Apparently I had been out of the 'being up to date on all of current buzzwords' loop as I was completely unaware the Danish word 'hygge' (pronounced 'hue gah') was one of the 'it' words for 2016. In spite of arriving late to the party, I learned the term simply fits neatly in the board category of coziness and subcategory of making connections. However, to fully understand the intent or impact the word is intended to have on a way of life, there is a longer explanation for hygge as simple one would not be best in this context. "(It) is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with people we love. A feeling of home. A feeling we are safe, that we are shielded from the world and allow ourselves to let our guard down." Fortunately or unfortunately, the commercialization of 'hygge' may have contributed to some associating it solely with the acquisition of 'things', rather than creating a sense of warmth in the spaces you spend with family and friends. While this word had not been in my vocabulary, it is one I had unknowingly embraced.
As 2017 begins, hygge is out and the Swedish word 'lagom' is in. With no comparable word in English word, 'not too much, not too little, just right' is its' underlying concept. Lagom translates to 'enough, sufficient, adequate, just right' and aims to capture the sense of living a life 'in moderation and in balance'. A lagom lifestyle would be one characterized by a commitment to investing in sustainability (being energy efficient/reducing waste) and embracing a quality over quantity way of life. Not to be confused with sufficient (good enough) or extremes of minimalism, lagom is more about being and having enough. As I try to wrap my head around a lagom way of life, I can't help but wonder what it might look and feel like in my world. However, rather than choosing between these two ideologies, maybe 2017 is the year to somehow blend them both together. Is there a word in any language blending the concepts 'hygge' and 'lagom'? If there isn't, maybe there should be. Maybe that will be the next buzzword in 2018.
Until I came across the recipe for these Slow Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Labneh I had never thought of applying the slow roasting technique to sweet potatoes. Nor had I ever thought to replace butter and/or brown sugar with a garlic infused labneh to balance out the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. But thankfully someone else did. I didn't think it was possible to love sweet potatoes any more than I already do until I tasted them. When slow roasted, the sweet potatoes become sweeter, more tender and take on an almost custard-like texture. If you have never been in a state of sweet potato nirvana these Slow Roasted Sweet Potatoes will take you there.
Some of us think of sweet potatoes as a side dish rather than a main dish. And while these are satisfying enough to be a main dish, they would be perfect paired with a roasted chicken, grilled steak, or grilled lamb. Add a simple salad and your meal be the right kind of enough.
Olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and dill seeds are combined to coat the sweet potatoes. Dill seeds are more spice like, while dill weed is more herb like.
Note: Although they come from the same plant, they are not interchangeable in recipes, especially in this recipe.
In a preheated 275 degree (F) oven, the sweet potatoes roast for approximately two and one half hours. Yes, 180 minutes. When done they will be soft to the touch and slightly caramelized on the bottom. But the baking process isn't finished after they reach this stage.
The roasted sweet potatoes return to the oven set to broil for 1 to 3 minutes or until lightly charred on top. The charring adds a bit of smokiness to the sweet potatoes.
Allow the sweet potatoes to rest for 10 minutes after removing from the broiler. Using your hand, the side of spoon, or knife, press to expose the flesh of the sweet potatoes and lightly season with salt. You could eat them just like this (and they would be swoonworthy) or you could top them with the lahbeh (and they will transport your taste buds to places you may have never been before).
To make the labneh topping, grate one clove of garlic and mix into one half cup of labneh. And just in case you were wondering, yes, one clove of garlic is just enough.
Would I make these Slow Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Labneh again? Absolutely. Would I serve them without the Garlic Labneh? Yes, but only if I coated the sweet potatoes with just olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper. Could I make a meal out of these sweet potatoes? Totally. Although paired with a protein they would provide the meal balance I crave. Would I serve them with butter and brown sugar? Butter yes, brown sugar no, with the caveat they weren't coated with some dill weed. The addition of brown sugar would definitely meet the Goldilocks and Three Bears definition of too much. Should you make them? Definitely.
Recipe
Slow Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Labneh (A Michael Solomonov, chef and cookbook author of Zahav, recipe as shared in Saveur, December 2015.)
Ingredients
4 medium sized sweet potatoes (approximately 3 pounds)
1 - 1 1/2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
1/2 cup labneh
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
Optional: Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees (F).
2. In a small bowl, mix together the labneh and grated garlic. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
3. In a large bowl rub the sweet potatoes with the olive oil, salt, black pepper, and dill seeds.
4. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a baking sheet (lined with aluminum foil) and bake until very soft inside and caramelized on the bottom, approximately 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven.
5. Increase oven temperature to broil. Return sweet potatoes to oven and bake for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are lightly charred on top. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Transfer sweet potatoes to a serving platter. Gently crush with your hands to expose the sweet potatoes flesh. Season with salt. Dollop each potato with some of the labneh. If desired, sprinkle with chopped chives.
Notes: Labneh is a Lebanese version of cream cheese but creamy like a whole milk yogurt or sour cream. It can be found in grocery stores having a Middle Eastern food section. If you can't find it, you can make your own using David Lebovitz's recipe. Or you could simply use whole milk Greek yogurt.
