9Cooks: Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of my favourite foods. I think I could eat them every day and not get sick of them. As long as they are cooked right that is...not the boiled, water-logged flavourless sort, or the ones dressed up with so much sugar and marshmallows that they become unrecognizable. No, just the plain simple sweet potato, baked or roasted in the oven, maybe dressed up with a wee bit of olive oil, fresh ground pepper and salt, or if I am feeling adventurous, a slight sprinkle of curry powder, but not much else. The oven is really all that is needed to bring out the flavour of this wonderful root vegetable. Baked used to be my favourite, in oven or the barbeque, wrapped in foil, it is one of the easiest (and healthiest) side dishes around. Being rich in complex carbs, beta carotene and vitamin c, it stands head and shoulders above most other vegetables on a nutritional scale. What is not to love?? But, I think the best way, my favourite by far, is roasting. When you chop them up and roast them, they reach new heights of flavour, carmeley and smoky sweet. My mouth is watering just writing this, I cannot wait for them to be out of the oven! I don’t peel mine, you can if you wish, but it is not necessary. Just give them a good scrub before chopping and you are good to go.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

3 lbs of sweet potatoes

Olive oil

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F

Chop your sweet potatoes up in to chunks, and place on a large baking sheet with sides.

Drizzle with olive oil (I usually drizzle a big “s” pattern over the pan, maybe 2 tablespoons ish?)

and sprinkle with sea salt

and black pepper to taste (it is hard to use a pepper grinder and take a picture!)

Mix up to distribute oil, salt and pepper. ( I use my hands, it works better!)

Bake in a preheated oven for approx an hour, until the edges of the chunks start to brown. Stir once or twice during the baking time to loosen them from the pan.