LOADED WHITE SWEET POTATO

For tarragon green sauce: ❚ 1 shallot, minced

❚ 2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar

❚ 1 tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup

❚ 1 ½ cups (375 mL) chopped fresh tarragon

❚ 1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

❚ Zest of 2 lemons

❚ 2 serrano chilies, minced

❚ ½ cup (125 mL) capers packed in salt, rinsed and finely chopped

❚ Extra virgin olive oil For sweet potato:

❚ Extra virgin olive oil

❚ 6 medium white sweet potatoes, scrubbed well

❚ 1 cup (250 mL) labne (strained yogurt) or sour cream, or vegan alternative

❚ 1 cup (250 mL) chopped dill pickles

❚ Juice of 1 lemon 1. To make the tarragon green sauce, first soak the minced shallot in red wine vinegar and a splash of maple syrup for about 30 minutes. Mix together the tarragon, parsley, lemon zest, chilies, capers, and marinated shallot in a bowl. Add enough olive oil to make it sauce-like. Season with salt and black pepper and red wine vinegar, if needed. The flavours will come together more on the day after the sauce is made.

2. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Rub the sweet potatoes with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle the outside with salt, and place on the baking sheet. Bake until the potatoes, when prodded, yield completely — they should be totally tender all the way through — about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool until they can be handled somewhat comfortably. Using a small paring knife, cut a slit in the topside of each potato. Gently open each slit, revealing the white inner flesh. Sprinkle a bit of salt and drop a couple tablespoons of tarragon green sauce into the openings and, using a fork, gently mash the flesh of the potato with the sauce to incorporate the two together. Add a dollop or two of labne, a spoonful of the chopped pickles, a squeeze of lemon and some freshly ground black pepper to finish. Serves: 6