Roast Sweet Potato with Pickled Red Onions & Feta

I was getting tired of sweet potato fries but I didn’t want to spend too much time on a sweet potato side dish for dinner. I was perusing various Ottolenghi cookbooks for recipes and came across one for sweet potatoes with pickled onions, coriander and goat’s cheese. But I had no limes nor coriander or goat cheese, and my husband isn’t the biggest fan of allspice.

And so I simplified and substituted. I decided to forgo the citrus as I figured the pickled onions would provide enough acid. I used feta and garnished with parsley. I seasoned the diced sweet potato with salt and pepper only, after massaging with olive oil. The results were a flavorful side dish full of contrasting textures and flavors (soft sweet potato, crunchy pickled red onions and creamy salty feta).

Yields 2-4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp white-wine vinegar
• ½ small red onion, peeled and cut into thin slices
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1-2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2″ dice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• chopped parsley to garnish

PREPARATION

Add vinegar, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt to red onion slices. Make sure red onion slices are separated so don’t be afraid to get your fingers into it and massage the pickling liquid and onions. Let sit for at least 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place rack near bottom. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine diced sweet potatoes with three tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon and pepper. Transfer sweet potato to pan and bake until golden brown, could take up to 30 minutes.

Arrange sweet potatoes in serving dish or bowl. Sprinkle with feta cheese and scatter pickled red onion on top. Garnish with chopped parsley.