Roasted Sweet Potato Spears With Bacon Vinaigrette

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 4 lbs medium sweet potatoes (about 7)
• 1/2 lb sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, reserving sliced greens separately
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water

Recipe

• 1 put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450°f.
• 2 peel sweet potatoes, then cut each lengthwise into 6 spears.
• 3 cut spears in half crosswise if desired, then arrange in 1 layer in a large (17- by 12-inch) shallow baking pan.
• 4 cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
• 5 transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then pour bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve potato spears and toss with 2 spatulas to coat.
• 6 sprinkle spears with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and roast (uncovered), turning every 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender and edges are browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• 7 transfer to a serving dish.
• 8 return bacon to cleaned skillet, then add oil and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking.
• 9 stir in white part of scallions and remove from heat.
• 10 stir in vinegar, water, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and pour over potato spears.
• 11 sprinkle potatoes with scallion greens and serve warm.
• 12 cooks' note: bacon can be cooked and sweet potatoes can be cut and tossed with bacon fat (but not salt and pepper) 1 day ahead. cool potatoes, uncovered, then chill, covered with plastic wrap. chill bacon separately, covered. sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper and bring to room temperature before proceeding.