Sheet Pan

Spice Crusted Bacon Wrapped Maple Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

by:
March 26, 2012
0
0 Ratings
  • Makes 40-60 wedges
Author Notes

Here the natural sweetness of maple syrup and sweet potatoes is balanced by salt, robust spices and smoky bacon. Likewise the creamy insides of the potatoes are complemented by the crunch of the bacon and the roasted potato peel. You may feel that they are plenty flavorful on their own, but here is a garlicky aioli for those who would like a dipping sauce. —LeBec Fin

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Ingredients
  • Garlic Lemon Aioli
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 5-6 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1-1 1/2 cups total of canola and/or extra virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • tamari (or Japanese soy sauce)
  • Spice Roasted Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Wedges
  • 6 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground toasted or raw cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic Salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tablespoon Madras curry powder (Sun brand is excellent
  • 1/2 tablespoon cayenne
  • 1/4 cup Grade B Maple syrup, heated
  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes** (red skinned Jewel or Japanese yams are particularly sweet) cut into large finger like wedges, skin on
  • 1-2 pounds bacon slices*, cut in half crosswise, 1 per wedge
  • toothpicks(sturdy, round)) or short skewers
Directions
  1. Garlic Lemon Aioli
  2. In mini processor, combine garlic through lemon juice. While running, drizzle in oil til thick. Add pepper and more lemon if needed. Add some tamari for a deeper flavor. Allow a day for flavors to meld.
  1. Spice Roasted Bacon Wrapped Sweet Potato Wedges
  2. Over medium heat, heat oil in skillet. Add cumin through curry and simmer 3-4 minutes until fragrant, stirring continuously with a flat edged paddle or spatula. DO NOT BURN!
  3. Immediately pour over sweet potato wedges in a bowl and stir until coated.Add more oil if needed.Add maple syrup.
  4. Wrap a bacon piece around the waist of each wedge, so that the overlapping is downward, and secure with a toothpick(through the meaty part of the bacon, not the fat.) Lay out in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan.Roast in top of preheated 400 degree F oven until wedges are browned and can be easily pierced with a skewer. Serve as is or with aioli. Delicious room temperature as well.
  5. * Bacon varies a lot. When I used center cut bacon, I did not need to pre-cook it. But try a sample wedge with your bacon. If the bacon is not cooked through after you wrap and roast a few trial wedges for 15 minutes, then pre-cook the bacon 10 minutes or so and wrap and skewer that piece around the wedge and proceed to roast.
  6. **Japanese yams or Jewel yams/sweet potatoes are surprisingly candy sweet, and creamy like ice cream. This recipe was done with them. If you are using regular orange skinned sweet potatoes, you may want to add a little more maple syrup to the glaze.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

My eating passions are Japanese, Indian, Mexican; with Italian and French following close behind. Turkish/Arabic/Mediterranean cuisines are my latest culinary fascination. My desert island ABCs are actually 4 Cs: citrus, cumin, cilantro, cardamom, and GARLIC! I am so excited by the level of sophistication that I see on Food52 and hope to contribute recipes that will inspire you like yours do me. I would like to ask a favor of all who do try a recipe of mine > Would you plse review it and tell me truthfully how it worked for you and/or how you think it would be better? I know many times we feel that we don't want to hurt someone's feelings, but. i really do want your honest feedback because it can only help me improve the recipe.Thanks so much.

4 Reviews

fearlessem January 24, 2015
This sounds amazing -- will try it soon, as I've got Japanese yams in the fridge!
LeBec F. April 2, 2012
hi galin, you know, i don't think i can think of another vegetable that is as sweet as these 'japanese yams'. (Can you?)If i were to try them as a pie filling or a creme brulee or ice cream, i don't think i'd use ANY sugar with them.They literally don't need any sugar added, so, in this recipe, it's the hot, salty and and spicy spice oil , and the smokiness of the bacon- that helps counter all that sweetness.
BoulderGalinTokyo April 2, 2012
I think that's the lure of Ishi Yaki imo- stone grilled sweet potatoes just carmelized, eaten with peeling on--what a meal!
BoulderGalinTokyo April 2, 2012
These look great, with the spices and Japanese yams--smell the bacon!