This Thanksgiving a judicious use of red chile will spark up our holiday table. The dark, tangy robust flavor of dried red chile works well to counter the richness of many of the side dishes. It also proves a welcome change to boring salt and pepper seasoning.

Red chile pairs beautifully with sweet potato. Think sweet and savory such as caramel corn mixed with cheese corn. The combo just works. A little sprinkle of dried chile powder stirred into mashed sweets lightened with cream and butter takes this delicious tuber into new territory. Find dried powdered guajillo peppers in stores with a large Mexican section or substitute dried powder ancho pepper or ordinary chili powder.

The second recipe that follows is inspired by a dish we swooned over at Owamni, a Native American restaurant in Minneapolis. There, white-fleshed sweet potatoes, roasted to golden goodness, are served topped with homemade dried red chile oil packed with crunchy bits. Home cooks can employ bottled chile crisp for expediency.

A perusal of the supermarket shelves finds a half dozen brands of this crunchy, savory, spicy condiment made popular by the Lao Gan Ma brand from China. Read the labels by brands such as Fly by Jing to determine if you like all the ingredients. Some contain peanuts, which your guests should know. I’m partial to the condiments that aren’t overly piquant and that contain Szechuan pepper for its unique tongue-tingling effect.

White fleshed sweet potatoes, such as the Muraski, have a coarser interior than the standard orange-fleshed Jewel variety. They also sport a chestnut flavor that tastes very holiday. The combination of roasting the potatoes and then topping them with chili crisp also works beautifully with wedges of small pie pumpkins or chunks of Mexican calabaza.

It’s a good thing to spark up the Thanksgiving meal. At the very least, a bit of spice here and there will give you something to talk about!

Red Chile Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Note: Use a combination of red onions and green onions for an attractive finished dish.

4 medium-size orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds total

1/4 cup butter

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped OR 4 green onions, trimmed, thinly sliced

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, plain yogurt or sour cream

1 tablespoon guajillo chile powder or to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion tops

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub potatoes clean. Pierce in several places with the tip of a knife. Place on a baking sheet. Bake, rotating potatoes once or twice, until tender when pierced with a fork, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet. Stir in onions. Cook over medium-low heat until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and put the flesh into a large microwave-safe bowl. Mash coarsely using an old-fashioned potato masher or a large fork. Stir in the onion mixture, cream, chile powder, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Mixture can be refrigerated, covered, up to two days.)

4. To reheat, microwave on high (100% power), stirring once or twice, until hot, about 4 minutes. Serve hot garnished with chives.

Roasted Sweet potato Wedges with Chile Crisp

Makes 6 servings

Note: You can use Muraski sweet potatoes with their cream-color flesh or orange-fleshed sweet potatoes here. I also love this method for small pie pumpkins or Mexican calabaza wedges.

4 large Muraski sweet potatoes, about 12 ounces each, scrubbed clean

1/4 cup sunflower or expeller pressed canola oil

1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt to taste

1/4 to 1/3 cup bottled chili crisp sauce with oil

2 green onions, thinly sliced on the bias

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut potatoes lengthwise in half. Cut each half into three wedges. Put the potato wedges on a large baking sheet. Add sunflower oil and toss to coat the potatoes. Arrange in a single uncrowded layer. Sprinkle with salt.

2. Roast, turning potatoes in oil occasionally and rotating the pan, until golden and tender to the tip of a knife, 40 to 50 minutes.

3. Transfer to a serving platter. Brush with the oil from the chili crisp and top with some of the crunchy bits from the jar. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Serve hot.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2024 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.