Pecans can make any recipe better. Whether they add a nutritious crunch to oatmeal, star as the lead ingredient in pecan pie or give cookies that little something extra, pecans elevate the foods they touch.
In this recipe “Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes” from “Simply Scratch” (Avery) by Laurie McNamara, honey-covered pecans are the crowning touch on sweet potatoes, helping to make this side dish one to remember at any special meal.
Twice-Baked
Sweet Potatoes [Serves 4]
2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
2 tablespoons honey
3⁄4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Massage the olive oil onto the sweet potatoes and set them on a small baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife glides through effortlessly. Let cool until safe to handle. Keep the oven on.
Halve the sweet potatoes horizontally and carefully scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl. Set the skins aside. Add the butter, maple syrup, chili powder, cinnamon, and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt and use a potato masher to mash the filling until smooth.
In a small bowl, combine the honey, pecans, and a pinch of salt.
Place the skins side by side in a small baking dish. Spoon the filling in, dividing it evenly, and top with the honeyed pecans. Bake for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
