Roasted Broccoli & Mashed Sweet Potato Crostini

This little lovely is the direct result of being left alone all day with nothing but a new cookbook and a huge appetite. How wonderful to feast away so magnificently before dinner, and yet still end up hungry!

Here is my happy adaptation.

Roasted Broccoli & Mashed Sweet Potato Crostini

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1” chunks

1/2 cup orange juice

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (or 1/2 habernaro chili, seeded and minced)

1 head broccoli, cut into flowerettes, tender part of stalk peeled and sliced 

Olive Oil

Sea salt

Pepper

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one lemon

1/4  cup minced cilantro

2 tablespoons minced chives

1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, rough chopped

4 slices of heavy, grainy bread

Olive oil

Place sweet potato, orange juice, water and chili in a small sauce pan. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently until all the liquid is absorbed and potato is well cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Mash well and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss broccoli with olive oil, pepper and salt. Lay in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast until broccoli is tender and beginning to  char, about 25-30 minutes. Give the broccoli a rough chop. You want some small pieces and some larger, so that it’s still recognizable as a vegetable.

Toss the lemon zest, lemon juice, cilantro, chives and hazelnuts with the chopped broccoli. Set aside.

Brush the bread with some olive oil and place directly on middle oven rack. Toast for 4-5 minutes or until nicely browned.

Now for the good part. Spread the toasts with the sweet potato mash mixture. Pile on the broccoli mixture. Top with a few more chives and cilantro if you’d like. Cut into appetizer size pieces. 

It’s CRAZY how delicious this incredibly healthy appetizer is.