1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely grated onion
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 cup light olive oil
1 tablespoon celery seed
2/3 cup chopped toasted, chopped pecans
4 large sweet potatoes
1/3 cup (3 oz.) dried tart cherries
In
a small bowl, mix sugar, dry mustard, and kosher salt. In another
bowl, add grated onion to vinegar and mix well and then add to sugar
mixture. Slowly add in oil, whisking until completely blended. Stir in
celery seed. Dressing should be made and allowed to sit at room
temperature, while other ingredients are assembled, to allow time for
the sugar to dissolve.
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. Place chopped pecans on a baking sheet and bake
for 4 minutes; remove from oven and stir. Return the pecans to the oven
and toast for about 4 more minutes, until they begin to brown
slightly. Remove from oven and cool. (Do not allow them to overcook or
they will be dry and bitter.)
Clean
and dry sweet potatoes. Pierce each sweet potato with the point of a
sharp knife a few times. Microwave on high for 8 minutes and check for
doneness – they should still be firm with just a little give when
squeezed gently. Return to microwave, if more cooking is required, but
be careful not to overcook or they will be too mushy to cut! Cool,
peel, and cut into small bite-size cubes. Add dried cherries, pecans,
and dressing to sweet potatoes and toss gently to mix.
