Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Honey

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

* 4 garnet yams or sweet potatoes
* 3 cups Fresh Orange Juice (pulp free)
* 3 cinnamon sticks
* 1/2 teaspoon thyme
* 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
* 3 cups water
* 1 pound goat cheese
* 1 cup clover honey
* 1/4 cup dried harrisa chili powder
* 1/4 cup dried zaatar (sesame seed, dried thyme and sumac)
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* Salt and pepper
* Canola oil for frying

Preparation:
 
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and cut yams or potatoes in 1-inch cubes (keep in as uniform size as possible).
3. Place cut potatoes in large casserole dish, cover with orange juice, cinnamon sticks, thyme, brown sugar and water (enough to cover potatoes completely), add a generous amount of salt and pepper then cover and place in oven for approximately 40-50 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender but not over cooked.
4. Allow potatoes to cool in liquid.
5. Remove potatoes from liquid onto paper towels, dry well.
6. Lightly coat potatoes with cornstarch.
7. Turn stove on low to medium setting, add and heat oil, add potatoes to oil and fry until golden brown.
8. Remove potatoes onto paper towels.
9. In a bowl, season potatoes with salt pepper, zaatar and chili powder.
10. Place on serving platter, sprinkle with goat cheese and drizzle with honey.
11. Serve immediately.

— Chef Tomas Sazo
— Medallion Steakhouse
— 1095 Rollins Road
— Burlingame, CA 94010