TODAY Food Club

The only recipe you need for oven-roasted sweet potatoes. They're so tender, they melt in your mouth! The maple-pecan sauce on top seals the deal. The business of making a starch melt in your mouth is actually quite simple. The only technique required is roasting in the oven with butter. A long time ago, we stopped drizzling things with melted butter before roasting in the oven. Also a long time ago, oven fries died. I’m not sure when oil became the only acceptable thing with which to roast, but its heyday has come and gone in my kitchen. I love neutral oils as much as the next chick, but golden brown and crispy, it does not make my starches. I’m back to the butter. Also back: my fat jeans.

Melting Sweet Potatoes

• Servings: 4 slices
• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cooking Time: 40 min

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh sweet potatoes
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup grade B maple syrup
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Have ready a roasting pan.
2. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into 1
3. Melt the butter, and drizzle it on top of the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle on the salt. Toss to coat, and then redistribute on the pan in a single layer, not touching.
4. Roast for 20 minutes.
5. Flip with tongs, and roast for another 20 minutes.
6. The potatoes are done when they're golden brown and crisp, and the insides are light and fluffy.
7. To make the maple pecan sauce: bring the maple syrup to a boil in a small sauce pan.
8. Add the pecans.
9. Wait for the sauce to come back to a boil, cook for 1 minute, and then remove from heat.
10. Pour the sauce over the sweet potatoes and serve.

Recipe Tags

• 5 or less ingredients
• American
• Side dish