Sweet potatoes are wonderful. We love to dress them up or down. For this recipe we wanted a showstopper that could perform as an elegant small plate or as a main event.
We began by creating a complex-tasting, spicy-sweet glaze using some simple ingredients. See if you can find Hero brand Bitter Orange Marmalade, as it adds just the right balance of bitter with the sweet. Or you can use regular orange marmalade and add some fresh orange zest—that will work fine, too. This dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or any harvest meal.
Serves 4 as a small plate, 2 as a main dish
Prep time: 20 minutes
Roasting time: about 60 minutes
2 tablespoons butter or natural butter substitute like Earth Balance
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup bitter orange marmalade (or orange marmalade with zest of one orange stirred in)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 large sweet potatoes (about 3 pounds)
½ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional)
Make the glaze: In a saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter, stir in the rest of the ingredients for the glaze and bring to a low boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes; the glaze will bubble and thicken.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. In a large bowl, toss with the salt, black pepper, and garlic. When the glaze has thickened enough to coat a spoon, toss it with the sweet potatoes.
Spread out the coated sweet potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for about an hour, gently stirring every 15 minutes, until the glaze has been absorbed into the potatoes and they are soft and browned and crisp around the edges. Season with salt to taste.
For an added layer of flavor, serve topped with crumbles of creamy feta or goat cheese.
These bittersweet roasted sweet potatoes are a pleasant surprise next to Baked Eggs with Spinach and Frizzled Sage for a special brunch. Their distinctive flavor goes well with Quinoa Tabouli with Pomegranates and Pistachios or Pineapple-Lime Glazed Tofu with Spicy Cucumber Salad. They lend some warm heft to a salad meal, such as Spring Greens and Vegetables with Shallot Vinaigrette.