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Sweet Potatoes w/Caramelized Onions & Maple Pecans
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Ingredients
  • 2 lb. sweet potatoes, whole
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. oil
  • 3 medium red onions, sliced
  • Water, wine, or balsamic vinegar for deglazing onions
  • ½ c. pecan pieces
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Prick sweet potatoes in a couple places with a fork or knife & roast whole on a baking sheet until soft, about 30-40 minutes (while they’re roasting, get going on the caramelized onions & candied pecans).
  3. Remove from oven & let cool enough to handle, then scoop out flesh into an oiled casserole dish & mash with butter, cream, salt, & pepper. Set aside.
  4. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy bottomed skillet (preferably not non-stick) & add onions. Spread them out evenly over the pan & let cook, stirring occasionally & reducing the heat to medium or medium low to prevent the onions from burning or drying out. Sprinkle some salt over the onions & let cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Add a little water or wine to the pan whenever they really start to stick (you want them to brown as that’s how their sugars caramelize, but not burn). As the onions cook down, you may have to scrape the pan more frequently. Continue to cook & scrape until the onions are a rich, browned color. At the end of the cooking process add a little wine or balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan.
  6. Spread over the prepared sweet potatoes in the casserole dish. At this point you can reheat it or refrigerate & save for later (will store for a few days in the fridge). Cover with tinfoil & reheat at 350 degrees to serve (about 10 minutes if it’s still warm, or 30 minutes if you’ve refrigerated it).
  7. While you’re roasting the sweet potatoes, toss pecans, maple syrup, & some salt in a bowl & spread out in a single layer on a greased, rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the 400 degree oven (with the sweet potatoes is fine) for 8-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until toasty brown. Let cool on a rack. Sprinkle over hot casserole right before serving. Serves 6-8.