purple sweet potato chips

December 23, 2013 • Nancy Wolfson-Moche

A sweet potato is only a distant cousin of a potato. It hails from a different plant family. While a white potato is a tuber in the nightshade family, a sweet potato is a root vegetable that grows on a vine, belonging to the convolvulaceae family. These sweet potatoes have a fibrous bright fuschia center. When fried, they take on an orangish, purple-pink hue.

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serves 4

INgredients

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2-3 purple sweet potatoes

a few pinches pink sea salt

about 6 Tablespoons grape seed oil

Process  Wash the potatoes well. Remove any tiny hairs or dark spots from the potato skin.

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Slice each sweet potato horizontally into paper-thin discs.

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Heat a cast iron or stainless steel skillet on a medium flame for about one minute. Add grape seed oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Drop in several of the chips, until they cover the bottom of the pan but do not overlap.

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Fry them in the oil, turning each one over when its ends curl and begin to turn a golden brown. Note: each chip will cook at a different rate depending on its thickness and its placement in the pan (proximity to heat).  As each one is done, remove from pan, dredge on a brown paper bag,

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and put another sweet potato slice into the oil in the pan. You will have to add more grape seed oil as you cook.  Sprinkle sea salt on the cooked chips; arrange in a bowl and serve.

©Nancy Wolfson-Moche 2013

Icing on the Cake: Testimonials

I’m very impressed by all the elements you are able to pack into the lesson without it seeming at all overwhelming: the review, the actual cooking skills, the creativity of coming up with their own dishes, the chance to present their creations, the opportunity to learn about and share thoughts on something else (in last week’s case, the feelings represented in the book), the execution of their  jobs, the responsibility for one’s station/implements and the overall following of directions…..all without losing the fun quotient. No wonder the kids love coming!  You’ve really created something special so kudos to you!

- T.