Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Triple-Cream Cheese

Years ago chef John Yelinek accidentally left a batch of sweet potatoes baking in the back of a hot oven. Now this is his favorite way of getting crispy, charred skins and custardy interiors. At Ladder 4 Wine Bar in Detroit, MI—one of our Best New Restaurants of 2023—the soft sweet potatoes serve as a base for spiced seeds and heaps of cheese.

At home, a moderate hour-long roast gets the job done (but if you happen to “forget” about them for another hour, all the better). Scrub, but don’t pierce—and definitely don’t peel—the sweet potato skins; they act as an incubator, allowing the insides to transform from rock hard to yieldingly gooey.

The pumpkin seed dukkah is meant to act as a savory granola. Keep it coarse and barely broken down for optimal textural contrast. To switch things up, use a soft cheese like Taleggio or stracciatella (as they do at the restaurant) in place of the triple-cream.