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C2 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 18, 2002 Potato ideas start with one recipe (Continued from page C1) The following is a basic recipe for pureed sweet pota to, with guidelines for some favourite variations. Just remember, the quantities given are based on my own taste. The best culinary advice I can give you is this: have fun while , you're cooking and never trust a recipe 100 per cent Add a bit at a time, taste, then add more until you've found the exact qual ity that suites your palate. After all, tasting is one of the many perks to being the cook. MASHED SWEET POTATO 5 medium sweet potatoes 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream or evaporated milk 2 tablespoon sweet butter Salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare simple meal for Boxing Day brunch By Julie Dykeman S PE C IA L T O T H E BEAVER H ave you ever wondered where Boxing Day comes from? Celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, few people have any notion as to why we have a statutory holiday on Dec. 26. Despite the images engendered by its name. Boxing Day has nothing to do with pugilistic spectacles. Likewise it real ly isn't a day graciously set aside by our government for peo ple to return unwanted Christmas presents. Nor is it defined as the best day of the year for shoppers to "box up those bar gains" and run. While the holiday's exact origins remain somewhat obscure, its roots can be traced back to Great Britain during the Middle Ages, however, it was under Queen Victoria in the 19th century, that it found renewed popularity. With Christmas celebrations over, on Dec. 26 it was traditional for the elite to distribute cash and other necessities to the lower classes, particularly to serfs and servants. It was also a day for the merchant class to give boxes of food and fruit to trades people and domestics. The original Yuletide tip, these gifts were an expression of gratitude to the people who worked for them. Another theory pertains to the boxes that were set up in churches for parishioners to deposit seasonal alms. On Dec. 26 the coffers were opened and the contents distributed to the needy as part of the Feast of St. Stephen, a ritualized celebra tion dedicated to the patron saint of the poor. Today, of course, one can hardly be blamed for thinking that the name is literal. You have but to witness one fight erupt over an exclusive sale item to make the mistake of thinking that Boxing Day is a celebration of the sport. I, personally, avoid any and all malls on Boxing Day, pre ferring to stay home and quietly recoup after the Christmas bustle. But here is a tradition that seems to have been forgotten: for many, many years, Boxing Day was regarded as a day for visiting with family and friends. To spend time with those rel atives who were not seen on Christmas Day. The atmosphere was more relaxed than that of the previous day and often included a casual meal and the exchange of small gifts. This year, why not revive those traditions in a small way with an easy but elegant brunch before running off to the mall. THE MENU Broiled grapefruit with candied ginger and Grand Marnier Scrambled eggs with chives and smoked trout or salmon Cream cheese popovers Serves 6 people Step 1. Make the popovers: (10 minutes plus 40 minutes) Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously grease nine 1/2-cup muffin tins. In a bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 3/4 cup of milk and 1/4 cup water. Add 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk until combined. Divide half the batter among the tins. Drop 1 tablespoon cream cheese in the centre of each tin and then top with remaining batter. Bake for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 375°F and bake for 20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Step 2. Mise-en-place (10 minutes) Cut 3 pink grapefruit in half. In a coffee grinder, grind 4 tablespoons candied ginger until fine. Mix ginger with 2 tablespoons o f Grand Marnier in a small bowl. Shred 1/2 cup of smoked trout or salmon. Chop 2 tablespoons chives. Step 3. Broil the grapefruit ( 12 minutes) Turn on your oven's broiler. Spoon ginger/Grand Marnier mixture over the grapefruit halves. Broil on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, watching that they don't bum. Set aside to cool. Step 4. Make coffee, pour juice and tell your family they have 5 minutes. (10 minutes) Step 5. Scramble the eggs (8 minutes) Preheat an element to medium-low. Place a thick-bot tomed skillet on the element to heat, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, whisk together 7 eggs (two per person plus one for the pot). Melt 1 - 2 tablespoons butter then add the eggs, stirring often until creamy. Stir in the chives and fish. Season with salt and pepper. Step 6. Enjoy Prick sweet potatoes with a fork, rub with olive oil (this will make them easier to peel), and place on a baking sheet, making sure that they are not touching. Bake until tender - about one hour. Set aside to cool. Once cool enough to han dle cut potatoes in half length-wise and, using a spoon, scoop out the flesh, reserving the skins if desired. In a m edium-sized bowl, mash with a hand-held uten sil, or put through a ricer for a more delicate texture. Incorporate cream and butter At this point you can either mix in a single flavour combination, or you can divide the sweet potato into two or more batches and pro vide a variety of flavours for guests to choose from. For example, one for adults and one for kids. Season with salt and pep per. Combine any topping mixtures in a small bowl (cover and refrigerate if not using immediately). Can be prepared up to this point one day in advance. Presentation option N o.l: Place the puree into a gratin dish, sprinkle with topping, if using, loosely cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 40 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave then brown under broiler.) Presentation option No. 2: Pipe or spoon the filing back into the reserved skins, plac ing them on a baking sheet, and sprinkle with topping if using. Loosely cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave then brown under broiler.) FLAVOUR CHART 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon minced thyme 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon minced rosemary. Top with 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano. 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. Topping: 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 2 table spoons brown sugar, 3 table spoons melted butter. 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon. 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