Sweet Potato Soufflé
In her memoir “The Year of Magical Thinking,” Joan Didion wrote about learning to make soufflés, one of her signature dishes, while living in Southern California in the early 1970s. “The trick,” she concluded, “was a less strict approach than generally advised.” This autumnal take, from a handwritten and well-stained index card in her files, doesn’t puff up as impressively as a classic French soufflé, but the beaten egg whites lend a gentle lift to the dense sweet potatoes. Their sweetness is nicely tempered by the butter and lemon zest. — Patrick Farrell
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