SHARE ALL-STAR Sides

Four beloved Thanksgiving side dishes (the true A-listers of the meal, let’s face it) get delicious twists.

- 

Melting Sweet Potatoes with Maple Chile Crisp

THIS EFFORTLESS side dish puts a sweet spin on classic French fondant (“melting”) potatoes. Skipping the stovetop, it cooks entirely in the oven, where the sweet potato medallions caramelize on a sheet pan then finish quickly in a spicy maple sauce. The potatoes transform, becoming velvety soft and creamy and infused with earthy sweetness. For even browning, don’t overcrowd the pan—give every sweet potato slice room to roast. (Crowding will generate steam and inhibit the surfaces from caramelizing.) A topping of candied pecans adds nutty crunch.

ACTIVE 15 MIN; TOTAL 50 MIN SERVES 8

2½ lb. small sweet potatoes (about 4), scrubbed and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds

2 Tbsp. canola oil

1 tsp. plus a pinch of kosher salt, divided

1 cup lower-sodium vegetable stock

¼ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup chile crisp (see Note)

2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 Tbsp. chopped candied pecans

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in top third position. Toss together sweet potatoes, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Arrange potatoes in a single layer and evenly spaced on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast potatoes, flipping once after 15 minutes, until browned, about 25 minutes.

2. Whisk together stock, maple syrup, and remaining pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Remove pan from oven (keep oven on), and pour mixture around roasted potatoes. Return to oven; roast until sweet potatoes are very soft and tender but not falling apart (about ½ cup stock mixture should still remain on the pan), about 10 minutes.