Sweet Potatoes with Pecans, Goat Cheese and Celery

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Even though we host Thanksgiving every year, the holiday has become a time to both relax and reflect on our many blessings. How does one relax while hosting a holiday? Wish I could take credit for being zen-like by nature but it is not the case. I am only able to enter a relaxed state by ordering Thanksgiving dinner from Metropolitan Market and then filling in the blanks with homemade pie and an appetizer. Metropolitan Market does such a fabulous job maintaining classic flavors (I am a stuffing junky and their stuffing is amazing!), that I have decided to let them do the hard work. Why reinvent the wheel, right? Last year I was fairly motivated so I prepared two pies from scratch and an appetizer. This year, I decided to make one appetizer, one pie and to have Brad prepare a Thanksgiving cocktail.

Although the recipes were new to me, the bulk of my preparation time was spent setting a beautiful table; which is always enjoyable. The setting was quite a departure in color and complexity from my usual Thanksgiving table (this year's table setting was much simpler) and it turned out even prettier than in previous years.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

The appetizer I chose to prepare was Sweet Potatoes with Pecans, Goat Cheese and Celery. The recipe was originally designed to be served as a side dish in place of classic Sweet Potato Casserole. When I looked at the recipe however, I immediately envisioned it as an appetizer instead of a side dish. Served as any part of a meal, this dish would not disappoint.

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp olive oil
3 lb sweet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch coins
salt
3/4 cup toasted and cooled pecan halves, chopped
1 large shallot, minced
4 stalks celery, chopped
10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp dried cranberries or cherries, minced (optional but I used cranberries)
3 oz firmish goat cheese, crumbled
4 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp smooth Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat large baking sheet generously with olive oil (about 1 to 2 Tbsp). Lay sweet potatoes in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Photo Courtesy of Brad Lovejoy

Roast, without disturbing for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece; undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from pan with no effort. If they don't, cook longer. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper and return to pan for another 10 minutes or so, until underside matches top.

Meanwhile, prepare salad. In large bowl, combine pecans, shallots, celery, parsley, cranberries and goat cheese. In small dish, whisk together 4 Tbsp olive oil, vinegar and mustard. Pour half over salad and toss.

When potatoes are done, arrange then on serving platter. Scoop spoonful of salad over each round. Drizzle remaining dressing over top to taste. Serve immediately.

The recipe is savory, sweet, not too heavy and just plain tasty. I do however, highly recommend using the optional cranberries. The sweetness was perfect against the richness of the goat cheese and pecans and the chewy texture partnered beautifully with the crunchy celery. Just a reminder that pecans are easy to burn while toasting. The process works best when using a skillet on low heat and stirring the nuts frequently.

Just a side note that I used organic vegetables from PCC Natural Market and herbs from my garden for this recipe. I also want to give some love to my friend Heidi Matzen for preparing delicious green bean and sweet potato casseroles for our meal. The Matzens were our Thanksgiving guests last year as well as this year and they are lively and lovely guests. The lively comes from her husband Tom, 2 year-old son Vaughan, and 4-year old son Griffin and the lovely is courtesy of Heidi. :) We are truly thankful for such dear friends.

Recipes for pie and cocktail to follow........

Recipe Source:
In Style Magazine, November 2012