Hands up who knew that the sweet potato was cultivated before the white potato? That Columbus pretty much introduced them to Europe? That sweet potato was considered an aphrodisiac, hence why extremely popular with serial philanderer Henry VIII?? Well, I didn’t.
Kumera /sweet potato, rocket/arugula, call them what you will. When you put them all together they spell GREAT SALAD/SIDE that hits the sweet potato salad spot.
But, sorry. My curiosity is piqued. Back to Henry VIII. Apparently the old devil ate more than twenty sweet potatoes at a sitting!!!
The video quotes “a man called Gerard Herbal, brilliant name” during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as saying that sweet potatoes, “Howsoever they be dressed, they comfort, nourish and strengthen the body.” (1597) Apparently, not quite correct, though happy to be proven wrong. The quote is from herbalist, John Gerard who wrote Gerard’s Herbal (published, 1597). Just goes to show don’t believe everything you see on the internet, even when said most charmingly in an English accent.
Oh, look, Mr Gerard also speaks of sweet potato’s lusty qualities!
Though he’s disparaging of rocket, saying if eaten alone, it causes a headache. I don’t agree, but why quibble?
And if there’s some sweet potato left over, here’s another salad using sweet potato here.
“My dream is to become a farmer. Just a Bohemian guy pulling up his own sweet potatoes for dinner”
-(allegedly) Lenny Kravitz, singer/songwriter
The Sweet Potato Salad Spot
Ingredients
- 1-2 large sweet potatoes, depending on just how large, peeled and chopped into 1.5cm cubes (size of chunks not critical as long as all are roughly the same size)
- 60 g baby spinach leaves
- 60 g rocket (arugula)
- 100 g prosciutto
- 2 tsp cumin
- olive oil
- optional, you can add other roasted vegetables, a little roasted red onion works well
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt, pepper
Instructions
- Sprinkle cumin over diced sweet potato and drizzle over olive oil. Bake In a 220℃/428℉ oven until tender, approximately 20-25 minutes. Turn halfway. Allow to cool.
- Spread prosciutto in a single layer on baking paper and roast at the same time until it changes colour and becomes a little crispy. About 10 minutes. Watch so it doesn't burn. Allow to cool.
- Whisk dressing together and drizzle over leaves in salad bowl. Arrange sweet potato and crumbled prosciutto artfully over leaves.
- ***A note on the dressing; it's usually 2:1 when it comes to olive oil (and I like a light extra virgin oil oil) vs lemon juice, but you can add additional lemon to taste, or take it back a notch too.
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