Sophisticated sweet potatoes get a kick from chipotles

Many years ago, I made this chipotle sweet potato puree for my good friend, pie and cake expert Rose Levy Beranbaum. Since that day, we have each made it again and again as a great fall and winter side dish.

Rose likes to add Aleppo pepper - a Turkish crushed chili pepper that has an ancho-like flavor but is slightly sweeter and tart. And, for Thanksgiving, I like to add a crust of mini marshmallows as a nod to everyone's' favorite, candied yams with marshmallows. In this dish, the marshmallows add a nice counter-balance to the smoky heat of the chipotles in adobo sauce and a beautiful crust. And, unlike candied yams, the dish isn't cloyingly sweet.

This dish can be made the day before and re-heated before serving, making it ideal to bring to a Thanksgiving feast or to make in advance if you are hosting the holiday. The recipe has just a few ingredients so it is essential to buy the best quality ingredients that you can find. Make sure to purchase Garnet sweet potatoes which have a deep orange color, and have a silkier texture than other sweet potatoes.