Sweet Potatoes With Cocoa-Sesame Butter
Cocoa powder and sweet potatoes might sound like an unexpected combination, but this recipe proves they’re actually a match made in heaven. Instead of doubling down on sweetness, the cocoa powder acts as a foil, taming the candied character of the root vegetable. Immediately adding the sesame seeds and cocoa powder to sizzling hot brown butter does double duty in this recipe. First, it lightly toasts the sesame seeds, infusing the butter with a deep nutty flavor. It also intensifies the chocolate’s depth by drawing out the flavor and unlocking even more of its aromas. The unique combination creates a savory, bittersweet compound butter that melts over the sweet potatoes, coating them in a glossy, nutty sheen. Topped with a tangle of curled scallions, this playful and unexpected side dish might just steal the show.
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What you’ll need
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$32 At Amazon
Platter
$40 $30 At Amazon
Small Saucepan
$155 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
2
2
2
½
2
1
1
1
2
3
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°. Place 2 lb. medium sweet potatoes (about 3), scrubbed, halved lengthwise, on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Toss to coat. Arrange sweet potatoes, cut side down, and roast until easily pierced with a fork, 40–50 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium, stirring constantly, until it foams, then subsides and turns golden brown with small brown specks throughout, about 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a medium heatproof bowl and whisk in 2 Tbsp. toasted white sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, and 2 tsp. pure maple syrup. (Don’t worry if mixture is not completely smooth.) Chill cocoa-sesame butter until partly solidified (it should be mostly firm but scoopable), about 40 minutes.
Step 3
Cut 3 scallions, white and pale green parts only, crosswise into 2"–3" pieces. Cut each piece in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again, or thirds if larger, to create long, thin matchsticks. (You want to end up with pieces that are relatively similar in size, so if any scallions are particularly large, cut them in half again.) Transfer to a large bowl of ice water and let soak 10 minutes. Drain curled scallions, then pat dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels.
Step 4
Transfer sweet potatoes to a platter and arrange cut side up. Top each half with a generous dollop of cocoa-sesame butter and scatter scallions over.