Description
This recipe features fondant-style slow-roasted sweet potatoes cooked in chicken stock until meltingly creamy inside and caramelized outside. Paired with a luscious maple butter pecan sauce, this dish balances sweet and savory flavors, making it a perfect side to elevate any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 1.5 kg / 3 lb sweet potatoes – 3 thick ones
- 25g / 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
Maple Butter Pecans
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the Sweet Potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into thick, even pieces about 3-4 cm thick. This size ensures they cook evenly and maintain a tender texture inside.
- Season and Sear: In a large oven-safe pan or skillet, melt the 25g of unsalted butter with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and season with kosher salt (or table salt) and black pepper. Allow them to sear on both sides until they develop a golden, caramelized surface – this usually takes about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Add Garlic and Stock: Once the sweet potatoes are seared, add the finely minced garlic and pour in the 1 1/4 cups of low sodium chicken stock carefully to avoid splashing the seared potatoes.
- Slow Roast: Bring the stock to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid or foil and let the sweet potatoes cook ‘fondant’ style—slowly and gently roasting in the stock for about 45-60 minutes, or until the potatoes are meltingly tender on the inside.
- Prepare Maple Butter Pecan Sauce: While the potatoes are roasting, combine the maple syrup, 30g of unsalted butter, chopped pecans, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir gently until the butter melts and the mixture is well combined and warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in fresh thyme leaves.
- Finish and Serve: Once the potatoes are tender and the stock has mostly evaporated or been absorbed, transfer them carefully to serving plates. Drizzle generously with the warm maple butter pecan sauce and garnish with additional thyme if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- This slow-roasting technique infuses the sweet potatoes with savory flavor from the stock while keeping the texture creamy and soft inside, creating a fantastic contrast with the caramelized edges.
- The maple butter pecan sauce adds a deliciously sweet and nutty finish. You can serve the potatoes plain or with this sauce depending on your preference.
- For a tangier alternative, try swapping the maple butter pecan sauce with a honey lemon sauce to bring brightness and cut through the sweetness.
- Using low sodium stock is recommended to control the overall salt level in the dish effectively.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 326 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 421 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
