sweet potato salad with pepita dressing

Good morning and apologies in advance, as I’magainone of those loathsome (that if, if you were shivering somewhere) people who just returned from the beach, where we went on vacation last week because our kids were off from school and we didn’t see why they should have all the fun. Around me were turquoise waves, glittering with sunlight, lapping gently at the silky white-sanded shore and there were no children having tantrums or whining because this was a magical place — and at some of those things are true. However, as will always happen on vacation, while we had some enviable tacos and aguachiles, I was only a few days in when I started to fiercely miss home-cooked food, most especially this salad I’d made the week before. Listen, sometimes I challenge myself to run distances further than I wish to (that would be: any), sometimes I challenge myself to go to bed at a decent hour for a week and see if it makes me a nicer person (shockingly, yes) and sometimes I challenge myself to do things like this, which is to take something I’m pretty sure I don’t like — sweet potato salads — and create one that I would. Creamy dressings and/or any parallels to summer cookout potato salads were rejected. So were cubes. I wanted it warm or room temperature and I liked the idea of using some Southwestern-ish flavors but not to the point that it basically tasted like thesesweet potato tacosin salad form. And I wanted crunch, interest, and acidity, without having a bunch of extra hurdles to get them. The results surprised me. I’d expected, at most, to make it once or twice to iron the kinks out of the recipe; I thought the kids might like it, but I hadn’t expected to be sitting by the beach in Mexico kinda wishing someone would bring me some a full week later. A few more details: I cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch half-moons so they were leafy but not so thin that they’d fall apart. While they roast in the oven, you do a few simple things: drain and rinse a can of black beans, chop some scallions and cilantro, halve a couple limes and an avocado and then we’re going to make a warm but deconstructed dressing. I love using pepitas but they can be a little flat-tasting from the container, whether raw or already toasted. Warming them in olive oil gets them extra-crisp and perfumes the oil with a deeply nutty flavor. Add some chile flakes for heat and then, when the potatoes are ready, we’re going to scatter everything on in layers, building the salad right on that sheet pan, because why dirty another dish? Finish it with salt, pepper, and lime juice and scoop it right onto your plate. I’d intended to add some cotija for a salty kick but was too busy eating it as-is to get it out of the fridge, meaning that it’s also vegan. And while I’d also intended this to be a warm salad, I found the leftovers spectacular from the fridge, no need to reheat them. I hope you love it as much as I did. One year ago:Cauliflower and Tomato Masala with PeasTwo years ago:Quick, Essential Stovetop Mac-and-CheeseThree years ago:Tomato-Glazed Meatloaves with Brown Butter Mashed PotatoesandPomegranate Grapefruit PalomaFour years ago:Belgian Brownie Cakelets,Broccoli Melts, andWhite RussianFive years ago:Perfect Corn MuffinsandSpaghetti Pangrattato with Crispy Fried EggsSix years ago:Stuck-Pot Rice with Lentils and YogurtandDijon and Cognac Beef StewandMorning Bread Pudding with Salted CaramelSeven years ago:Blood Orange MargaritasEight years ago:Double Coconut MuffinsandFried Egg Sandwich with Bacon and Blue CheeseNine years ago:Green Bean Salad with Pickled Red Onions and Fried AlmondsandSpaghetti with Lemon and Olive OilTen years ago:Walnut Jam Cake,Ginger Fried RiceandChocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Mint CreamEleven years ago:Whole Lemon Tart,Alex’s Mom’s Stuffed CabbageandToasted Coconut ShortbreadTwelve years ago:Pasta PuttanescaandPear and Almond TartThirteen years ago:Fusilli with Baked Tomato SauceandAloo Gobi.