Before coming to Tavira, sweet potato was an ingredient I rarely used.
Stacked alongside plantains, cassava and all manner of exotic fruit and veg in Amsterdams´ ´toko´s, it was a product I enjoyed as part of a Surinamese meal out, but it seldom found it´s way into my own kitchen.
However, since being in the Algarve I´ve seen the light, and converted to the ways of the batata doce.
It´s a worthy accompaniment to both fish or meat and when baked, sliced open and gifted a healthy knob of butter it´s the gastronomic equivalent of a warm bath or more appropriately at this time of year, a cold shower.
When mashed I like to add some fried sage, it´s earthy, slightly bitter qualities pairs really well and balances the sweetness.
In this guise, it´s roasted with a few spices and perfectly compliments both the avocado and the seared cuttlefish. The late addition of lime juice and fresh chilli give just the zing that´s required.
Stacked alongside plantains, cassava and all manner of exotic fruit and veg in Amsterdams´ ´toko´s, it was a product I enjoyed as part of a Surinamese meal out, but it seldom found it´s way into my own kitchen.
However, since being in the Algarve I´ve seen the light, and converted to the ways of the batata doce.
It´s a worthy accompaniment to both fish or meat and when baked, sliced open and gifted a healthy knob of butter it´s the gastronomic equivalent of a warm bath or more appropriately at this time of year, a cold shower.
When mashed I like to add some fried sage, it´s earthy, slightly bitter qualities pairs really well and balances the sweetness.
In this guise, it´s roasted with a few spices and perfectly compliments both the avocado and the seared cuttlefish. The late addition of lime juice and fresh chilli give just the zing that´s required.
800 g sweet potato, peeled and diced approx 2 cm
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp paprika powder
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
750 g cuttlefish
2 avocados, diced approx 2cm
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
Juice of a lime
Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 220C. Place the sweet potato into a large, shallow baking dish, add a good glug of olive oil, the cumin, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper, stir well. Bake for 20 minutes or until the potato is tender and a little caramelized around the edges. Allow to cool.
Clean the cuttlefish, if you are new to this, ask your fishmonger, search it on the internet or buy my book. Discard the cuttlebone, head (reserve the tentacles) and innards. Cut the body of the cuttlefish in two and the tentacles into a few pieces.
Heat a frying pan until very hot and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Fry the body of the cuttlefish for 2 minutes on both sides (to prevent it from curling, press down on the flesh with a clean bottomed pan). Fry the tentacles for approx 3 minutes. Thinly slice the body.
In a large bowl, place the cuttlefish, sweet potato, avocado, tomato, red onion and chilli. Add the lemon juice, a couple of tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Carefully stir, ensuring everything is well combined.
Serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander.
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp paprika powder
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
750 g cuttlefish
2 avocados, diced approx 2cm
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
3 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
Juice of a lime
Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 220C. Place the sweet potato into a large, shallow baking dish, add a good glug of olive oil, the cumin, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper, stir well. Bake for 20 minutes or until the potato is tender and a little caramelized around the edges. Allow to cool.
Clean the cuttlefish, if you are new to this, ask your fishmonger, search it on the internet or buy my book. Discard the cuttlebone, head (reserve the tentacles) and innards. Cut the body of the cuttlefish in two and the tentacles into a few pieces.
Heat a frying pan until very hot and add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Fry the body of the cuttlefish for 2 minutes on both sides (to prevent it from curling, press down on the flesh with a clean bottomed pan). Fry the tentacles for approx 3 minutes. Thinly slice the body.
In a large bowl, place the cuttlefish, sweet potato, avocado, tomato, red onion and chilli. Add the lemon juice, a couple of tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Carefully stir, ensuring everything is well combined.
Serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander.
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