Bitter Green Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Bacon and Oranges

I love this dish because it's an unexpected way to use sweet potatoes. For those who have only had sweet potatoes mashed at mom's house on Thanksgiving Day, try this salad for a change of pace. It is easy and delicious. Serve it with a glass of Alsatian Riesling to complete the transformation of this pedestrian spud from an unglamorous side dish to an elegant main attraction.

• 1/2 pound thick cut bacon, sliced thin
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, cleaned
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 oranges, peeled with a knife and sliced across grain
• 4 oz Maple Syrup Dressing
• 1 head frisee and one head radicchio lettuce rinsed and patted dry.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Bake the sweet potatoes for about 20 minutes or until they are about half done. Let them cool slightly, peel off the skins and slice into 1/4 inch-thick rounds. While the sweet potatoes are baking, brown the bacon over medium-high heat in a heavy skillet until the bacon is brown and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and let it drain on paper towel. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan, the olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, and garlic. Whisk to combine, add the potato slices and coat evenly. Set aside to marinate while you start your grill, about 30 minutes. Prepare the Maple Syrup Dressing. Add the potato slices to the grill and cook on both sides until tender throughout. In a large bowl, mix the frisee, radicchio (torn into medium-sized pieces), orange slices, and Maple Syrup Dressing and toss gently to coat. Portion the lettuce mixture onto plates to serve and top with the grilled sweet potatoes and the crispy bacon.

Serves 6

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