Try this for your Thanksgiving menu, roasted on the bottom rack of the oven, along with scalloped potatoes or Creamy Garlic Potatoes (page 144), while the turkey roasts on the rack above. If you slice the potatoes ahead, rinse them well in cold water and drain to prevent discoloring.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 to 8 servings

　　2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

　　1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

　　

Step 1

Position the oven racks so that they are evenly spaced if you are roasting the vegetables alone. Position a rack in the bottom of the oven if you are roasting them with poultry or meat. Preheat the oven to convection roast at 300° to 325°F, depending on the temperature needed for the poultry or roast.

　　

Step 2

Butter a 1 1/2- to 2-quart shallow casserole. Arrange the sweet potatoes in the casserole. Sprinkle with the salt and orange zest. Pour the orange juice over them. Cover with foil.

　　

Step 3

Roast on the center or bottom rack for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the foil during the last 15 minutes of roasting.

　　From Cooking with Convection by Beatrice Ojankangas. Copyright (c) 2005 by Beatrice Ojankangas. Published by Broadway Books.Beatrice Ojakangas has written more than a dozen cookbooks, including Beatrice Ojakangas' Great Holiday Baking Book, Beatrice Ojakangas' Light and Easy Baking, Pot Pies, Quick Breads, Light Desserts, The Finnish Cookbook, and The Great Scandinavian Baking Book. Beatrice works as a consultant for Pillsbury and other major food companies, teaches cooking classes, and writes for various food magazines. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.