INGREDIENTS
6 small garnet yams
Kosher salt to season
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
Peel of 3 orange
2 1⁄2 cups orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
Topping
1⁄2 cup ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/8” rounds
4 1⁄2 cups water
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
Supplies
9 x 13 baking dish or similar roasting pan
DIRECTIONS
Prepare oven according to Mugnaini’s Medium Roasting Environment, 550 – 625˚F.
Wash and dry the garnet yams. Take a sharp knife and score in a cross pattern all around the yams and cut in half lengthwise. Season with the kosher salt and place in a roasting pan that the yams will fit in somewhat tightly.
In a small pot combine the butter, brown sugar, orange peel, orange juice, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Pour the hot liquid into the pan with the yams and cover the pan lightly with foil. Slide into the oven away from the fire and cook for 1 hour, basting throughout the cooking time to glaze the sweet potatoes to a deep golden lacquer finish.
While the yams are cooking combine the ginger and water in a pot and reduce by 3/4, add the sugar to dissolve and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the ginger slowly to develop a glaze on the ginger and relatively thick syrup.
Remove the orange peel, cinnamon stick and star anise from the yams. Top the yams with the toasted pecans and pieces of the cooked ginger. Re-warm the yams close to the fire prior to serving for 5 – 10 minutes making sure to spoon the glaze over them while warming.
