Kitchen Garden Journal

Is it a yam, or a sweet potato? Techincally, it's a sweet potato. Yams are a tuberous tropical plant, rarely if ever seen in these parts. The term "sweet potatoes" covers basically everything else, be they candied or otherwise. Somehow, however, there are those who simply cannot be convinced. So call them whatever you want. They taste the same.

And oh, what a taste it is. With most vegetables, we're quick to pull out the recipes: try them with garlic and olive oil, etc. Rare is the vegetable that is best simply on its own, without adornment. Just bake 'em. Then just dive right in to the molten orange sweet flesh. Maple sugar and butter don't hurt, of course, but why gild the lily? Er, Morning Glory.

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This is great anytime, but we served this to rave reviews Thanksgiving 2007 as a savory alternative to Caroline’s family’s traditional sweet spiced yams.

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 4 lbs. sweet potatoes
• Salt & pepper
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Generously butter a 2-qt gratin dish and set aside. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the slices in overlapping layers in the dish, seasoning each layer with salt & pepper. Combine the cream and thyme in a small bowl and pour evenly over the potatoes to cover. Sprinkle cheese on top. Wrap the dish with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the sweet potatoes are soft and caramelized, 15-20 minutes longer. Allow to cool and set 5-10 minutes before cutting to serve.

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