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LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
October 14, 2025
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
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LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
October 9, 2024
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
December 21, 2023
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
August 11, 2023
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
March 23, 2023
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
April 26, 2022
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
February 24, 2022
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
LOADED SWEET POTATOES by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
November 23, 2021
This recipe is Korean inspired, incorporating Gochujang, a Korean chili paste made with chili powder, glutinous rice powder and fermented soybeans. It’s a thick red paste and is most often sold in thick red tubs. It adds a meaty, sweet element to a dish along with a subdued bit of heat, which I enjoy because it’s not too spicy. I confess to not enjoying overwhelmingly spicy foods....they just knock out my taste buds and can ruin a dish for me.
Ingredients
3-4 whole sweet potatoes, equal in shape and size/weight (about 2-pounds total
weight), washed and dried
2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted)
1 or 2 leeks, white part only (enough to yield 1 ½ cups sliced leeks)
1-pound ground chicken, removed from packaging and patted dry with paper towels
2-3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided
1/3rd cup gochujang paste at room temperature, plus more to taste
¾ cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
Juice from 1 or 2 limes
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
3-4 scallion stems, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds***
(*** You can now purchase toasted sesame seeds! Having burned countless trays of
toasting sesame seeds, I find this convenience, well…wonderful.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Carefully cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Hold the potato firmly and try not to let it roll as you cut it in half. Cut into equal halves. Continue with the rest of the potatoes. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place cut-side-down on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of potato) until a
knife is easily inserted into the flesh. Remove tray when potatoes are tender. Turn them over and let them rest on the tray until cool enough to handle. (Set the tray aside to reheat the finished potatoes later.)
Separate the leeks: cut off stem end and separate the white and green parts. Save the green ends for use in a broth or stock. Slice the white stalks in half, into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds, depending on the diameter of the stalk. Add the cut pieces to a bowl of cold water. (Leeks need to be soaked and swished to remove the grit that is trapped in the layers.) Lift the leeks out of the water, leaving the grit behind at the bottom of the bowl. Set aside to drain.
Separate the cleaned scallions into green and white parts. Slice the scallion greens into thin diagonal slices and set aside to use to garnish the finished dish. Finely chop the scallion whites and set aside.
The sweet potatoes should now be cool enough to handle. Use a tablespoon and carefully scoop out the cooked potato flesh from each potato half. Don’t scoop out all the flesh. Leave enough potato to line the cooked/scooped halves to provide structure. Set aside. Add the scooped sweet potato flesh to a bowl and mash with a large spoon. Add a tablespoon or two of softened butter and add the chopped scallion whites to the mash. Mix well and taste and adjust seasonings. Cover with wrap and set aside. (Leave out at room temperature.)
Cook the ground chicken. Gently heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive or other cooking oil to the pan. Do not let the oil smoke. Add the drained leeks to the pan, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook on low, stirring often until the leeks are translucent and tender. Add the ground turkey to the pan. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium and cook until no pinkcolor remains. Turn off the heat. Tilt the pan so the juices in the pan move to one edge of the pan. Whisk the Gochujang paste into the juices until evenly dissolved. Add the
drained black beans. Add lime juice to taste and thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust to your taste. (You could add more Gochujang paste if you’d like.)
To Finish and Serve: Fill (heap) the reserved cooked sweet potato halves with the cooked chicken-leek-gochujang mixture. ( And you may have extra filling.) Put pan back in the oven and reheat for 10 minutes or until hot to the touch. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.
<b>Cooking times:</b>
<b>Baking the potatoes:</b> about 25-35 minutes
<b>Prepping and cooking the leek-gochujang -ground chicken filling:</b> about 20-30
minutes. And note this can be done while the potatoes are baking.
<b>Stuffing and reheating the potato halves:</b> 15 minutes
