora, a transfer food for
Houston chef Jonny Rhodes to embrace in his Sweet Potato Gnocchi at his storytelling
restaurant, Indigo. —Scott Alves Barton, PhD, is a chef and culinary educator.

cold, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

3. Stir together all-purpose flour and
   whole-wheat flour in a small bowl. Using a
   fork, mash chilled sweet potato flesh in a
   separate bowl until mostly smooth; stir in
   egg, 1 ounce Parmesan (about^2 / 3 cu p),
   and 1 teaspoon salt with a fork until well
   combined. Stir in flour mixture until just
   incorporated.


4. Turn dough out onto a well-floured
   work surface; divide evenly into 6 pieces
   (about 4 ounces each). Roll 1 dough piece
   into a^1 / 2 -inch-thick rope (about 22 inches
   long), dusting liberally with flour as
   needed to prevent sticking. Cut rope
   crosswise into about 22 (1-inch-long)
   gnocchi pieces; press lightly with a fork or
   gnocchi paddle to create ridges. Transfer
   gnocchi to a lightly floured baking sheet.
   Repeat process with remaining 5 dough
   pieces. (Shaped gnocchi pieces can be
   used immediately or covered and chilled
   up to 8 hours or frozen up to 1 month.)


5. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large
   saucepan over medium-high. Fill a bowl
   with ice water. Stir^1 / 4 cup salt into boiling
   water. Working in 2 batches, add gnocchi
   to boiling water; boil until gnocchi are ten-
   der and rise to surface, 2 to 3 minutes.
   Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to
   ice water; let stand 1 minute. Lightly
   grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive
   oil. Drain gnocchi, and transfer to pre-
   pared baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, at
   least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.


6. Pat gnocchi dry. Heat a large skillet
   over medium. Add 1 tablespoon butter,
   swirling skillet until butter is melted and
   foamy. Add half of gnocchi (about 2^1 / 2
   cups) in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed,
   until bottoms are light golden brown, 2 to
   3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons water, 1^1 / 2
   tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vinegar,
   and^1 / 2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring and
   shaking skillet constantly, until butter
   melts and sauce is emulsified, 1 to 2 min-
   utes. Stir in 2 teaspoons chives; season
   with salt to taste. Divide mixture evenly
   between 2 serving bowls. Drizzle each
   serving with^1 / 2 teaspoon nectar, and
   sprinkle each with about 1 tablespoon
   Parmesan. Repeat process using remain-
   ing ingredients. Serve immediately.
   MAKE AHEAD Freeze uncooked shaped
   gnocchi, uncovered, on baking sheet 1
   hour. Transfer gnocchi to a large ziplock
   plastic freezer bag, and freeze up to 1
   month. Increase boiling time to 3 to 4
   minutes.
   DRINK Artisanal, sparkling apple cider:
   Shacksbury Dry
   NOTE D’vash sweet potato nectar can be
   purchased on amazon.com.

4 qt. plus 6 Tbsp. water, divided

Olive oil, for greasing

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter (2^1 / 2 oz.),

divided

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar, divided

4 tsp. sliced fresh chives, divided

2 tsp. sweet potato nectar (such as

D’vash), divided

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place sweet
   potatoes directly on oven rack in pre-
   heated oven, and roast, turning occasion-
   ally, until softened, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30
   minutes. (Place a baking sheet on bottom
   rack to catch drips, if desired.) Cut pota-
   toes in half lengthwise; let cool 1 hour.


2. Scoop 1 pound sweet potato flesh
   (a b o u t 2^1 / 4 cups) into a large bowl. Reserve
   remaining sweet potatoes for another use.
   Discard skins. Cover and chill flesh until

SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI

ACTIVE 1 HR 15 MIN; TOTAL 5 HR

SERVES 4

To create the classic ridges on each piece

of gnocchi, use a paddle or fork to gently

indent each side. Those grooves help the

rich, buttery sauce cling to each bite.

13 / 4 lb. sweet potatoes (about 3

medium-size sweet potatoes)

(^3) / (^4) cup all-purpose flour (about 3 (^1) / 4
oz.), plus more for work surface
(^1) / 2 cup whole-wheat flour (about 2 oz.)
1 large egg
11 / 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated using
a Microplane (about 1 cup), divided
(^1) / 4 cup plus 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided,
plus more to taste

ROOTS WITH

ROOTS

SWEET POTATOES

wo rd s b y

SCOTT ALVES BARTON

recipe by

JONNY RHODES