Carrots & Sweet Potatoes with Leeks & Bacon
White sweet potatoes are a little sweeter than the garnet variety and add great flavor with other vegetables.
- 3 large white sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large leek, sliced
- 12 slices of bacon
- Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
- 8 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
- Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put a large pot of salted water to boil. Wash sweet potatoes and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. When soft remove them to cool. Place bacon on a sheet tray and bake in the oven. Drain fat periodically and reserve. When bacon reaches desired state of crispiness, cool and chop.
Place carrots in boiling water and cook until al dente. The cooking time will depend on how large the chunks are. Drain. Sauté leek in butter for 3 minutes, then add carrot, salt and pepper, and some of the reserved bacon fat until leek is cooked and flavors are married, about 5 minutes. Toss in the chopped bacon.
When the potatoes are cool enough to touch, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh. Mash with salt, pepper, a few tablespoons of bacon fat and the juice of half a lemon. Taste, and if you like, add more lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy.
