CLAY'S SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE´
Recipe: Sweet Potato Soufflé
As the holiday season approaches we thought it appropriate to include in this Newsletter a recipe for a dish we've served at Thanksgiving dinner for over twenty-five years. We think it adds a light and elegant touch to a meal that can otherwise get a little heavy.
Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes 1 Tbs. grated lemon rind
half-cup brown sugar 1 cup orange juice
half-cup melted butter 4 eggwhites
4 egg yolks
Prepare the sweet potatoes by boiling them in water, peeling off the skin and chopping them into chunks, or by baking them in the oven, halving them and scooping out the pulp. In a Cuisinart or other food processor puree the sweet potatoes along with the brown sugar, melted butter, egg yolks, lemon rind and orange juice. When completely blended pour into a buttered baking or soufflé dish.
In another bowl beat the eggwhites until stiff, then fold them gently but thoroughly into the sweet potato puree. Bake in a 350º oven for 45 minutes.
Thanksgiving and other holiday meals have always been interesting for those who care about wine-and-food pairings. The wide array of different spices and sweetness levels at the traditional Thanksgiving dinner table presents challenges, and probably no one wine can solve the problem alone (though many would propose Dry Gewürz-traminer as a solution). However, some wines (Cabernet, Petite Sirah, Sauvignon Blanc) would likely be ruled out altogether. At our table, where ten or twelve people of different ages and different tastes are seated, we solve the problem by opening one or two Alsatian-styled wines (Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Edelzwicker) and a Pinot Noir. These represent the most adaptable and food-friendly wines we know, and two of them are contained within this Cellar Club offering.