Honey-roasted yams with feta whip

Serves 4 as a side

Photo: Christall Lowe

Yams were a staple in our whānau growing up. These weird-looking morsels with crevices that we’d have to scrub the dirt out of have a flavour that I still can’t quite put my finger on. My grandad would grow them year after year, and we would always roast them, the delicious flesh bursting out of the skin when you bit into one.

Here I’ve added another dimension to the flavour profile by roasting them in honey and balsamic vinegar. The sweet with the sour is a beautiful thing, and with the feta whip, it is absolutely moreish. You can also cook other sweet root vegetables such as kūmara, carrot and parsnip in the same way.

Ingredients

• 500g yams
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp runny honey (or pure maple syrup)
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• extra 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp honey or
• pure maple syrup for drizzle
• handful of chopped parsley to garnish

Feta whip:

• 200g feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup (250g) cream cheese, softened, or Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C.

Place yams in a bowl with oil, honey and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat the yams and spread into a large roasting dish or baking tray with sides in a single layer.

Roast for 30–40 minutes until golden brown all over, turning twice during cooking. Remove from the roasting dish and spoon any leftover marinade into a small bowl.

While the yams are cooking, make the feta whip. Put feta cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest into a medium bowl. Blend together with an electric beater until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, place the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Mix the extra tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and honey with the marinade reserved from the roasting dish, to create a drizzle.

Serve the yams either with or over the feta whip, drizzled with the marinade and sprinkled with chopped parsley.