Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Spicy Pecans and Cider Vinaigrette

Cider Vinaigrette and Spicy Pecans

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  
• 1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
  
• 1 teaspoon honey
  
• 4 tablespoons good quality olive oil
  
• 1 cup pecan halves
  
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
  
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  

1. Place vinegar, mustard, and honey in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Alternately, you could add all ingredients to a jelly jar and shake until combined. The vinaigrette can be made up to a day ahead.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine pecans, brown sugar, butter, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and toss well to combine. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. Spread pecans on a sheet of foil or waxed paper to cool completely. The pecans be made up to two days ahead.

Salad

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in 3/4 inch pieces
  
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  
• 2-3 tablespoons dried cranberries
  
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
  
• 1 bunch green leaf lettuce (or other tender greens), torn into bite-size pieces
  

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sweet potato pieces, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet and roast approximately 20 minutes until the potato is tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and keep warm while preparing the rest of the salad.
2. Place the torn greens on a platter. Arrange the warm sweet potato on top of the greens. Distribute the cranberries, cheese, and nuts evenly around the potato. Drizzle the salad with the prepared vinaigrette. Serve while the sweet potato is still warm.