Sweet Potato and Beet Lollipops

Sweet Potato and Beet Lollipops
Adapted from Matt Dunigan

Serves: 6-8

If your kids won't eat their veggies, give these a try. No kid, big or small, can resist a lollipop. I made these for a Hawaiian themed BBQ this past weekend. This is not exactly a Hawaiian recipe but I wanted a side dish that was colourful and sunny. Well, just look at them; sunshine on a skewer. Everyone, big and small, loved them. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes
3 large red beets
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
zest of one lemon
2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1/2 tablespoon lemon verbena, chopped
1 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
12 long bamboo sticks soaked in cool water for 30 minutes

Directions:

1. Place the sweet potatoes in salted water to boil for 10 -15 minutes. The potatoes should still be slightly firm. Place the beets in unsalted water and boil for 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool. Once cool peel the skin from beets and potatoes.

2. Slice the potatoes and beets into ½ inch rounds. Try to keep them all the same thickness so that they cook in the same amount of time.

3. Skewer two sweet potatoes and 1 beet per soaked stick and make sure that the top of the stick is covered by the vegetables to prevent burning. Drizzle both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. To the melted butter add honey, lemon juice, zest, ginger and lemon verbena. Stir to combine.

5. Preheat the barbeque to medium low heat about 275-300F. Oil the grates to help prevent sticking. Place a long sheet of foil (slightly smaller than the length of the bamboo skewer) from back to front on the grill.

6. Place the pops on the grill with the bamboo handles of the skewers resting over the foil to prevent them from burning. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side or until nice golden crispy char marks are achieved.

7. Baste both sides with the lemon butter dressing while the pops are cooking. Remove from grill and serve with extra lemon butter dressing if desired.