Sweet Potato Latkes
SWEET POTATO CAKES // Serves 4
Potato cakes adapted from Yotam Ottelenghi's Plenty
1 3/4 lbs peeled sweet potatoes, cut in large chunks
2 tsp. butter or coconut oil, plus more for cooking
1 leek, halved and thinly sliced
2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup oat flour or unbleached all purpose flour
1 egg, well whisked
yogurt sauce
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro or basil
2 Tbsp. finely chopped lemongrass*
pinch of salt and pepper
* I know it's unlikely that most people just have lemongrass lying around, and while it adds a ton of flavor here, don't bust your buns if it's not easy to get a hold of. You could also substitute in chopped shallot.
Steam the potatoes until tender throughout. Set aside to cool.
While the potatoes cook, warm the butter or oil in a cast iron pan. Saute the leeks until softened, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, blend all of the yogurt sauce ingredients, besides the cilantro or basil, together in a mini blender or food processor. Lastly, add the herbs and give it one or two more whirls just to blend in the herbs. Set aside.
When the potatoes have released most of their moisture (steam), transfer them to a bowl and mix them with the tamari/soy sauce, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and flour to combine. You want the mix to be tacky not wet, add more flour if it seems too moist to hold shape. Add the leeks and egg and mix to combine.
Add enough coconut oil, butter or a mix of the two (which i prefer), to your nonstick/cast iron pan to generously coat the bottom, and warm over medium high heat. Dont be shy. Make small, two tablespoons patties and drop them into the hot pan, pressing down to flatten. Cook until well browned on each side, about 7-8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary if they start to burn. Remove to a paper toweled lined plate to absorb excess fat while you cook another batch.
Serve with some lightly dressed greens and a generous portion of the sauce. These would be so wonderful with a poached egg on top or other protein of your choice.
Cheesy Mashed Sweet Potato Cakes
4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (we used 5 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup green onions (scallions or green shallots), chopped
3/4 cup bread crumbs, divided
2 large cloves of garlic finely chopped (or 2 tablespoons minced garlic)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1 egg
salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
TO MAKE MASHED SWEET POTATOES:
OVEN BAKED: Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Wash, peel and cut sweet potatoes into quarters or 6 pieces, depending on how large they are (we do ours in 6 pieces). Arrange onto baking sheet; drizzle with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover baking sheet with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. (Baking time will depend on how large they have been cut.) Transfer cooked sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl and mash well with a potato masher.
STOVE TOP: Fill a large 5 Quart (or 5 litre) pot with water and add about 1 tablespoon of salt. Wash, peel and cut sweet potatoes into quarters or 6 pieces, depending on size, and add them to the pot. Cook until easily pierced with a fork. Drain; transfer to a mixing bowl and mash well with a potato masher.
TO MAKE THE SWEET POTATO CAKES:
To the mashed sweet potatoes in the bowl, add the mozzarella, parmesan, green onions, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, garlic, parsley and egg. Season with salt and pepper, and mash all ingredients together well with a potato masher to combine.
Place remaining 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs onto a plate. Scoop 1 tablespoon of mixture into the palm of your hands and form into round patties about 1/2-inch thick. Dredge patties in the bread crumbs, evenly covering both sides, and set aside until ready to cook.
Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium-sized nonstick pan over low-medium heat. When oil is hot, add the patties in batches of 4 or 5, and cook for about 6 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy, using a small spatula to flip them very carefully. Add more oil in between batches if needed.
Recipe Notes
Do not replace breadcrumbs with flour. We tried this and they were super gooey in the centre. The breadcrumbs absorb some of the moisture of the sweet potatoes, and set better. They will still be softer than potato cakes, but not gooey.
Ingredients
4 medium-size sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 lb.)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup flour
2 red jalapeño peppers, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
1/4 cup canola oil
Lime wedges
How to Make It
Step 1
Pierce 1 sweet potato several times with a fork. Place on a microwave-safe plate; cover with damp paper towels. Microwave at HIGH 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel potato, and place in a medium bowl; mash with a fork. Peel remaining sweet potatoes, and grate, using the large holes of a box grater. Stir grated potatoes into mashed potato. Gently stir in eggs, next 3 ingredients, and 1/4 cup green onions just until combined.
Step 2
Pour oil into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, and heat over medium heat to 350°. Carefully drop mixture by tablespoonfuls, in batches, into hot oil, pressing lightly to flatten. Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Place drained sweet potato cakes on a wire rack over an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Keep warm in a 200° oven up to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup green onions just before serving. Serve with lime wedges.
