What Do I Do With These Purple Sweet Potatoes??

Did you grow  some purple sweet potatoes this year?  Or maybe someone gave some to you--they produce abundantly.  These are the Stokes purple sweet potatoes or yams, a patented variety originating in Stokes County, North Carolina, and now grown in North Carolina and California.  They are different from the Okinawa or Hawaian Sweet Potatoes which have purple flesh, but a lighter colored skin.  

We grew these potatoes in the VegHeadz perennial garden and after harvesting they are already sprouting again from the small undeveloped potatoes and fleshy roots left in the soil.  The tops will die back when temperatures drop below freezing, but they should come right back up in the Spring and produce another abundant crop.   You can plant right around them, and they will take over the garden after the annual crops have been harvested.

The purple sweet potatoes are loaded with anti-oxidants and are sweet and delicious.  They are more dense and a little dryer than red-fleshed varieties and take longer to cook.  They also need a small amount of additional moisture from coconut milk, butter, cream, etc.  And they remain purple when cooked, so they're a fun and surprising addition to any meal or covered dish get-together.   The VegHeadz are gathering this Saturday to share a meal at Sue's home, and purple sweet potatoes will be on the menu along with some other interesting vegetables from our perennial garden.  For more information and recipes go here.