Fondant Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes - with Maple Butter Pecans

1. Sweet Potatoes – the more similar the size, the better, so they cook evenly. Leave the skin on – it holds the potato together (plus free extra nutrition).

2. Butter and oil are needed to minimise butter burning at the high temp we’re roasting in.

3. Maple syrup – use pure, not the artificially-flavoured stuff. If you can’t find it or it’s pricey where you are, opt for honey instead.

4. Pecans – this is the chopped volume, so it’s a little over 1/2 cup whole pecans. Other nuts that work a treat include walnuts, almonds and pistachios. I’m sure others do too, but these are just the nuts I’ve tried over the years with this sauce.

5. Pan juices – if you’re not using the maple butter sauce, then pour over all the residual pan juices over the potatoes. However avoid scraping up any burnt bits from the potato / butter because it will be bitter. If you are using the sauce, you don’t need the extra flavour – just use whatever ends up on your spatula (in any case, the base of the potatoes are soaked in pan juices!)

6. Storage – best served fresh on the day, either warm (my preference) or at room temp. Roasted potatoes generally don’t keep well – they sweat and become quite soggy and … sad. If you need a sweet potato dish to make ahead, I highly recommend this Savoury Sweet Potato Casserole(it’s got browned butter ribboned throughout!!).

7. Nutrition per serving, assuming this serves 8, including all the Maple Butter Pecan Sauce. Reduces to just under 200 calories without the Sauce.