Sweet Potato with Maple Syrup and Toasted Pecans

This is a dish I’ve had on the menu for a while now. It screams autumn/fall with its use of maple syrup and sweet potatoes. If it’s extra cold outside I might make it a little chunkier so that it’s more hearty. If you prefer you can substitute either pumpkin or butternut squash for the sweet potato.

Serves 4–6

4 tablespoons orange juice

1 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

120ml pure maple syrup

5 medium-sized sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon salt

115g pecan nuts, toasted and chopped

Combine the orange juice, star anise, cinnamon and maple syrup in a bowl.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 2.5cm-thick rounds. Put the sweet potatoes in a slow cooker, sprinkle with the salt and cover with the maple syrup mixture. Set the cooker to low and cook for about 6 hours until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Remove the cinnamon and star anise, and garnish the potatoes with the toasted pecans.

Sweet Potato with Maple Syrup and Toasted Pecans