The Perpetual Feast

I usually don’t think of sweet potatoes and salad in the same line of thought. Sweet potatoes (or yams) are a hot side dish, often served at holiday dinners.  Salads are cold.  Of course, this isn’t really true, think of potato salad.  I was looking for something dramatic to take to a potluck when I came upon this brightly colored salad.  It got some funny looks at first, but people liked it.  It’s also a good make ahead dish.

Sweet Potato Salad

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into ¼ inch slices
½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half
3 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced diagonally
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 garlic cove, finely chopped
black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

Steam sweet potatoes over boiling water in a steamer until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large bowl and set aside. Steam the beans until they are cooked but still crisp – about 4 minutes. (You can use the same steamer.) Refresh the beans under cold water so they keep their color and add to the sweet potatoes.  Add the sliced scallions.  Mix the dressing ingredients – rice vinegar through black pepper – in a small bowl.  Pour over sweet potato mixture and toss. Chill the vegetables for at least one hour.  I made this the night before I served it and it kept well. When ready to serve, toss again and sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.  This makes 8 servings with about 4 grams of fat/serving.