Sweet Potato With Pecan And Maple

• 2 sweet potatoes (about 850g in total)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 35g pecan nuts
• 4 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 4 Tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp roughly chopped coriander
• 1/4 tsp dried chili flakes
• 35g sultanas
• salt and pepper

For the dressing

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp orange juice
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 190 C. Start with the sweet potatoes. Don’t peel them! Cut them into 2 cm [3/4 inch], spread them out on a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper, mix well with your hands and then roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until just tender. Turn them over gently half way through cooking.

In a separate baking tray, toast the pecans for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and chop roughly.

To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl with some salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

When the potatoes are ready, transfer them to a large bowl while still hot. Add the spring onions, parsley, coriander, chilli, pecans and sultanas. Pour the dressing over and toss gently to blend, then season to taste. Serve at once or at room temperature.

*Source: Yotam Ottolenghi, The Cookbook