4 SERVINGS
My best friend Debby created the most irresistible and simple sweet potato fries. She cuts the potatoes by hand, but you can use the slicing attachment on a food processor or a mandolin to save time. Enjoy the roasted slices plain or with the reduced balsamic syrup.
4 tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
4 or 5 medium sweet potatoes (about 3¼ pounds)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup balsamic vinegar (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush a baking sheet generously with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut each in half lengthwise. With the cut side down, cut each half into ½-inch-thick slices.
2. Mix the sweet potatoes in a bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the ginger, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Remove with a spatula and let cool.
3. If using the balsamic vinegar, while the sweet potatoes are roasting, cook the vinegar in a heavy, nonreactive pan until reduced by half into a thick syrup. Serve the syrup as a dipping sauce on the side.
Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes may be one of the most potent sources of beta-carotene and are thought to cleanse the digestive tract of harmful substances such as mercury. They contain a great deal of dietary fiber and, unlike many starchy vegetables, help regulate blood sugar.
