• 2 pounds peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
• 2 cups sliced Shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup golden raisins (sultanas)
• ½ cup diced Benton’s bacon (or other slab bacon) 
• 10 sage leaves
• ½ teaspoons ground mace
• ½ teaspoons ground corriander
• 1 tablespoons diced shallot
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon Steen’s Cane Syrup (or other quality cane syrup)
• salt and freshly ground pepper 
• ¼ cup sliced green onions
• freshly shaved Parmesan for garnish

 Louisiana Sweet Potato Gnocchi

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• 1 medium Louisiana sweet potato
• 1 large Yukon gold potato
• 1 1/2 cups flour, sifted
• 2 large eggs
• salt, to taste
• white pepper, to taste
• 4 to 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• Parmesan, to taste 

Chef's Note: This recipe has an Italian flare but uses Louisiana ingredients. I like to roast my sweet potatoes before doing anything else; it keeps the flavor of the sweet potato, keeps the perfume of it, and also if you boil them in water; they can become water-logged. Roasting concentrates the flavor in the skin. 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

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• 1 stick butter
• 4 or 5 large fresh yams or sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 to 2½ cups mini marshmallows (optional)

Maple Candied Yams

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• 4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup half and half cream
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping

• 1/2 cup  melted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cups chopped pecans

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

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• 4 large sweet potatoes
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons Steen’s Cane Syrup
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Whipped Sweet Potatoes

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• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups diced sweet potatoes (Louisiana yams)
• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream style corn
• 1 (10-ounce) can chopped tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 4 cups canned fat-free chicken broth
• 1½ pounds peeled medium shrimp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped green onions (scallions), optional

Shrimp Corn and Sweet Potato Soup

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• 1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise
• 1 butternut squash, halved lengthwise
• 2 sweet potatoes, pierced with a fork
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• Cooked, crumbled bacon, as garnish
• Blanched, diced Yukon gold potatoes, as garnish
• Blanched, diced sweet potatoes, as garnish

Butternut and Acorn Squash Chowder

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• 2 duck breasts
• 2 cups brussel sprouts, sliced
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 4 tablespoons truffled honey
• Garnish with pomegranate seeds and micro greens

Duck Breast with Sweet Potato

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Biscuits

• 3/4 cup baked, pureed, Louisiana sweet potatoes
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 stick butter (4 tablespoons)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Seafood Stew

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 pounds large (21-25 count) Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 Gulf oysters, shucked
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 cup diced mirliton
• 1/2 cup Abita Amber beer
• 1 tablespoons Tabasco
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shrimp stock
• 2 pounds Louisiana crawfish tails
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Louisiana Seafood Stew with Sweet Potato Biscuits

Click for Video of Cooking Demonstration