Melted unsalted butter can be used in place of the ghee, but the dish can no longer be considered Paleo. This dish can be held on the warm setting for up to 2 hours; loosen with hot water as needed before serving. You will need a 5 1/2- to 7-quart slow cooker for this recipe.

Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Garam Masala, Ginger and California Figs

Garam masala teams up with ginger and mission dried figs in a zesty sweet potato mash recipe. Slow cooker sweet potatoes are a perfect Thanksgiving side.

Nutrition

Servings people

Ingredients

3 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup water plus extra as needed
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons ghee melted
2 teaspoons of garam masala
3/4 cup dried Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs stemmed and chopped fine
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Instructions

Combine potatoes, water, 2 teaspoons garam masala, and 1 teaspoon salt in slow cooker. Grease 16 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper and press firmly onto potatoes, folding down edges as needed. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
Discard parchment. Mash potatoes with potato masher until smooth. Fold in melted ghee, figs, toasted sliced almonds, grated fresh ginger and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Notes

Why This Recipe Works With their deep, natural sweetness and vibrant orange flesh, sweet potatoes can round out many a meal- from rich spicy stews to smoky grilled meats. We wanted a recipe for mashed sweet potatoes that would allow these humble tubers to shine. Using a slow cooker trapped moisture, allowing us to use just enough water to steam the potatoes without watering down the mash. We thinly sliced the potatoes and pressed a piece of parchment on top of them so that the moisture would be evenly distributed. To keep the recipe simple and streamlined, we mashed the sweet potatoes by hand right in the slow cooker. Finally, we added richness and a slight nutty flavor by folding in a bit of ghee. This dish can be held on the warm setting for up to 2 hours; loosen with hot water as needed before serving. You will need a 5 ½ to 7-quart slow cooker for this recipe.