Roasted Sweet Potato And Leek Salad

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 375°. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes, thyme, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt. Spread in an even layer and roast for 30 minutes per side.
2. 2
   In a medium/large cast-iron skillet or any kind of ovenproof sauce pan, mix and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the vinegar, honey and molasses; season with salt, spread evenly in the pan. Place the onion slices evenly in the skillet and bake in the 375°F oven on a different rack then the sweet potatoes, until browned, about 20 minutes per side; transfer to a plate. Reserve the juices in the skillet.
3. 3
   In a small pan, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden.
4. 4
   Now make the vinaigrette-Set the reserved skillet with the molasses/vinegar mixture, over medium heat, add the garlic, garlic oil, orange juice, cumin and crushed red pepper and simmer for 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom; season with salt. Mound the lettuce on plates and top with the sweet potato, onions and sugared pecans. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve.
5. 5
   How to sugar pecans: These sugared pecans are great in salads or for a fancy snack. If you prefer use brown sugar instead of the granulated white sugar and add some other spices like cayenne or smoked paprika, even cloves or cumin would work. If you don't use them all, freeze them in a zip lock bag, they will keep for months in the freezer. Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, 3 large egg whites, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 cups pecan halves. Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Pour the butter onto the lined sheet. In a large bowl, mix the egg whites, sugar and cinnamon. Add the pecan halves and toss until they are fully coated. Spread the pecans onto the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring the pecans every 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.