ALTHOUGH a yam is definitely not a sweet potato, the two resemble one another, taste alike and can be used interchangeably. Yams come in all colors, from pale orange to purple. The darker the skin, the deeper and sweeter the flesh. Red garnet yams are a weekly best buy at 38 to 99 cents a pound at Daiei, Star, Times, Safeway, Sack N Save and Foodland. Sweet potato, yams fill in for each other
"A faithful fan and reader" wrote asking for a recipe for sweet potato mochi. A recipe follows from the "Consumer Lines" newsletter published for customers of Hawaiian Electric Co., Maui Electric Co. and Hawaii Electric Light Co.
Also, convenient and trendy garlic-infused olive oil adds quick and delicious flavor to Parmesan Yam Puff, an elegant, make-ahead side dish. Look for garlic-infused oil in the gourmet food section of your market.
(Courtesy of Hawaiian Electric Co. "Consumer Lines") Sweet Potato Mochi
1 pound mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups brown sugar
13-1/2-ounce can coconut milk
1-1/4 cups water
2 cups cooked and diced Okinawan purple sweet potato, regular sweet potato or red garnet yam
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 cup kinako (yellow soy bean powder)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with vegetable-oil nonstick-cooking spray for 5 seconds.
Into a large bowl, sift mochiko, baking soda and salt; add brown sugar and mix well. Add coconut milk and water; mix well. Fold in sweet potatoes; pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 1 hour. Cool, cut into 54 pieces, each 2 by 1 inch. Dust each piece with kinako.
Approximate nutritional analysis per piece: 80 calories, 2.5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, no cholesterol, 35 milligrams sodium.*
(By Sarah Leah Chase for Butterball Turkey Talk-Line) Parmesan Yam Puff
3 pounds fresh yams or sweet potatoes
Olive oil for brushing on casserole dish
3 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Peel yams and cut in 2-inch pieces. Place in large pot, cover with water and cook over medium-high heat until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Brush olive oil over bottom and sides of 1-1/2 to 2-quart shallow casserole dish.
Drain yams thoroughly; place in bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the milk, eggs and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. (At this point, casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until light golden brown on top, 55 to 60 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 7 servings.
Note: If dish was made ahead of time and chilled, baking time will be about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
