Sweet Potato Bowls With Spiced Lamb and Mushrooms

Source: Bon Appetit Jan 2018

These sweet potato bowls are an easy go-to weeknight dinner but could also be a fancy-like Valentine’s dinner at home (aren’t mushrooms aphrodisiacs???). Steam the sweet potatoes while you sauté the mushrooms with spiced ground lamb, quick-pickle fennel and onions, make a simple yogurt sauce, and dinner is ready in just about half an hour.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
• 2 large sweet potato (about 1 lb.), halved lengthwise
• 1 fennel bulb thinly sliced, plus fronds (for serving; optional)
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup apple cider, coconut, or unseasoned rice vinegar
• 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp Aleppo style pepper, plus more for serving
• 16 oz. wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, porcini, hen of the woods, black trumpet), sliced into ¼” slices
• 1 cup plain full-fat yogurt
• 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup mint leaves

Preparation

1. Fill a large pot with about 1″ water; season with a big pinch of salt. Set a steamer basket in pot. Cover pot and bring water to a boil. Add potato, cover, and steam until fork-tender, 20–25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toss sliced fennel, onion, vinegar, and ¼ tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Let sit, tossing occasionally, at least 10 minutes and up to 30.
3. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add lamb, cumin, cinnamon, 1 tsp. pepper, and ½ tsp. salt and press into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until well browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Break up into pieces with a spatula and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 1–2 minutes. Push mixture to one side of skillet and add mushrooms in an even layer; season with salt. Cook, undisturbed, until beginning to brown and soften, 3 minutes, then stir together with lamb mixture. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, about 2 minutes more.
4. Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and ¼ tsp. salt in a small bowl.
5. Divide potato halves between bowls and mash slightly with a fork. Top with yogurt sauce and mushroom mixture. Lift fennel and onion out of vinegar with your hands and scatter over bowls; discard vinegar. Top with mint, fennel fronds (if using), and pepper.