Wild African yams bear little resemblance to the sweet potatoes at your local grocery store. This is largely because yams and sweet potatoes are not the same species. Cooking wild yams takes a bit more preparation than cooking the more conventional yams you find in stores, but their rich sweetness is worth the extra work. The main difference is that before you bake wild yams you have to peel them. If you try to cook them whole, their skin will rupture, leaving you with a delicious mess.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rinse your wild African yam thoroughly in warm water. Scrub every inch of it with a vegetable brush because the dirt and grit can be stubborn.

Peel the yam, making sure to remove all the peel.

Cut the yam into large wedges. African yams are huge; one can feed up to six people.

Rinse the yam wedges again and let them drain in a colander until they are dry.

Rub the yam wedges with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper.

Wrap the yam wedges in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet.

Bake the yam wedges for 90 minutes.

Open the foil and let the yam wedges roast for another 10 minutes until their edges just start to turn crisp.