Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Pat Tyler

(sweet potatoes)

Savory recipe
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

4 medium sweet potatoes
cooking spray for preparing bake sheet
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely shopped or grated
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
¼ C pecans or pine nuts, finely chopped
½ C orange juice

Dipping Sauce

½ C nonfat Greek yogurt
1 scallion, white & green parts, chopped
2 - 3 slices of bacon, cooked and broken into bits
salt & pepper to taste


Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Make a series of ⅛-inch slices along each potato leaving about enough of the potato uncut to provide a spine to hold the slices together through the cooking process — ⅛ to ¼ the diameter of the potato.
3. Spray the cut potatoes with cooking spray or rub with part of the melted butter. Rub the oil into the potatoes separating the slices somewhat.
4. Place potatoes on the baking sheet and roast approximately 30 min. until the potatoes are about half tender or al dente.
5. While the potatoes are roasting: In a small sauce pan, stir together the remaining butter, oil, thyme, garlic, ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, nuts, and orange juice. Cook to reduce by about half and thicken this mixture slightly. Set aside to spread over the potatoes when they are half done.
6. Remove the potatoes from the oven and run a fork gently across the tops of the potatoes, using light pressure, to fan the slices and separate them. Spoon the orange, herb & nut topping into the spaces opened between the potato slices.
7. Return the potatoes to the oven to finish baking, approximately and additional 20 minutes.
8. While the baking continues, cook the bacon until crisp and break into small bits. Then whisk together the yogurt, scallion, bacon and salt and pepper. Serve this on the side as a dipping sauce for the potatoes.