My contribution to my family’s Thanksgiving meal has always been cornbread. In making it so many times, I discovered that it’s a great vehicle for fruit, cooked grains, or vegetables. This variation has a thick batter, so these are more like biscuits than bread. Pale orange and scarlet-flecked, these biscuits make a beautiful addition to a holiday table.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12 biscuits

　　1 sweet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped

　　1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for brushing

　　3 tablespoons maple syrup (see page 69)

　　1 cup fresh cranberries

　　1 cup cornmeal

　　1 cup flour

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet or muffin tin and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Put the sweet potato in a small saucepan with the orange juice, 1/2 cup water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat slightly and boil gently, covered, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Coarsely mash the potatoes and cooking liquid with the 5 tablespoons butter and maple syrup. Stir in the cranberries. Let cool and set aside.

　　

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the sweet potatoes. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

　　

Step 4

To form each biscuit, pack the dough to just below the top of a 1/3-cup measuring cup, then invert and tap out onto the baking sheet. Repeat to make 12 biscuits total. Brush the top of each biscuit with a little melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and continue baking until the tops are golden and firm, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold.

　　Lucid Food