Serves8 to 10
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:45 min
November 2003
We strongly recommend using light-colored metal (including nonstick) shallow baking pans (1 large or 2 small) for this recipe. When we used dark baking pans, the potatoes blackened before they were completely cooked through.
-
3
lb
medium sweet potatoes, peeled and each cut lengthwise into 8 spears
-
1/4
cup
vegetable oil
-
1 1/4
teaspoons
salt
-
5
tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
1/3
cup
molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
-
1/3
cup
bottled horseradish (including juice; 3 oz)
-
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 450ºF.
-
If potato spears are very long, halve them diagonally. Toss potatoes with oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep). Roast in lower third of oven, turning once or twice, until tender, 18 to 22 minutes. Leave oven on.
-
While potatoes roast, bring butter, molasses, horseradish (with juice), and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes.
-
Transfer mixture to a blender and purée 30 seconds (use caution when blending hot liquids). Pour glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on and discarding solids. Drizzle glaze over cooked sweet potatoes and gently toss until coated.
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Just before serving, bake glazed sweet potatoes in lower third of oven until hot, 3 to 5 minutes.
Cooks’ note: Sweet potatoes can be roasted 2 hours ahead. Toss with glaze and reheat just before serving.
