Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Pancetta & Sage Vinaigrette Recipe

Sweet potatoes were not my thing as I was growing up. In fact, they were not my thing until, about 12 years ago, I tasted the sweet potato fries at Docks Oyster Bar on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Docks, at that time, was located on Broadway and 91st Street - about 3 blocks away from our apartment. While I could probably have ordered the fries to be delivered to my apartment, Docks would beckon us into its warm, dark-wood interior. Actually, I could have ordered sweet potato fries from Docks, a cheeseburger from McDonald's, and a bottle of wine from Gotham Wines, and have all of it delivered within a half-hour. If you are looking to live the life of a hermit with a serious case of heartburn, New York City is the place for you.

Docks' sweet potato fries were crispy, slightly spicy, and lick-the-platter good. I remember one particular evening when my then-boyfriend (now husband) was out of town. I wandered up to Docks after a long work day and sat at the bar. I ordered a glass of wine, a plate of raw oysters (with plenty of horseradish), and a platter of sweet potato fries. What a meal! Unfortunately, I didn't have the good sense to stop at one glass of wine. I was in my twenties - what do you want from me? After having a little too much to drink, I tend to convince myself that I'm rather talented in many areas of life. That's the kind of mindset that led to the birth of karaoke. I was jotting down some thoughts in my spiral-bound notebook when it seemed like a good idea to start sketching. One thing you should know about me is that I can't draw my way out of a box. When I was a kid, my parents would bring paper and a pen to keep me entertained when we went out to eat. By the end of the evening, I would present them with several drawings of phone booths (seriously) and houses. Squares and rectangles - my parents would just sigh and pat me on the head. That evening at Docks, however, I had drawn a "masterful" rose and felt that it was so good that I called the bartender over to admire my work. He cut me off after that. Ah well, I'll always have karaoke.

This recipe is adapted from one in Bobby Flay's Grilling for Life. Bobby made this vinaigrette with rosemary. However, my sage plant is threatening to strangle the rest of herbs. For the sake of herbal harmony, I decided to use sage in this recipe.

Place 3 large, unpeeled sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Boil the potatoes until they are just cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the pot and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add 4 ounces of diced pancetta to the pan and cook until it is browned and crisp. Be careful of spattering grease! Turn down the heat a little if it is spattering too much.

Okay, you caught me. I didn't have time to run out for pancetta, so I used bacon. Bacon and pancetta are both made from pork bellies. However, bacon is cured and smoked, but pancetta is simply cured. If you don't have pancetta, you can remove the smoked flavor from the bacon by cooking it in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. It definitely isn't the same, but it will do in a pinch.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked pancetta from the skillet and let it drain on a piece of paper towel.

To the pancetta drippings in the pan, add 1 diced medium shallot. Cook until browned, about 1 minute. Add ¼ cup red wine vinegar and cook for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and stir in ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover to keep warm.

No photos of this whole process. The whole thing went too fast. I had to choose between taking photos or scorching myself on hot grease. I love my readers, but I love my unblemished skin more.

Preheat a grill to high heat.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them into ¼-inch rounds.

Brush the rounds with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Place the sweet potato round on the grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes, turning once, until they are lightly browned and just cooked through.

Transfer the grilled potatoes to a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Sprinkle the cooked pancetta over the potatoes and serve them hot or at room temperature.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Pancetta & Sage Vinaigrette

3 large, unpeeled sweet potatoes

¼ cup, plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, finely diced

1 medium shallot, diced

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1 ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Boil the potatoes until they are just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the pot and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the diced pancetta to the pan and cook until it is browned and crisp. Be careful of spattering grease! Turn down the heat a little if it is spattering too much. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked pancetta from the skillet and let it drain on a piece of paper towel.

To the pancetta drippings in the pan, add the diced shallot. Cook until browned, about 1 minute. Add the red wine vinegar and cook for an additional minute. Remove from the heat and stir in ¼ cup olive oil, finely chopped fresh sage leaves, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Preheat a grill to high heat. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them into ¼-inch rounds. Brush the rounds with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place the sweet potato round on the grill and cook for approximately 5 minutes, turning once, until they are lightly browned and just cooked through.

Transfer the grilled potatoes to a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle the cooked pancetta over the potatoes and serve them hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

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