If you can’t decide whether to serve mashed white potatoes or sweet potatoes, this might be your recipe. Serve both in a single dish. Russet and sweet potato bake with crispy fried leeks is velvety with a mixture of milk, cream and butter. The spicy Sriracha in the sweet potato mix adds a nice bite. The crisp leeks on top are a fresh alternative to fried onions from a can.
When first served, this looks like any dish of regular mashed potatoes except the crunchy leeks on top will look fresh and lovely… But when the first spoonful is dished out and the double potato surprise is revealed… everyone will be saying “Pass the potatoes”.
Be generous with salt and pepper to brighten the flavor of the potatoes and don’t be afraid of the hot sauce in the sweet potato layer. The hot sauce adds depth to the sweetness of the potatoes. Russet and Sweet Potato Bake with Crispy Fried Leeks is nicely paired with poultry or even a beef or pork roast.
Also, if you don’t have time or the bother to make crispy fried leeks to top the casserole, feel free to use canned fried onions, but if you are so inclined, these little crispy goodies are worth the effort.
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 cup whole milk warmed
- 3/4 cup heavy cream warmed
- 1 1/2 sticks butter melted
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce more or less to taste
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 leeks white and light-green parts only, washed well, sliced into 1/4-inch slices (about 2 cups)
- Oil for frying
- Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Cover sweet potatoes and russet potatoes each with 1 inch of salted water in 2 separate medium saucepans. Add garlic cloves to the russet potatoes. Bring to a boil and boil until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to respective pans.
- In a quart measuring glass, combine milk, cream and butter. Divide milk mixture between saucepans. Mash potatoes until smooth; season liberally with salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in each pot).
- Add the Sriracha or hot sauce to the sweet potato mixture only.
- Spread the mashed sweet potatoes evenly in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Top with mashed russet potatoes; spread evenly to edges. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine flour and cayenne pepper. Add leeks; toss to coat. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat (until a thermometer registers 350 degrees). Working in batches, add leeks and cook, turning, until crisp and light golden around edges, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt.
- Sprinkle fried leeks over potatoes and serve.
Recipe adapted frog Martha Stewart Living Magazine, November 2014.
