This recipe is a Foster family standard, a permanent fixture at holidays and other large family gatherings. Along with most other Southerners, I’ve been a huge fan of sweet potatoes for as long as I can remember, but in my case I think this sticky-sweet preparation may be the root of my obsession. When I make it today, I add fresh orange juice and zest to brighten the flavors and cut the sweetness just a hair, yielding what I think of as a grown-up version of this childhood favorite.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)

　　1 cup water

　　1/2 cup granulated sugar

　　1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

　　4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

　　Juice of 1 orange

　　1 cinnamon stick

　　Pinch of sea salt

　　

Step 1

Peel the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 or 4 wedges, depending on the size of the potato.

　　

Step 2

Place the potatoes and water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and salt and bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a small knife and the sauce is thick and syrupy. Serve warm with the syrup spooned over and around the potatoes.

　　

On the Side

Step 3

Sweet potatoes and pork are a match made in heaven, so I especially like serving these with Memphis-Style Barbecued Spare Ribs (page 166) or Slow-Roasted Pulled Pork Butt (page 177). Of course, they also make a great side for dishes like Standing Rib Roast with Simple Horseradish Cream Sauce (page 202) or Barbecued Turkey (page 150).

　　Reprinted with permission from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal by Sara Foster. Copyright © 2011 by Sara Foster. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Sara Foster is the owner of Foster's Market, the acclaimed gourmet take-out store/cafés in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the author of several cookbooks including The Foster's Market Cookbook, winner of the Best Cookbook Award from the Southeast Booksellers Association. She has appeared numerous times on Martha Stewart Living Television and NBC's Today show. She has also been featured in magazines such as More, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is featured regularly in Bon Appétit.