This dish has a lot going for it, especially right now. Sweet potatoes are on sale, and it's a great make-ahead dish for Thanksgiving. And it's just plain good. When Tom tried it, he commented that it was the type of dish you'd find at the salad bar at Whole Foods. In other words, it has a fresh gourmet flavor going on. The dressing is tangy and a little bit sweet, which goes nicely with the mellow sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
This recipe is from Simply in Season, my current favorite cookbook. When I made this, I left out both the bell pepper and the green onion because, sadly, I didn't have those ingredients on hand. It was excellent even without them, but I'll definitely include pepper and green onion when I make this again. Tom reminded me after supper that I did indeed have green onions - out in the garden. Oops.
Be sure to include the fresh herbs - I used cilantro because I really love cilantro in anything. For the sweet potatoes, I peeled and diced them first, then roasted them in the oven, so that also added a nice element to the salad.
Sweet Potato Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing
3 cups sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled, and diced)
1 cup celery (diced)
3/4 cup green or red sweet pepper (chopped)
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro (chopped)
3 green onions (thinly sliced, optional)
Combine in a large bowl.
Honey-Mustard Dressing:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon honey
Combine and pour over vegetables. Toss until well coated. Refrigerate before serving.
