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Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009

Amanda De Jager Friedman: Thanksgiving at the Ranch theme will explore many flavors

Thanksgiving's allure as a holiday is primarily due to its roots in the traditions of gratitude and generosity. Free from the confines of gift-giving obligations, candy souvenirs, and faux tree assembly, Thanksgiving is a refreshing hiatus.

Gratitude is a universal language, therefore making this a celebration -- focused on coming together with appreciative hearts to dine and enjoy one another, appropriate for any culture or religion.

It is one the most inclusive of American traditions, and incontestably, even in this state of economic change, war and uncertainty, we've all got reason to be humbled by our blessings.

In this character, I intend to spend this month reflecting on "Thanksgiving at the Ranch," which was, and still is, in my perspective, our family's best celebration of the year. Sure, the rural location is a part of the luster: there is enough space (and enough mouths to feed) to deep-pit smoke eight turkeys at a time, big muddy fields for pre-meal football games and Holsteins billowing outside the perimeter of the yard.

But more significantly, "Thanksgiving at the Ranch" implies a sense of rustic comfort and tremendous hospitality.

It's an open-door attitude that commands that all are welcome at the farm table. The food is always great, but nobody gets too fussy about perfection.

Turkey carving is a messy spectacle, with everyone risking a smack just to sneak in for a scrap of meat. There is a consistent hymn of togetherness, laughter, and of course, indulgence, and you certainly don't need to live on a ranch to reproduce such a spirit.

Speaking of ranches, you may be aware that many of our local farms are loaded with acres upon acres of sweet potatoes.

In fact, Merced County grows over 80 percent of the state's sweet potatoes, accounting for nearly 13,000 acres of farmland.

The harvest season is wrapping up soon, and because most of the harvesting process is done by hand, the farmers are very busy with the tedious process of ensuring that America has sweet potatoes aplenty to grace their holiday tables.

In recent years, sweet potatoes have garnered tremendous attention for their health benefits. Low in calories, yet rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and many other nutrients, these jewel-toned beauties are a nutritional powerhouse, with great flavor to boot.

Bobby Dallas, a third-generation sweet potato farmer based in Livingston, credits food and lifestyle media for the noteworthy increase in popularity for his prized sweet potatoes.

The Dallas family has been farming sweet potatoes in Merced County since the 1930s, and they still work in partnership to run their farm and packing/storage facility.

According to Dallas, our local sweet potato crops have the highest yield per acre, out-producing crops from many other parts of the nation. The Dallas Brothers ships its flavorful product mostly to California vendors, but some make it all the way to eastern parts of the country.

Their operation is working at full capacity during this season in order to keep up with the holiday demand.

Dallas recommends looking for firm, solid sweet potatoes when buying at the market. They are very susceptible to bruising, which is what necessitates the painstaking harvest process. Sweet potatoes should never be refrigerated, and will last in a cool, dry spot for quite some time.

The following recipe makes a fabulous addition to a Thanksgiving table, and offers respite from the expected sweet potatoes-and-marshmallows dish. It provides amazing flavor, yet adds little extra fat to this delicious local specialty.

Amanda De Jager Friedman writes about food. She owns the Piano Caffe in Merced.

RECIPE: Spicy roasted sweet potatoes

8 large sweet potatoes, peeled

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp-1 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on your heat tolerance)

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop peeled sweet potatoes into large cubes, about 1 1/2-2 inches. Try to cut the potatoes as consistently as possible, so they cook evenly. Place chopped potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss together using clean hands. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper, and toss again.

Spread potatoes in an even layer. Place in oven, and roast untouched for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are just tender. Pull the baking sheet out of the oven, and sprinkle with golden raisins. Return to oven for 2 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer to serving dish, and garnish with chopped parsley.

Note: To make a day ahead, roast the potatoes at 400 degrees for just 20 minutes instead of 30. Store in refrigerator. To serve, place the sweet potatoes in a large microwavable dish for about 8 minutes, or until tender, stirring every few minutes. Add raisins for the last minute. Serve with chopped parsley garnish.