While we love the way a roasted sweet potato collapses into a caramelized, custardy mush, we don’t always want to eat something that’s basically become vegetable pudding.
Photo: Lauren V. Allen
This recipe allows sweet potatoes to get the most out of the oven, but stops short of turning them to mush. Instead, the extra caramelization (and flavor) comes from using the superior searing power of a Field Skillet to quickly cook thick slices of the roasted potatoes, which are then glazed with a rich, umami-loaded trifecta of butter, miso, and maple.
Field Notes:
1.
Using your Field Skillet to fry sage is a triple-duty step: it gives you a crispy garnish for using later; flavors the oil, which the flavors the seared potatoes, and adds seasoning to your skillet.
Recipe: Roasted and Seared Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Miso Glaze and Fried Sage
Yield: 8 servings
Print RecipeIngredients
6 medium sweet potatoes (3 to 3½ pounds total), scrubbed
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup white miso
Vegetable or grapeseed oil, for frying the sage
20 large sage leaves
Kosher salt
Flaky sea salt
Tools
Resources
The Field Method for Cast Iron Care
Instructions
1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a No.12 Field Skillet. Roast the potatoes until just tender when pierced with a knife, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool for at least 15 minutes. (The roasted and cooled potatoes can be refrigerated for up to 1 day).
2.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the maple syrup and miso and heat, whisking, until smooth. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3.
Add enough vegetable oil to completely coat the bottom of a Field Skillet (you can reuse the No.12 skillet from above, or use a smaller size, if you want to use less oil). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the sage leaves and fry, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until crisp, 10 to 15 seconds. Using a wire spider or slotted spoon, transfer the sage to paper towels and season with salt.
4.
Slice the sweet potatoes crosswise, skin and all, into 2-inch pieces. Pour about 3 tablespoons of the oil from frying the sage leaves into a No.12 Field Skillet and set over medium-high heat.
5.
When the oil is shimmering, add the sweet potatoes, cut side down and cook until deeply browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the sweet potatoes over and cook until the other side is well browned, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Pour out any excess oil.
6.
Pour the butter-maple over the sweet potatoes and cook, basting the potatoes with a spoon, until the glaze has thickened and coated the potatoes, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving platter and drizzle with any remaining glaze. Sprinkle the sweet potatoes with flaky salt and scatter the fried sage over the top. Serve.
Seasoning Rating: Safe
This recipe uses your Field Skillet in a couple of different ways, first by roasting the whole sweet potatoes (which never adds nor takes away seasoning), then quickly searing the sliced tubers in plenty of oil, which will add a little bit. Just make sure you don’t wait hours to wash your skillet, or the leftover glaze will become sticky and require some scrubbing to remove.
Seasoning Ratings:
Best—These dishes are the best options for building resilient seasoning, and surefire choices for getting tricky pans back on track.
Better—The best way to keep your skillet in great shape is to cook frequently, and cast iron-friendly dishes like these are your bread and butter.
Safe—These recipes won't strip seasoning away from your pan, but won't really add any, either.
OK—Be sure to clean up promptly. Recipes with this rating might feature acidic ingredients which can affect seasoning if not washed soon after cooking.
