Posted July 24, 2012
Jill Wendholt Silva
Turkey and sweet potatoes: Is there a meat and sidekick more closely associated with the Thanksgiving feast?
Thankfully there’s really no reason to wait for their star power to return. The Star’s Summer Tex-Mex Turkey and Sweet Potatoes gives these nutrition powerhouses a clever twist on the grill.
We all know turkey is a lean protein. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of potassium and vitamin C, which means there’s no reason to save up for the holidays, especially if you can avoid the gooey marshmallow topping. An unadorned sweet potato is low in calories. Adding a mildly spicy salsa to the mix adds a bright and zesty Tex-Mex finish to this warm-weather dish.
–Shopping tip: For testing, we used Honeysuckle white turkey breast cutlets. They are sliced about 1/2 inch thick and are perfect for grilling. If you can’t find cutlets, check with a butcher or pound your own out to the proper thickness.
–Cooking tips: For easy grilling, cook sweet potato wedges on a fine mesh grill grate or basket.
Adjust the heat of the salsa as you prefer by adding a little more or less jalapeno. If in doubt, begin with about 1/4 to 1/3 of the jalapeno, taste the salsa and add more, if desired.
Summer Tex-Mex Turkey and Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4 servings
3 medium sweet potatoes, about 11/2 pounds
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound boneless turkey breast cutlets, cut 3/8 to 1/2-inch thick
Salsa:
1 medium ripe tomato, finely chopped
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Heat over medium-high heat until water boils. Reduce heat and cook 15 minutes or just until potatoes are crisp tender and can be pierced with the tines of a fork. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, combine lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper.
Place turkey in a sealable zip-top bag. Pour half of oil mixture over turkey. Seal and toss to coat turkey evenly. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes.
As soon as sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and cut each potato in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise for a total of 8 wedges. Place potato wedges in a sealable zip-top bag. Pour remaining oil mixture over potato wedges, seal and toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
To prepare salsa: In a small bowl stir together tomato, onion, cilantro and jalapeno pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes for flavors to blend.
Preheat grill or allow coals to burn down to white ash. Drain turkey and sweet potatoes and discard marinade. Grill turkey over medium-high direct heat 9 to 11 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees and meat is no longer pink, turning to brown evenly. Grill sweet potatoes 9 to 11 minutes or until crisp tender and golden brown, turning to brown evenly. (Do not overcook turkey or it will be dry.) Serve turkey and sweet potatoes with salsa.
Per serving: 352 calories (31 percent from fat), 12 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 64 milligrams cholesterol, 34 grams carbohydrates, 27 grams protein, 256 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber.
Recipe developed for The Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.
©2012 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.)
Visit The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) at www.kansascity.com City Star, Mo.