Sweet Potato and Tahini Dip with Spicy Merquén Drizzle
1 sweet potato
Vegetable oil
2 large cloves garlic, trimmed and peeled
1 yellow onion, trimmed, peeled and quartered
¼ cup tahini
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp chopped pistachios
Runamok Merquén Infused Maple Syrup (also works with Elderberry Infused or Pecan Wood Smoked)
Pita chips or crackers for dipping
Preheat oven to 400. Cut the sweet potato in half and place cut side down on a greased cookie sheet. At the same time, pour a little oil on the onion and put that on the tray as well. Put the garlic cloves on a small square of tin foil, dribble a few drops of oil on them then wrap them in the foil and put the package on the tray too. Put the tray in the oven and bake for approximately twenty minutes then remove the package of garlic. Let the potato and onion bake for another ten minutes or until the potato is very tender and the onion is nicely roasted and soft. Remove from the oven and cool.
Scoop the orange flesh from the potato and put in a food processor or blender. Add the roasted onion, garlic cloves, tahini, lemon juice and salt. Pulse until it becomes a smooth paste. Taste for seasoning and add more salt as necessary.
Put the puree in a shallow dish and make a moat in the center. Pour some Merquen (or Elderberry or Smoked) Maple Syrup in the moat and then garnish with chopped pistachios. Serve with pita chips or crackers.
