Vindaloo Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar Pecans – Recipe!

Every Thanksgiving I create a unique dish, along with my traditional menu, just to spice things up a bit.  This year, I literally brought up the temperature by using Vindaloo, a hot curry blend of spices, that has so much gorgeous flavor, it will perk any dish up.  Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods, but on Thanksgiving sometimes they get overloaded with marshmallows or sticky maple syrup, and it’s hard to enjoy their flavor.  I tend to prefer a savory recipe using sweet potatoes with just a hint of sweetness, and this one provides all of that with a little heat built in.

Curry is a blend of spices, not just one spice, and it’s relatively easy to create your own, or purchase a curry like vindaloo, that’s already blended for you.  Some grocery stores carry this popular curry, or you can always find it online.  I keep a packet of it in my pantry, because I tend to use it in most of my curry dishes, whether it requires it or not, because I love the subtle heat.  Lamb Vindaloo is one of the most familiar Indian recipes, and if you invest in a new curry spice blend, you may want to have a few recipes in your repertoire.

This scalloped sweet potato dish is definitely different in a good way.  The layers of flavor are decadent, and complimentary to each other with hints of sweet and spice throughout.  To prepare this recipe, I par-baked the sweet potatoes ahead to cut down on same-day oven time, and the vindaloo sauce in made on the stove top, and ladled over the potatoes before baking.  To finish this dish, a final dusting of brown sugar pecans are sprinkled over top with a quick brulee under the broiler, which can be done right before serving.

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil + more for dish

2 teaspoons vindaloo

1 small bay leaf

1 clove garlic

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place sweet potatoes in foil and wrap to cover.  Roast in oven for 40 minutes.  Remove and let cool (can be done 2 days ahead and stored in refrigerator).
2. Peel potatoes to remove skin and cut into 1/2 inch slices.  In a small greased casserole dish, place sliced potatoes in a fan pattern down both sides.  Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small saucepan, add oil, vindaloo, bay leaf and garlic and place over medium-low heat.  Cook for 1 minute to hydrate dry spices, stir.  Add cream and cook for 3 minutes, allowing mixture to simmer slowly.  Remove from heat and set aside to steep (infuse) for 10 minutes.
4. Pour vindaloo cream over potatoes and cover dish with foil (you can refrigerate at this point and bake the next day, if desired).  Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.  While potatoes are baking, mix together brown sugar and pecans in small bowl.
5. Remove potatoes from oven and foil from dish.  Set oven to broil.  Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over top and place under broiler for 1 1/2 minutes, just until sugars are browned and bubbly.  Enjoy!