Smashed Sweet Potatoes With Torched Meringue
Mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows baked on top is a Thanksgiving staple that gets a vegan twist here. The result is lighter, fresher and more flavorful. Sweet potatoes are enriched with coconut milk and get a little hit of heat from chipotle chile powder to cut the sweetness of the meringue topping made with aquafaba. Aquafaba is the starchy liquid that comes from cooking chickpeas; it can be whipped like egg whites. You get it by opening a can of chickpeas and pouring out the liquid. You need only 1 can for this recipe and can reserve the chickpeas for another use. The aquafaba should be spooned over the sweet potatoes after they’ve cooled to warm, because steaming hot potatoes will cause the foam to collapse.
From the story: Love or hate sweet potato casserole, you’ll want to try this one
Prepare a large steamer. Add the sweet potatoes and steam until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain if needed, then transfer to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Fold in the coconut milk, chipotle (if using) and 2 ½ teaspoons salt. Spread in an even layer in a shallow baking dish for serving.
While the sweet potatoes steam, whisk the aquafaba and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until opaque and thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and cream of tartar and whisk on medium-high speed until very stiff peaks form and the mixture has an almost taffy texture, about 15 minutes.
Dollop and swirl the meringue all over the sweet potatoes. Using a kitchen torch, brown the topping.
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