This recipe was born out of what ingredients I happened to have on hand. A number of long, curvy sweet potatoes arrived in my organic produce box along with the kale and it seemed the two had developed a relationship on the way to my house. So, I decided to keep them together. A quick rummage through my produce drawer uncovered some fresh sage. Taking inspiration from this pizza recipe, I decided to toss in some caramelized red onion for good measure.
The result was a perfect double date. Sweet Potato and Kale sizzled and got steamy in the deep skillet for awhile. Meanwhile, over in the frying pan, things were heating up for Red Onion and Sage, along with a little help from some butter to loosen conversation. Finally, the couples intermingled and it turned out, they were VERY compatible.
Sweet Potatoes with Kale, Caramelized Red Onion & Fresh Sage
Makes 3-4 servings as a main dish or 5-6 as a side dish
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cups sweet potatoes cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup kale, washed and torn in bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons butter
1 small red onion, about 1/2 cup sliced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
Course salt and pepper
Heat oil in a deep skillet or other pan with a lid. Saute the cubes of sweet potato in the hot oil for about 3 minutes. Add water and cover. Cook about 10 minutes or until potatoes are getting soft but not mushy. Add a few spoons of water as needed to keep the pan moist. Add the kale, cover and continue cooking about 2-4 more minutes. Kale should be slightly wilted and potatoes soft when pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tablespoon butter in a pan. Add onion and cook on low-medium heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the second tablespoon of butter to the onion pan and once melted, add fresh sage. Let cook 2 minutes while stirring until sage is fragrant. Add the onion and sage to the potato and kale mixture and gently toss to mix together. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with crunchy baguette toast on the side.