Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lime Syrup and Scallions

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Recipe from Gourmet | November 2005

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Lime syrup lends them addictive acid and tart notes, and fresh scallions add a faint onion flavor.  This dish tastes especially good while hot, but can be served at room temperature, perfect for a holiday dinner.

3 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (10 cups)

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted (The butter makes the dish quite good, but next time, I will try drizzling olive oil over the potatoes in place of the butter to cut the fat content.)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest

2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh scallions or chives

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper in a bowl until coated well, then spread in 1 layer in 2 shallow roasting pans (15 by 10 by 1 inch) and roast, uncovered, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until potatoes are tender and undersides are browned, 15 to 20 minutes total.

While potatoes roast, bring water, sugar, and lime juice to a boil in a very small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then simmer until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 3 to 4 minutes. Toss potatoes with syrup and zest in a large bowl, then sprinkle with chives.