Balsamic Roasted Yams – Revisited

I have only had limited success with yams.  I find that if you don't watch out they can suddenly turn mushy.  This approach was different – I have put some quantities (about time you think) but you need to adjust them to suit your preference on the spectrum between sweet and sour.

Ingredients:

Yams, chopped

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of brown sugar (I used rock sugar)

¼ cup butter

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Your choice of garnish – I used rosemary and a little glass of limoncello – which I didn't drink since it was mid morning!

Method:

Heat your oven to quite hot.

Line a roasting pan with baking paper – don't forget to do this – otherwise you'll have a sticky mess that's difficult to clean up.

In a small pan heat the balsamic, sugar and butter – until it is a little sauce like.

Put the yams into a bowl.  Pour the mixture over them and mix them about.  Put the yams onto the baking paper in a single layer.

Bake for 15 minutes on fan.  Pour the rest of the mixture over.

Bake until yams are browned – about 20 minutes or so.

Balsamic Roasted Yams

I have only had limited success with yams.  I find that if you don't watch out they can suddenly turn mushy.  This approach was different – I have put some quantities (about time you think) but you need to adjust them to suit your preference on the spectrum between sweet and sour.

Ingredients:

Yams, chopped

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of brown sugar (I used rock sugar)

¼ cup butter

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Your choice of garnish – I used rosemary and a little glass of limoncello – which I didn't drink since it was mid morning!

Method:

Heat your oven to quite hot.

Line a roasting pan with baking paper – don't forget to do this – otherwise you'll have a sticky mess that's difficult to clean up.

In a small pan heat the balsamic, sugar and butter – until it is a little sauce like.

Put the yams into a bowl.  Pour the mixture over them and mix them about.  Put the yams onto the baking paper in a single layer.

Bake for 15 minutes on fan.  Pour the rest of the mixture over.

Bake until yams are browned – about 20 minutes or so.

I hope you agree that the photo is a bit better than my usual effort.  I have been reading up about food photography. This is the first time I've ever practised the set up before cooking the food!  And I used a tripod!

One Pot Lamb Chops – Take II

This is another attempt at doing lamb chops and vegetables all in one casserole dish at the same time.  Click here to see my first effort.

Ingredients:

Lamb shoulder chops

Oil

Potato slices, carrot rounds, pumpkin slices

Chicken stock

Anchovies

Sliced yams

Seasonings – salt & pepper

Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Method:

Oil your pot/dish and season it with salt and pepper.

Put in a layer of potato slices and season.  Next a layer of carrots, season and finally your pumpkin.

Pour chicken stock in so that it just covers the vegetables.

Do a layer of the chops and sason with generously with pepper and lay the anchovies on top of them.  Don't worry it won't taste fishy at all – just gives the lamb a deeper flavour.

Cook in a low oven for about 2 hours.  Add a layer of sliced yams on top (they go mushy if they are overcooked)

When the yams are tender your dish is done.  I sprinkled some pomegranate seeds on for a pop of colour.

This was a nice dish but I think my first effort was better.

One pot lamb chops

This One Pot Lamb Chops concoction was borne out of laziness (and also hating mountains of dishes). 

Ingredients:

Lamb chops

Potato

Kumara (sweet potato)

Onion

Stock

Sherry

Yams

Tomatoes

Grated cheese

Parmesan cheese

Oil

Salt & pepper

Method:

Heat up your oven to moderate temperature

Oil your casserole dish – make sure it has a lid

Layer up slices of potato, kumara, and onion – salt and pepper each layer as you go.

Put the lamb chops on top.

Pour your stock and sherry over the top.  I had it coming up to just under the chops.  I used a beef stock but any meat or vegetable stock would work.

Half an hour before serving add a layer of sliced yams on top and then 10 minutes before serving your sliced tomatoes and the grated cheese and parmesan.

Cook the last 10 minutes with the lid off.

The vegetables were lovely and tender, the dish was saucy but not too saucy.  And the meat was very tender.

I was very pleased with the outcome of this dish done on the fly.