1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, ends trimmed and
cut in half-inch slices
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 small bay leaves
1/2 cup sliced bacon, uncooked
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/4 cup maple syrup
In a large, heavy-based frying pan or roasting pan, warm the butter very gently until just melted, then remove from the heat. Arrange the potato slices in a single layer in the melted butter, fitting them together like a jigsaw puzzle. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle over the thyme sprigs, bay leaves and bacon.
Pour in enough stock to come just halfway up the potatoes and add the maple syrup. Return the pan to the stove and cook over a medium to low heat until the liquid bubbles gently. Cook uncovered in a 400-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes, basting the potatoes with the braising liquid every 8 minutes or so or until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. The potatoes should be a shiny deep golden brown when finished and the braising liquid should be syrupy. The trick is to roast them until they reach that golden color but without the glaze drying up before the potatoes are done. Serves 6.
