Can you all help me figure out this sweet potato salad?

[jan_in_evansville]

My friend and I had lunch this week at Maxines, a local lunch girly type place, and they had a to-die-for sweet potato salad. I think the sweet potatoes were roasted, and it was in a vinaigrette with walnuts and dried cranberries. It was nectar of the Gods, it was so good. It had a sweetness to it, maybe honey, maybe balsalmic vinegar?

Does anybody know of a recipe for something similar. This was just amazing!

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

 

[richard-in-cincy]

Hey Jan, I don't have the one you're looking for, but here is another great version

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25065,00.html

 

[CathyZ]

Try the dressing from Pat-NoCal's Cranberry Walnut Salad- it would be delicious

Here are the ingredients- the recipe is in T&T. Try it on roasted sweet potatoes instead of the lettuce

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp. minced shallot
1 tsp. minced garlic (or a little less)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil (original recipe called for 1 cup)

 

[marilynfl]

Jan, I've been using reduced balsamic and it is definitely sweeter.

I'll bet it's a key ingredient.

Someone here mentioned a cookbook author they loved (of course, now I can't remember who) so I checked out her book from the library. One of the author's go-to hints for quick meals was using reduced balsamic for almost everything (sauces, dressings, etc).

I took 3 bottles of thin, bitter balsamic vinegars I was unhappy with and simmered until they reduced to a "maple-syrup" thickness. Made about a cup and we've used it all! I'm so happy with the taste that I'll probably buy some of the yucky vinegars and make it again.

Wish I could remember who the author was.

 

[curious1]

I don't remember which author it is, but here is a great article on reducing balsamic, scroll down

to "A Primer for Balsamic Vinegar Reductions.

http://tinyurl.com/2pnjn3

 

[marilynfl]

Hey girl....missed you too! The one I used was the Idiot's Version

1. Boil until reduced.

Someone here mentioned they "loved" this woman's cookbooks. Possibly, she lives in or near Washington, DC?? (Geez, could I get any less definitive? Why I remember that mote in information is beyond me. It's probably a jammed M&M in my brain.) Both her and hubby work, so the book had lots of quick meal ideas...or at least short-cuts.

 

[Marg CDN]

I think Pat's recipe would work well. Maple syrup and sweet potato. Great combination.

In fact, I think I"ll do this for dinner tongiht. And I have some teeny chive bits poking up in the garden that might be just perfect with it.

 

[jan_in_evansville]

Thanks so much...

lots of great ideas, i bet i can come up with something great thanks to all of you...