Roasted Yam and Onion Dip
Yield: about 1/2 cup

This is my mom's way of roasting a turkey. She drapes a cheesecloth over the breast to help the basting juices soak in, keeping the breast nice and moist. To calculate the roasting time, use 18-20 minutes per pound as a guide. Remember to turn the oven down to 350 degrees as soon as the turkey goes into the oven.

A rich and roasted melding of “creamed” yams, onions and garlic to make a perfect all-season dip for veggies, crackers or crusty whole grain bread.

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus another 1 tablespoon for blending
2 medium yams, halved length-wise, skins on
1 yellow onion, halved, skins on
6 cloves garlic, skins on
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons unrefined sugar or agave nectar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
Garnish: olive oil and toasted pine nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and set the rack to the middle of the oven.

2. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil onto a large sheet pan and spread it evenly around the pan. Place the yam and onion pieces, cut sides down, onto the oiled pan. Wrap the garlic in a piece of aluminum foil and set onto the pan.

3. Place the pan into the oven and roast for 45-50 minutes, until the yam is tender and the onions are golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool.

4. When cool enough to handle, scrape the yam meat into the bowl of a food processor, discarding the skins. Slip the skins from the onions and garlic and discard the skins. Add the onion and garlic to the processor.

5. Add the remaining ingredients, including the additional 1 tablespoon olive oil, to the processor and blend until smooth. Chill or cool to room temperature.

6. Transfer to a decorative bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle the top with the pine nuts.

©2007 Copyright Alison Anton - All rights reserved.