Potato

Courtesy of Smithsonian

Photographer:  Martin Mejiia

baked red garnet yam

appliances

oven

tin foil

1 sharp knife

ingredients

1 red garnet yam

1 tablespoon margerine or butter

1 tablespoon non-fat plain yogurt

seasonings

freshly ground black pepper

sea salt

dry dill

procedure

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  clean your yam and stab it several times with your knife, and all about the pototo.  wrap it in tin foil and bake in the oven for about an hour to an hour and half, depending on the size of the yam.

yam is ready when you can easily pierce it again, through the tin foil with your knife, and obviously soft. much softer than a russet or yukon.

remove carefully from tin foil, protecting your hands from heat.  slice it open on a plate or in a bowl, apply butter or margerine, salt, yogurt, then freshly ground black pepper and dry dill sprinkling.

you can also garnish the yogurt with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.

enjoy! (eat the skin, too. loaded with nutrients and tasty!)

Courtesy of Rebecca's Vegie Patch

Red Garnet Yams

additional thoughts

Smithsonian has an article this month on how this common yet exotic tuber changed the world, and reporting that, "Although the potato is now associated with industrial-scale monoculture, the International Potato Center in Peru has preserved almost 5,000 varieties."

In 2008, a Lebanese farmer reported growing a 24.9 pound potato without chemicals.  I don't know how tasty this was, but you can't judge a book by its cover.  It looks a red garnet yam to me, too. 

Courtesy of WTSP in Tampa Bay

Record potato in Tyre, Lebanon

Forget the oven time above.

More here from WTSP in Tampa Bay.