I thought I would throw these out.

Sweet potato soup

Makes 8 to 10 cups

3 sweet potatoes or yams, scrubbed and pierced several times with the tines of a fork

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 fresh sage leaves, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

4 cups water

2 1/2 cups apple cider

2 cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 fresh figs, quartered

2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk

Yogurt and fig garnish:

1/4 cup honey

4 fresh figs, halved and thinly sliced

1/2 cup plain yogurt

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Rub the sweet potatoes with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Place them directly on a rack in the oven and roast until they are tender, about 40 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, halve, scoop out the flesh, and discard the skin. Set aside.

Place a stockpot over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion, sage, ginger, and sweet potatoes, stirring well after each addition. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the water, apple cider, cinnamon sticks, sesame oil, figs, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Discard the cinnamon sticks and transfer the soup to a blender. Add the coconut milk and pur until smooth.

Meanwhile, to make the garnish: Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the honey and figs and cook until the figs caramelize, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the yogurt, scallions, cilantro, and mint, and mix well. Remove from the heat.

Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon a dollop of the garnish onto each one. (The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Note: If you are in a hurry, or blanch at the price of fresh figs, you can make the garnish without them and use dried figs in the soup.

- From: "The Olives Table" by Todd English and Sally Sampson (Simon & Schuster, 1997).

Sweet potato pie with pecan topping and crust

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie

Toasted nuts

2 cups pecan pieces (or 1 cup pecan pieces and 1 cup pecan meal)

Crust

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

4 ounces (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter

1/4 to 1/2 cup iced water

Filling

18 ounces sweet potatoes

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2cup whipping cream

Topping

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

Toasted nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pecan pieces (or pecan pieces and meal) on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring once, until pecans are lightly browned. Remove and cool.

Crust: Place all-purpose flour, granulated sugar and 1 cup pecan pieces (or the pecan meal) in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until pecans are finely ground.

Cut butter into 8 pieces and add to bowl. Pulse until butter is in small pieces. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of ice water over contents of bowl. Pulse until blended. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing briefly, until dough just begins to come together.

Turn onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Push together into a cushion, then wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Roll crust in a circle, fit into a 9-inch pie pan, flute the edges, and return to refrigerator while you make the filling.

These steps can all be done a day or two in advance.

Filling: If you have let oven cool, preheat it to 350 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until tender, about 1 hour. Cool potatoes; peel. Purée in processor. Transfer purée to a bowl, and whisk in eggs and vanilla. Cook butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until melted and brown. Add sugar, honey and the spices, and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in cream. Add butter mixture to potato purée; blend until smooth.

Pour filling into crust. Bake until center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, covering with foil if crust browns too quickly, about 40 minutes. Make topping while filling bakes

Topping: Stir 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil 1 minute. Mix in remaining 1 cup of toasted nuts, coating completely.

Remove pie from oven and spoon hot nut mixture over pie. Return to oven and continue baking until topping bubbles, about 5 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.

- From Rebecca Boren Quick Hits

Caramelized sweet potatoes.

Peel and cut 2 pounds of jumbo yams into 2-inch cubes. Toss with a touch of olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake on cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until tender.

In a sauté pan, melt 1/4 cup butter, add 1 cup brown sugar and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add yams, then 1/2 cup vegetable stock, and reduce until sauce is as thick as you want.

 From Terra Cotta restaurant

Sweet potato chips. Peel about 3 pounds (4 good-size) sweet potatoes. With a mandoline or knife, slice 1/16th-inch thick and pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a deep fat fryer or deep skillet to 380 degrees. Fry the chips in batches, turning them, until golden brown.

Drain on layers of paper towels and sprinkle with salt or lime salt made by combining the zest from 4 limes with a couple of teaspoons of salt.

Makes enough for a party.