Sweet Potato and Sage Spoonbread

• 400 g Sweet potato, orange-fleshed
• 500 ml Water
• 450 ml Whole milk
• 80 g Cornmeal, fine yellow cornmeal
• 30 g Unsalted butter
• 3 g Fresh sage
• 3 large Egg
• ¾ tsp Fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp Black pepper

1. Peel the sweet potato and cut into 2 cm cubes, finely chop the sage and separate the eggs into two clean bowls. Use 5 g butter to grease a 2.5-litre baking dish, about 23 × 23 cm, reserving the remaining 25 g for the cornmeal mixture.
2. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan fitted with a steamer, making sure the water sits below the basket. Add the sweet potato, cover and steam for 15–20 minutes until very tender, then lift out the basket and let the surface steam dry briefly.
3. While the sweet potato steams, heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and warm the milk in a separate saucepan until steaming. Whisk in the cornmeal, salt and pepper in a steady stream, then cook over a low heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a soft porridge.
4. Mash the hot sweet potato until smooth, then stir it into the cornmeal mixture with the reserved butter and sage. Leave for about 10 minutes until warm rather than piping hot, then stir in the egg yolks until evenly combined.
5. Using clean beaters, whisk the egg whites to firm peaks that hold their shape without looking dry. Stir one-third into the sweet potato mixture to loosen it, then fold in the rest gently and immediately spoon into the greased baking dish.
6. Bake on the middle shelf for 35–40 minutes until puffed and lightly golden, with a softly set centre that reaches 74°C (165°F). Avoid opening the oven during the first 25 minutes, and cover loosely with foil near the end only if the top is becoming too dark.
7. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve straight from the baking dish with a broad spoon. Expect the spoonbread to settle a little as it cools, while remaining soft and moist inside.

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