Sweet Potato and Bacon Tots with Creamy Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• Salt
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• unpeeled
• 2 strips bacon
• 3 cups vegetable oil
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. For the sweet potato and bacon tots: Boil a pot of salted water.
2. Add the potatoes and partially cook, about 15 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, add the bacon to a small skillet over medium heat and cook until crisp, about 10 minutes.
5. Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
6. Finely chop the bacon when cooled.
7. Heat the oil to 300 degrees F in a straight-sided skillet.
8. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, shred the potatoes using either a box grater or shredding attachment on a food processor.
9. Place 4 sheets of paper towels on a countertop.
10. Dump the potatoes on top of the paper towels and fold the towels over the potatoes.
11. Squeeze as much moisture out of the potatoes as possible.
12. (This is the trick to make perfect tater tots; too much moisture will result in little pieces of potato all around your skillet when frying.)
13. Combine the potatoes with the bacon, flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
14. Mix well to combine.
15. Form the potato mixture into small logs using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon.
16. Working in batches, fry the tots in the skillet until golden brown, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.
17. Adjust the heat, as needed, to keep the oil at 300 degrees F. Transfer the tots to a paper-towel-lined plate to strain excess fat.
18. Sprinkle the tots with salt while still warm.
19. For the creamy mustard dipping sauce: Combine the mayo, honey and mustard in a small bowl.
20. Sprinkle the sauce with salt and pepper.
21. Serve the sweet potato and bacon tots hot with the creamy mustard dipping sauce.