Fondant Slow Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Maple Butter Pecans Food

FONDANT SLOW-ROASTED SWEET POTATOES - WITH MAPLE BUTTER PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 240°C/465°F (220°C fan).
• Cut the potatoes into 3cm / 1.2" discs.
• Place the potatoes in a large roasting pan or baking sheet with tallish sides (we're adding liquid later).
• Drizzle with butter and oil, sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Squidge around, turn potatoes, sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
• Roast: Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
• Turn, continue roasting: Carefully turn potatoes, then roast for a further 15 minutes.
• Baste, add stock: Spoon the butter/oil collecting in the pan over the potatoes. Then carefully pour the stock in around the potatoes, and scatter the garlic into the liquid.
• Roast to absorb stock: Return to the oven, and roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed/evaporated. The exact time depends on the height of pan walls / how heavy-based your pan is etc.
• Assemble & serve: Transfer potatoes to serving platter, scraping up some of the pan juices as you go (Note 5), and piling them high on the plate. Pour over Maple Butter Pecan Sauce and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves just before serving. Serve warm - or at room temperature!
• Place pecans in a saucepan or small skillet over medium high heat. Stir for 30 seconds until you can smell the pecans. Add remaining ingredients, then once the butter melts and it starts bubbling, simmer on medium heat for 1 1/2 minutes until it reduces and thickens slightly (it gets thicker as it cools).
• Transfer to serving jug. Serve over potatoes.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES WITH PECANS AND SPICED MAPLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees F and arrange rack in the middle.
• While oven heats, place pecans on a baking sheet to toast until they smell nutty and are slightly darker, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Roast until golden brown and tender when pierced with a knife, about 40 to 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it foams, stir in maple syrup and cayenne and let cook briefly, about 1 minute. Serve sweet potatoes with a drizzle of maple butter and a scattering of pecans.

MAPLE GLAZED SWEET POTATOES WITH PECAN TOPPING

Steps:

• Set oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• In a large pot bring water with about 1 tablespoon salt to a full boil.
• Add in sweet potatoes and bring back to a boil; simmer/blanch for about 5 minutes (no more than 5 minutes at a boil); drain and rinse under COLD water; pat dry slightly with paper towels.
• Arrange the potatoes in the buttered dish, overlapping slighty.
• Sprinkle with about 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt.
• Pour the maple syrup over potatoes in the dish.
• Dot with about 6 tablespoons butter.
• Cover with foil, and bake until the potatoes are ALMOST tender (about 25-30 minutes).
• In a small bowl or cup mix the flour and brown sugar together.
• Add in 7 tablespoons butter; rub together with fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; mix in pecans.
• Remove the dish from oven and sprinkle the pecan mixture over over the potatoes.
• Return to oven (uncovered) to bake for another 20 minutes.