Sweet Potato Oven Fries

My first good sweet-potato-fry experience was in a diner near my hometown, which actually only served sweet potato fries, and no other fry-variety.  They had a consistent and messy appearance: long,  flimsy wedges that could easily break apart when lifted, but which tasted fantastic and were delightfully squishy between the fingers and on the tongue.  Served with a small cup of sweet and tangy honey mustard dip, these fries were dangerously good, and I was always happy to return for another serving.

Naturally, I decided that I'd like to try my hand at making them, completely unaware of their charming simplicity.  Since these potatoes have so much sweetness (hence the name), very little preparation is needed to make the taste go a long way.  When roasted, they soften and caramelize slightly, while retaining an excellent crunch, courtesy of the sweet potato skin.

Two quick things:  I personally like to keep the skin on and eat my fries with a little crunch; if you'd like to do the same, I advise scrubbing the potato very well to get as much dirt off as possible.  Alternatively, you can peel the potato, and not subjet yourself to the ordeal mentioned above.

Lastly, please serve these with some honey mustard, sour cream, honey, or anything else that suits your fancy!

Sweet Potato Oven Fries - serves 1

1 medium-to-large sweet potato (patate douce, or yam)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
1.  Wash, scrub, and peel (optional) the potato.
2. Cut off the ends of the potato, then cut it in half length-wise.  Cut each half into 4 wedges.
3.  Pour oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl;  add the sweet potatoes, and toss to combine, until all the wedges are evenly coated with oil.
4.  Roast potatoes on an un-lined baking dish until they're tender and slightly caramelized, about 45 minutes.  Flip wedges over once halfway through cooking.
5.  Let cool slightly before serving.