When You Can’t Get to Afghanistan…

There is a fantastic Afghan restaurant in Cambridge called the Helmand. Every time I go, I always make sure to get the kaddo bourani as an appetizer. It’s slow-roasted pumpkin covered by a yogurt sauce and then covered again by a meat sauce. I know, it sounds a little weird, but it is one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. Years ago I found the recipe for it online but the thought of dealing with a pumpkin has always kept me from making it. Then it occurred to me that I could try substituting sweet potatoes. So I had a go at it. While it’s not the same as the Helmand’s, it is absolutely delicious!

Kaddo Bourani with Sweet Potato (4 to 6 servings)

Sweet potato

• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 ½ lbs.)
• 6 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 cup sugar

Yogurt sauce

• 2 cups plain yogurt (I used non-fat and it was fine)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tsp. dried mint
• ½ tsp. salt

Meat sauce

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 large tomato, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 ¼ tsp. ground coriander
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 1/3 cups water

Make the sweet potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Toss them in the oil and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the sweet potato pieces. (1 cup of sugar is correct – that’s not a typo. In fact, that is significantly reduced from the original recipe.)
3. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour then turn the sweet potato pieces. Bake for 1 more hour. Then basted the pieces with the pan juices, cover, and bake for another 45 minutes.

Make the yogurt sauce

1. Mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Make the meat sauce

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Brown the onions then add the meat and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until it is broken up into small pieces and the meat is cooked through.
2. Add the tomato, garlic, ground coriander, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

To serve

Spoon the sweet potato onto a plate. Top with cold yogurt sauce. Top with hot meat sauce.

Dipping into Delicious

With the start of fall and the weather getting just a little cooler but not really cold, it’s time to say goodbye to the light summer dishes. But I’m not ready to embrace hearty, cold-weather fare. I decided that two dips were exactly what I wanted for the week. Dips are great because not only do they make a terrific snack or even light meal with pita chips and a side salad, they are fantastic sandwich spreads. I decided on a roasted eggplant and red pepper dip from the Barefoot Contessa that a friend had sent me years ago and a black olive tapenade from a great sandwich cookbook.

Both of these dips are wonderful just with pita chips or crackers but can they also transform a sandwich into something sublime. Spread the olive tapenade on ciabatta bread and top with prosciutto, fresh basil leaves, tomato slices, and fresh mozzarella. Or spread the roasted eggplant and red pepper dip on French baguette and top with smoked turkey and gouda. You’ll never want to use mayonnaise again.

Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Dip

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.
2. Toss the eggplant, peppers, and onions in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, tossing once. Cool slightly.
3. Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato pasted, and pulse to blend.

Black Olive Tapenade

• 1 cup niçoise or kalamata olives, pitted
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tbsp. capers, drained
• 1 tbsp. herbes de Provence
• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, combine the olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, herbes de Provence, and basil. Process until the mixture is very finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream until the mixture is very smooth, like a thick paste. Stir in the lemon juices and season to taste with pepper.

Pita Chips

• Pita bread (I like to use whole wheat pita)\
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Brush the pita with olive oil on both sides. Stack the pita and cut into wedges.
3. Place the pita wedges on a baking sheet in an even layer and sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. Bake for 6-7 minutes, turn the chips, and bake for another 6-7 minutes.