Pennsylvania Kitchen at Home: Sweet Potato Hash with Chef Nicole Younger

This video comes to us from an awesome Philly-based project called #cookthatjawn. Cook That Jawn was conceived at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to help Philadelphians cook with the food provided in the free food boxes the city distributed each week. Local chefs and food activists shared how they would cook an ingredient from the food boxes in easy-to-follow recipes that are approachable to home cooks. Cook That Jawn asks viewers to chip in to help Philadelphia get through this crisis by donating to the PHL COVID-19 Fund. 

This simple skillet is a good reminder that you don’t always have to douse vegetables in spices or sauce! Sometimes, a light touch of salt and pepper and a few springs of fresh herbs are all it takes to allow the ingredients’ flavors to shine. In this recipe from Chef Nicole Younger, sweet potatoes and apples play off each other’s earthy sweetness, with onion in the mix for a kick of allium savoriness. You could serve this hash alongside a roasted chicken for supper, or topped with a fried egg at brunch!

Nicole Younger is the founder of iHeartChefNY catering and the self-proclaimed “Queen of Vegan Fusion.” Raised in North Philly, with frequent trips to her family’s farm in Virginia, Younger adopted an early love of food. As an adult, she adopted a plant-based diet after her daughter was diagnosed with severe food allergies. She studied at the Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) with a concentration in the culinary arts, and launched her career with Eatible Delights, a premier catering organization in Philadelphia. In 2018, she founded iHeartChefNY Catering, which is known for creating unique plant-based culinary experiences for its clients. To learn more about Chef Younger, follow along with her on Instagram (you don’t want to miss the photos of her amazing vegan pastries!).