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Thanksgiving: Scalloped Yams with Praline Topping

Source of Recipe

From "Thanksgiving 101" by Rick Rodgers


Recipe Introduction

"This is one of my favorite dishes to demonstrate how yams don't have to be cloyingly sweet to be good. Whenever I make it, it never fails that someone remarks, 'I don't even like yams, but I could eat a whole dish of these!'"

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
â—¦ â…“ cup (about 2 ounces) finely chopped pecans
â—¦ 6 medium orange-fleshed yams, peeled and cut into ½-inch rounds (about 3 pounds)
â—¦ 1 ½ cups heavy cream, heated


Recipe

In a small bowl, using your fingers, work the flour, brown sugar, and butter together until well combined, then work in the pecans. Set aside. (The praline topping can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, stored at room temperature.)

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the yams and cook just until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook. They should be able to hold their shape when drained. Drain and rinse under cold running water.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Overlapping in vertical rows, place the yams in the prepared dish. (The yams can be parboiled and placed in their baking dish up to 8 hours before baking, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerated.)

Pour the heavy cream over the yams. Bake for 20 minutes.
Crumble the pecan mixture over the yams and continue baking until the yams are tender and the topping is browned, 20 to 30 more minutes.
Serve hot.

Makes 8 to 12 servings