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SWEET POTATO MEDLEY WITH A TARRAGON DRESSING

In Nigeria, white-flesh sweet potatoes are eaten much more commonly than their orange-flesh counterparts. Usually, they’re boiled and served with eggs or they’re added to soups to give them more body. In the UK, they can be found in supermarkets as well as African or Asian stores. I love their fluffy, melt-in-the-mouth texture and didn’t realize how perfectly they are accompanied by tarragon until I tried this dressing.

PREP TIME: 15 MINS

COOKING TIME: 30 MINS

SERVES: 4

groundnut oil, for roasting

8 small white-flesh sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 large orange-flesh sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 tsp ground cloves

4 tsp onion granules

salt and white pepper (or black if you don’t have white)

a squeeze of lemon juice, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING

80ml coconut cream

11/2 tbsp palm wine vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 tbsp groundnut oil

2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Fill a large casserole dish 2cm deep with groundnut oil and put in the oven to warm up.

Over a high heat, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Once the water is boiling, add the sweet potatoes and cook for 7 minutes or until they can just about be pierced by a fork.

While the potatoes are boiling, mix together the ground cloves, onion granules, salt and white pepper in a small bowl.

When the potatoes are ready, drain them in a colander and season with the clove and onion mix. Carefully remove the casserole dish from the oven and fill with the sweet potatoes. Roast the potatoes for 10 minutes before taking them out and turning them, then return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. At this point, the potatoes will be slightly golden.

Just before the potatoes are done, make the dressing by whisking together the coconut cream, vinegar, groundnut oil and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the chopped onion and tarragon, then mix everything together.

Serve the sweet potatoes with the dressing and a squeeze of lemon juice.