Marinated Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli

This is a great cold salad! I had salmon tonight with this amazing salad as a side. This recipe is taken from "The New Moosewood Cookbook" by Mollie Katzen.  Instead of the walnut oil, I used olive oil and I used the red wine vinegar instead of the raspberry vinegar. When I make this again I will try adding the toasted chopped pecans to sprinkle on top.  Easy to make and super good!

Yield: about 6 servings
15 to 20 minutes to prepare
at least 2 hours to marinade

3 medium-sized sweet potatoes or yams (1 1/2 to 2 lbs)

MARINADE:
1/2 cup walnut oil (if unavailable, use olive oil)
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs raspberry vinegar (if unavailable, use red wine vinegar)
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. dry mustard
1 Tbs. honey
freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch broccoli (1 to 1 1/2 lbs), cut into small pieces

OPTIONAL GARNISHES:
Thin slices of green apple
Chopped, toasted pecans

1. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them in halves or quarters, then into thin slices.  Put them up to cook, either on or over boiling water (in a steamer).  Meanwhile, prepare the marinade.
2. Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium-large bowl.  As soon as the sweet potato slices are tender, add them, still hot, to the marinade.  Mix gently.
3. Steam the broccoli until bright green and just tender.  Rinse under cold running water and drain completely.  Lay the broccoli spears carefully on top of the salad.  Cover tightly and marinate for several hours.
4. Within 15 minutes of serving, mix in the broccoli from on top.  Serve garnished with thin slices of green apple and chopped, toasted pecans.