Sweet Potato and Pear Casserole
Christy Rost
Public Television Chef & Author
www.christyrost.com
Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes
2 red pears, rinsed, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 ¼ cups apple cider
½ cup brown sugar, packed
¼ teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Place sweet potatoes in a large pot of water, cover, and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 15 minutes, or until they are just knife tender. Remove from the heat, drain, and set them aside until cool enough to handle.
While the potatoes cook, make the sauce. Place cornstarch in a medium saucepan and add a small amount of the apple cider, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Stir in remaining cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring it to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened, stirring often.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice the potatoes to ¾-inch thickness, and form a single layer in a large casserole dish. Add two more layers, leaving the center of the casserole open. Spoon most of the sauce over the potatoes, reserving ¼ cup of sauce for later. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover, arrange pear slices in the center, cover, and bake 30-35 minutes more, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings