Black Forest Yams - Titty Sauce Yams with a kick

Completed Scotty’s “Black Forest Yams.” Photo provided.

Roasted yams with Luxardo cherries and toasted almonds

by Scotty Irani
Food Columnist

In full disclosure, the idea for my “Black Forest Yams” came from one of my most prized reference and recipe books. The original recipe, from a cookbook by Canary Richardson, was called "Titty Sauce Yams.“Yeah, no, I’m not kidding.” (Titty Sauce was a combination of water and honey, used by mothers and nursemaids, mainly in the South, to coax reluctant babies to breast feed.)

Which brings me to this little gem, my Black Forest Yams. I have taken Canary’s idea and made it my own. It’s a play on her idea, a little grab from Butterscotch Yams of my mother’s recipe book, and actual homemade Luxardo cocktail cherries and toasted slivered almonds to knock it out of the park.

Bring on the holidays!

The Luxardo Cherries are the topping for the Black Forest Yams. They are best prepared in advance, for the greatest flavor.

Luxardo Cherries

1 pound fresh cherries (fresh frozen cherries will do), stemmed and pitted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1 cup Luxardo liqueur

1. If fortunate enough to find beautiful fresh West Coast cherries in your local market mid-November through December, count your blessings; wash, stem, and pit. If not, fresh frozen cherries are perfectly acceptable. If using frozen cherries, thaw, rinse and set aside.

2. In sauce pot, add your sugar, scraped vanilla bean “caviar,” cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for five minutes. If using fresh cherries, add the cherries and cook an additional five minutes. For frozen, I recommend adding the cherries, and remove the pot from the heat. Let the cherries soften a bit and flavors meld and cool completely.

3. Add the Luxardo liqueur after the cherries and syrup have cooled completely. Put the cherries in an airtight container, and store in the fridge at least overnight.

The Yams

1 1/2 to 2 pounds fresh small yams (sweet potatoes will work in a pinch)

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons creamed/spun honey

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

3 tablespoons butter

Luxardo cherries to taste

1/4 cup blanched slivered almonds

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Wash the yams, trimming off any dark spots and roots. Place them unpeeled in a pot of salted water. (Peeled yams are a no-go for this recipe.) Boil low for approximately 15 minutes… checking for fork tender after 10. When fork tender remove from the heat and drain.

3. Tumble out the boiled yams on to a cookie sheet and place in preheated oven for another 15 minutes or until fully roasted and soft.

4. Remove and let cool until they can be easily handled. Gently pull away the yam jackets and expose the whole roasted yam. Lay out into a baking dish in a single layer.

5. While the yams are cooking make your sauce by combining the brown sugar, water, honey, and salt into a saucepot. Bring to a boil then down to a simmer. Simmer until syrupy and reduced. Turn off the heat and stir in the almond extract and butter.

6. Top the yams with as many Luxardo cherries as you can stand, and add the slivered almonds. The almonds will toast while the whole dish is back in the oven.

7. Return the dish to the same 375-degree oven and heat/toast for 15 minutes. Baste the yams halfway through cooking time.

8. Before serving, baste once more to make those beautiful fragrant yams shine, and raise your cup of plenty to Canary Richardson and her original Titty Sauce Yams.

Enjoy!

Copyright 2016 The Gayly – November 18, 2016 @ 11:50 a.m.