These grilled sweet potatoes with miso ginger sauce will have you licking the bowl before the dish even hits your plate. It's a great gluten free and vegan side.

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When I think of Deborah Madison, I think of vegetables. She's done nearly as much for the vegetable as the soil it grows in. 

Deborah has written fourteen cookbooks, including Vegetable Literacy and The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

One might think she could put her feet up and relax now, but no, she just released another ode to the might veg, In My Kitchen. This recipe for grilled sweet potatoes with miso-ginger sauce comes from her new book.

Deborah started at famed San Francisco restaurant Chez Panisse (my review here), went on to open her spot, Greens, and then there was award upon award afterwards for writing. She's not what you would call a slacker.

Melissa's Produce had a launch party for her new book where we were able to sample some of her recipes from In My Kitchen, and hear her speak about her inspiration. Her latest cookbook is her most personal with over 100 recipes that shows how Deborah does her day to day cooking.

There are updates to some of her favorite recipes and new additions, just when you think you've thought of everything you could do to a vegetable. The recipes are all vegetarian with some gluten free and vegan options as well.

I was drawn to the pan grilled sweet potatoes with miso-ginger sauce, because, ahem, I think you know I have a slight obsession with sweet potatoes.

I love that Madison recommends steaming the sweet potato and then finishing them on a hot grill for further caramelization and a beautiful char.

I didn't end up leaving my sweet potatoes whole, but she's all about adapting the recipes for your own taste, so I did a little adapting.

She included a pinch of sugar or mirin and I replaced that with coconut aminos. I also used chickpea miso instead of soy based miso and think the results were still finger licking.

Deborah should surely sit back and relax now, but I won't be surprised to see yet another cookbook from her to make it an even 15 for her collection.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Miso Ginger Sauce

From Deborah Madison's In the Kitchen Cookbook
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 sweet potatoes (about 6 ounces each), scrubbed
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1" knob of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 teaspoons mirin (I swapped for coconut aminos)
• 1 heaping tablespoon white miso (I used chickpea miso)
• 1 tablespoon light sesame oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons toasted black sesame seeds (I used just white)

instructions

1. Steam the sweet potatoes until tender, 30-40 minutes, depending on their size. While they're cooking, make the sauce: pound the garlic and ginger in a mortar until very smooth and then add the coconut aminos, miso, vinegar, sesame oils and water.
2. When the sweet potatoes are tender, halve them lengthwise and score the tops in a crisscross pattern with a small knife. Brown them, cut side down, in a pan or a ridged skillet in a little light sesame oil. Their natural sugars will caramelize and turn an appetizing golden brown.
3. Arrange the sweet potatoes on plates or a platter and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with the sesame seeds and serve along with any accompaniment you like.

Want More Sweet Potato Inspiration?

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