Savory Sweets with Bacon, Scallions and Cayenne

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Savory Sweets with Bacon, Scallions and Cayenne

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of antioxidants, and except for Thanksgiving Day when they are essential to the menu, we don’t eat enough of them. As their name clearly states, they have a natural sweetness, and we usually supplement that sweetness with more sweet ingredients like brown sugar or maple syrup. Ok, that works, but so does using savory ingredients like onions, curry powder, marjoram, nuts, and bacon. Here’s a delicious recipe to serve with a burger, roast chicken, pork, beef or turkey. So this once, toss aside the marshmallows and brown sugar, and try these Savory Sweets with Bacon, Scallions and Cayenne Pepper.

Savory Sweets with Bacon, Scallions, and Cayenne Pepper

2 large sweet potatoes, ends trimmed and well scrubbed

5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into ½-inch wide strips

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Freshly grated black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 scallions thinly sliced

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons water

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Testing Note: I discovered that leaving the nutritious skin on the sweet potato while roasting has no ill effect on the final dish. No peeling means less work and more nutritious goodness!

Cut each potato in half lengthwise then cut each halve into wedges about 1-inch thick. Leave the skin on!

Place spears in a single layer in a large shallow roasting pan.

Add the bacon to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until lightly browned and most of the fat is rendered, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary.

Using a slotted spoon or a Chinese skimmer, as shown here, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Pour the bacon fat in the skillet through a fine wire strainer to remove the largest browned bits from the grease …

… then drizzle about 1-1/2 tablespoons of fat over the potatoes. Use tongs to toss the spears in the bacon fat to coat them on all sides.

Tip: Only half of the fat in bacon grease is unsaturated, and as our grandmothers knew, it’s an economical way to add moisture and flavor to vegetables while they roast.

Sprinkle the spears with the ¼ teaspoon of Kosher salt, the cayenne pepper and black pepper to taste. Place in the preheated oven and roast 40 to 45 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender and well browned, turning once after 20 minutes.

Just before the potatoes are done, use a paper towel to wipe the skillet clean. Heat the olive oil in the skillet; add the browned bacon and the scallions, and cook about 1 minute over medium heat or just until the scallions start to soften. Add the vinegar and water and stir to combine.