by Barbara Damrosch
Combine sweet potatoes and shallots, roasted with plenty of sage.
4 to 6 servings
SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 4 ounces slab bacon cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1/2 cup)
- 3/4 pound large shallots
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2-1/2 pounds), peeled
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- Black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fry the bacon cubes briefly in a small pan over very low heat to render some of the fat, stirring frequently and being careful not to get them too brown.
- Remove them with a slotted spoon and set them aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Peel the shallots, separating the individual cloves.
- Cut the peeled sweet potatoes into 1-1/2-inch chunks.
- Combine the shallots and sweet potatoes in a bowl and pour in the bacon fat.
- Add the salt and a generous grating of pepper, and mix the ingredients thoroughly.
- Place them in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan, large enough to contain them in one layer.
- Roast, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until the sweet potatoes feel soft when pierced with the tip of a knife.
- Add the bacon and sage, stir to mix, and return to the oven to cook for 5 to 10 minutes more to crisp the bacon and sage a bit.
- Serve hot or warm.
Looking for a savory sweet potato recipe? Both sweet potatoes and shallots caramelize beautifully when roasted, their flavors intensified. Together, they make a sweet and savory winter meal, especially when accented with sage and smoky bacon. They make a good side dish when cooked together in a pan, but you can also strew them around a pork roast or a roasting fowl. If they’re the main event, serve them with a salad of winter greens, such as cabbage or kale.
