Rum-Baked Yams and Apples
- 2 Golden Delicious apples
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 medium orange-fleshed yams (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups apple cider
- Âľ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions:
Rows of yams, with apples interspersed throughout, make this an especially good-looking side dish. If you don’t want to serve rum to the kids, substitute more cider.
- Peel the apples and cut into quarters. Cut out the cores, then cut each apple quarter crosswise into ½-inch thick wedges. Place in a medium bowl and toss with the lemon juice; set aside.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the yams and cook just until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook. They should hold their shape when drained. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Overlapping in vertical rows, arrange the yams in the prepared dish, slipping the apple wedges between the yams, letting the curved edges of the apples peek out.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cider, brown sugar, and rum. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl, sprinkle the cornstarch over 2 tablespoons cold water and mix until dissolved. Stir into the boiling cider mixture and return to the boil; the mixture will be very thick, but it will thin during baking. Pour over the yams and apples. (The dish can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, cooled, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerated.)
- Bake, basting occasionally, until the yams are tender and the cooking liquid is syrupy, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.