ROASTED PURPLE SWEET POTATOES with Romesco Sauce

SERVES 4

I love the combination of roasted sweet potatoes and romesco, a thick Spanish sauce made from roasted red peppers and nuts. The potatoes are sweet, and the sauce is tangy, salty, and a little spicy. Purple sweet potatoes, which have vibrant violet flesh (and are also high in vitamin C), are especially beautiful alongside the romesco, but if you can’t find them, substitute orange-fleshed Garnet, Beauregard, or Jewel sweet potatoes. These sweet potatoes are baked in their jackets, but you could also slice them into wedges and toss them with a bit of oil before roasting for 30 to 40 minutes, if you’re looking for something with a crispy-crunchy edge.

2 pounds medium purple sweet potatoes

Kosher salt

ROMESCO SAUCE

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained

½ cup lightly toasted blanched almonds or cashews

Juice of ½ lemon

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon sambal oelek or chili paste

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Rinse the potatoes, place on the prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle generously with salt. Use a paring knife to poke a few holes into each potato. Roast until the tip of a paring knife slips easily into the potato, about 45 minutes.

WHILE THE POTATOES BAKE, MAKE THE ROMESCO: Combine the peppers, almonds, lemon juice, garlic, salt, sugar, and sambal in the bowl of a food processor and process to a chunky puree. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to process until the sauce is thick and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and season to taste with additional salt.

Split the potatoes and spoon some of the romesco sauce onto each.