| Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 1 hour | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 470 | 28g | 17g | 48g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 10g | 7g | 13g | 0.6g |
Who can resist the allure of a warm, nourishing dish bursting with flavors? One of my personal favorites is the Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin. The immense love I harbor for this recipe roots back to my childhood in Texas and my affinity towards Tex-Mex cuisine.
How Texas Influences My Passion for Food
Truth be told, growing up in Texas has largely influenced my personal cooking style. The fusion of Mexican and Southern American cuisine, popularly known as Tex-Mex, is a predominant part of Texas’s culinary landscape. This unique and vibrant cuisine serves as an inspiration behind my variations of traditional recipes, such as the Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin.
A Healthy and Delicious Choice
Let’s not forget the countless health benefits packed inside this hearty dish. Sweet potatoes, the star ingredient, are a rich source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The addition of sage not only complements the sweet and earthy flavor of sweet potatoes but also has several health benefits. According to Healthline, sage carries antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that contribute to overall health and wellness.
Then there’s the generous addition of Gruyère and Parmesan cheese. Yes, cheese has fat. But it’s precisely these fats, along with the high protein and calcium content, that make cheese a worthwhile ingredient in this gratin. Studies suggest that dairy fats can indeed be part of a healthy diet.
Cooking from the Heart
The best part about cooking this recipe is its versatility. While Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin is an excellent and gratifying main course on its own, it works exceptionally well as a side dish too. It partners beautifully with roast chicken, grilled fish, or even a good old Texan BBQ. Its resemblance to the classic potatoes au gratin means it’s familiar yet distinct, bringing a little something extra to the table.
That’s the beauty of food and recipes – they’re more than just a set of instructions. They’re stories, memories, and traditions that we share and pass down through generations. Recipes like Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin are a testament to that. They’re a slice of home, a piece of my Texas upbringing that I can share with the world.
What You’ll Need
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Method
Step One
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Meanwhile, peel your sweet potatoes and slice them into thin rounds, roughly 1/8 inch thick. Set the slices aside.
Step Two
In a large mixing bowl, combine the fresh chopped sage, heavy cream, whole milk, minced garlic, salt, ground black pepper, and ground nutg. Whisk well to blend all the ingredients together. This will cream your sauce for the gratin.
Step Three
Into the bowl with the cream mixture, add your sliced sweet potatoes. Toss until every slice is thoroughly coated.
Step Four
In a large baking dish, arrange the sweet potato slices in an overlapping pattern. Meanwhile, combine the Gruyère cheese and Parmesan cheese together. Now, pour any remaining cream mixture lying in the bowl over the sweet potatoes in the dish.
Step Five
Sprinkle cheese mixture over the sweet potatoes, and then cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes.
Step Six
After around 45 minutes, remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes feel tender and the cheese on top turns golden and bubbly. Let your Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin rest for several minutes before serving. Enjoy!
