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Candied Pecan and Sweet Potato Tamales - from Kevin Rathbun


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2008 GOLDEN WHISK AWARDS
(Our top 10 recipes of the year)

At Thanksgiving we gave Chef Kevin Rathbun the challenge of making a 3-hour holiday meal. This unexpected rendition of a sweet potato side dish was a winner. For a vegetarian option, substitute vegetable broth. You can bake, steam or microwave the sweet potatoes before combining them. Don’t boil because they can take on too much water. Look for corn shucks in supermarket or specialty markets or substitute parchment paper.

Dinner Dare With Kevin Rathbun

Kevin Rathbun may be one of the city’s busiest celebrity chefs. The owner of Rathbun’s, Krog Bar and Rathbun’s Steaks knows the pressure of feeding a hungry crowd. He also knows how to do it efficiently. So, for this holiday, we recruited Rathbun to come up with a Thanksgiving feast for eight to 10 guests that can be prepped, cooked and served in under three hours. And given the state of the economy, we asked Rathbun to stay within a budget of $100. He did, spending about $63 for the entire meal.
By organizing his ingredients beforehand and having the tools he needed nearby, Rathbun was able to complete a main course, two sides and a dessert in two hours, 30 minutes.
-- H.M. Cauley, for the Journal-Constitution

For more recipes from celebrity chefs, go to www.eveningedge.com/dinnerdare

Hands on time: 30 minutes  Total time: 45 minutes  Serves: 8

Ingredients:

    FOR THE TAMALES:
    2 large cooked sweet potatoes, peeled and mashed
    2 cups masa harina
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    1 1/2 cups turkey stock or chicken broth
    8 corn shucks (soaked in warm water for 1 hour) or parchment paper cut into squares

    FOR THE CANDIED PECANS:
    1 cup pecan halves
    2 cups water
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
    1 1/2 cups canola oil

Instructions:

TO PREPARE THE TAMALES: In a large bowl, mix potatoes, masa harina, butter, salt and pepper until combined. Add turkey stock until it becomes a workable pastelike consistency. It shouldn’t be watery. Divide mixture equally into 8 tamale shucks or parchment paper and roll up and tie ends. Place in a steamer and steam for 15 to 25 minutes, or until heated through.

TO PREPARE THE PECANS: Meanwhile, boil pecans in water for 10 minutes. Drain well and mix with salt and sugar. Heat oil until 350 degrees. Deep-fry pecans until crispy, about 1 to 3 minutes. Drain on parchment paper. Serve on top of tamales.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 335 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 6 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 18 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 12 milligrams cholesterol, 691 milligrams sodium.

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