Recipes for the Web

Barrington Software Incorporated

NYT March 7, 2001

Sweet Potato Puree with Chicken Livers and Mushrooms

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

10 cloves garlic, peeled

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup diced Spanish onion

2 large deep-orange sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

3 cups chicken stock or water

5 bay leaves

Sherry vinegar

5 tablespoons butter

1 cup cleaned whole black trumpet or morel mushrooms, or chopped portobellos

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 whole chicken livers, cleaned

1/4 of a small Gala apple, cored

Fresh thyme leaves.

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place garlic and 4 tablespoons oil in a small baking dish. Cover

and bake until soft, about 45 minutes. Drain well, reserving oil for another use.

2. In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, heat remaining oil. Add onion; cover, and sweat

until soft. Add garlic, sweet potatoes and stock. Simmer 45 minutes; in last 5 minutes, add bay

leaves.

3. Discard bay leaves, and transfer mixture to blender. Purée until very smooth and silky. Add

sherry vinegar to taste, if needed to cut sweetness. Keep warm.

4. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 1/2 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and salt

and pepper to taste. Sauté about 5 minutes. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons vinegar, transfer to a bowl

and keep warm.

5. Wipe skillet, and place over medium-high heat. Melt remaining butter, and add livers. Sauté until

crisp outside, rosy inside. Blot dry with paper towels.

6. Reheat soup if necessary. Cut apple into julienne. Divide mushrooms among bowls. Top with

apple and a few thyme leaves. Cut livers crosswise into slices, and place in bowls. Ladle soup

around but not over mushrooms and livers, and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.