Roasted Sweet Potato and Rocket Salad

I had this salad at a once popular New-American restaurant in Jersey City, but it's no longer in business. The restaurant used a house-made Romesco dressing, but I made my own roasted red bell pepper dressing that also complements the peppery rocket leaves, also known as baby arugula. It makes a great appetizer or a side to a nice entree.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 865 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ground black pepper to taste
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
• ½ cup walnut oil
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
• 1 shallot
• 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
• ½ pound baby arugula leaves
• 1 (2 inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Step 2

Whisk the 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a bowl; toss the sweet potato wedges with the olive oil to coat. Place the bell pepper halves with their cut-sides down onto a baking sheet; arrange the sweet potato wedges around the peppers.

Step 3

Roast in the preheated oven until the potatoes are slightly charred and crispy and the the bell pepper skin is blistered, about 45 minutes. Shake the pan once mid-way through the cooking time to keep the mixture from sticking to the pan. Set the potato wedges aside to cool. Place the pepper halves into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; allow to sweat until cool, about 20 minutes. Peel the skin from the peppers and discard.

Step 4

Mince the garlic and shallot together in a food processor. Add the peeled peppers, lemon juice, mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper; puree until smooth. Slowly stream the 1/2 cup olive oil and the walnut oil into the mixture as it blends. Transfer to a large bowl; add the arugula leaves and toss to coat.

Step 5

Divide the potato wedges between 4 salad plates; top the wedges with equal amounts of the dressed arugula leaves. Shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the salads to serve. Serve immediately.