Irresistible Sweet Potatoes

Many people think sweet potatoes and yams are a healthier potato choice than other potatoes. I guess I think that, too. Not dramatically better, and since I don't need to load them up with extras, like butter and sour cream, I lean toward these things more than regular potatoes.  Here, I offer up the sweeter version of "Irresistible Potatoes."

Instead of chicken fat, I'm going with bacon fat.  The next time you cook some bacon, poor the cooling fat off into a little jar and put it in the freezer. 

A Roasted Yam

Irresistible Sweet Potatoes

per person...

1 small sweet potato or yam*
1 tsp bacon fat or clarified butter**
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

If you have some sort of metal skewers, either actual potato nails or just some simple metal skewers for bbq or kebabs, skewer the potatoes, lengthwise.  I couldn't find my nails, so I used bbq skewers this time.

Using a sharp knife, slice down toward the skewer.  You slice crosswise through the potato.  Slice down until you hit the skewer.  Leave the skewers in for faster cooking.

Place each potato, cut side up, in a shallow cooking pan with a lip.  I use pie plates, which have smaller bottoms and collect the fat so I don't have to use as much.  Salt each potato and top each one with a dollop of fat or butter. When cooking, the fat will melt and pool in the pan, and a nice crust should form on the bottoms.  Good stuff.

Place in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes (longer times without the metal skewers).  The potatoes are done when the slices can be easily separated when touched or when the bases can be pierced with a fork.

Remove the skewers before serving.

Roasted Sweet Potato

* Did you know that what we know as a yam is really a sweet potato?  Yep.  It's an orange one.  An actual yam is some crazy jungle tuber that you've probably never had. 

** Clarified butter doesn't smoke up at higher temps.  Both can be made ahead and kept in the fridge or freezer. If you can't do butter or fat, I'd use light olive oil for the cooking process, then top with a bit of butter for flavor.