Christmas Delight: Yams with Crispy Skins and Brown-Butter Vinaigrette

We made this dish out here in Seattle as part of Christmas dinner and it was amazing - the kind of amazing that requires you to take a moment to experience each bite and a minute or so of recovery afterwards. You bake and then cut the sweet potatoes into discs and drizzle them with a butter-shallot vinaigrette which is out of this world, which, when combined with the fried sweet potato skins, will send your taste buds out into the outer atmosphere. Below is the recipe, originally from Bon Apetit. It makes 6 servings. Would be a great meal for new years meals as well.

Ingredients

· 4 slender medium garnet yams or other yams (red-skinned sweet potatoes; about 5 pounds total), rinsed, dried

· ½ Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

· 1 small shallot, peeled

· 1 small garlic clove, peeled

· 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning

· 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

· 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

For The Crispy Skins

· Vegetable oil (for frying)

1. Cook the Sweet Potatos. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce each yam in several places with fork. Place directly on oven rack and roast until just tender, 40 to 50 minutes, depending on size of yams.

Transfer roasted yams to work surface. Using scissors, cut off ends of each yam, then cut skin on 1 long side and peel off in 1 piece, being careful not to break warm yams. Let yams cool to room temperature. Tear or cut skins into long ribbons, about 1 inch wide. Cover yams with aluminum foil to keep moist.

2. Prepare the Vinaigrette. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook until butter browns (milk solids will turn deep golden brown), stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully pour butter, including all brown milk solids, into small bowl.

Blend shallot, garlic, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt in processor until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Add Dijon mustard, then red wine vinegar. With motor running, gradually drizzle in butter (including browned milk solids). Season vinaigrette to taste with pepper and additional salt. Vinaigrette can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Blend again 5 seconds before using.

3. Fry the Skins. Pour enough vegetable oil into large deep skillet to reach depth of 1 inch. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of skillet and heat oil to 350°F. Add yam skins in batches (oil will bubble up) and fry until skins are crisp and brown, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer yam skins to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle skins with coarse salt and pepper.

4. Put it all Together. Cut yams crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Arrange rounds, slightly overlapping, in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish or other ovenproof dish. Rewarm yams in 350°F oven 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Spoon vinaigrette over potatoes. Scatter crisp skins over and serve.