my mom has been making an awesome dish called sweet potato surprise for years. it is tart and tangy, it has fruit in it and it's delicious. always a big hit! enjoy.
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This can be assembled a day ahead and stored unbaked and tightly covered in the refrigerator.
4 pounds sweet potatoes or yams
4 bananas, chopped
2 large green apples or ripe pears (any kind but Bosc)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups apple juice or cider
1/2 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
1. Peel sweet potatoes, and boil until soft. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, sauté apples and bananas with ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and 1/4 cup apple juice. Cook slowly, covered, but stirring intermittently for 10 to 15 minutes. If mixture gets too dry and a bit more juice.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or deep casserole.
4. Puree potatoes with the fruit juices. A food processor with the steel attachment works ideally for this.
5. Stir the sautéed fruit into the puree. For a smoother texture you can puree the fruit first before adding to the potatoes. Add the apricots. Heap into the prepared baking pan and, if desired, top with the chopped nuts.
6. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.