While Louisiana sweet potatoes are tasty enough on their own—roasted to perfection or served casserole-style with pecans or marshmallows—we decided to kick it up a notch this holiday season. Hasselback potatoes make for a showstopping side dish, and this sweet and savory version benefits from Cajun spices, cane syrup, and a liberal sprinkling of crushed cracklin’s.
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning*
- 6 tablespoons cane syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup coarsely crushed seasoned pork cracklin’ strips
- Garnish: chopped fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Cut ⅛- to ¼-inch-thick slits crosswise into potatoes, being careful not to cut all the way through (potatoes should remain intact at least ¼ inch from bottom). Place potatoes on prepared pan. Brush with oil; sprinkle with salt and Cajun seasoning.
- Bake until softened, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cane syrup, vinegar, melted butter, and thyme. Reserve ¼ cup syrup mixture. Gently fan out potato slices, and brush with syrup mixture.
- Bake until tender, about 15 minutes more, basting once with syrup mixture. Drizzle with reserved ¼ cup syrup mixture. Sprinkle with pork cracklin’. Garnish with thyme, if desired.
Notes
*We used Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning.
