Sweet Potato Pancakes
Sweet Potato Pancake
For dinner with a friend the other night I was looking for something fun to do with sweet potatoes. I have quite a few of them and didn’t want to just roast or steam them. I ended up shredded them and making sweet potato pancakes. Amy had duck fat so that is what we used to fry them in. They were amazing. Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. I am definitely going to make them again. I could see making smaller ones and serving as an appetizer. Here is the recipe.
Sweet Potato Pancakes
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded- you want to end up with 3-4 cups of shredded sweet potatoes- 1 medium /large one would also work
2 eggs
½ c. panko bread crumbs
1 T. parsley flakes
1 t. hot pepper sauce, or to taste
½ t. garlic powder
½ t. onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying- we used duck fat and it was wonderful
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well mixed. Heat oil or fat in large skillet to 350 degrees.* Spoon batter into skillet in 4-5 pancakes, depending on the size you prefer. Cook until golden on one side- and starting to firm up- about 5 minutes. You might have to cook them in two batches – depending on the size of your pan. Don’t over crowd. They are tricky to turn over. Turn over carefully and cook at least another 5 minutes or until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Makes 4-5
* A little trick to know when your oil is hot enough. Place an un-popped kernel of popcorn in your pan with the oil when you are heating it up. Popcorn pops at 350 degrees. When the popcorn pops – it is time to add the batter.
Sweet potato pancakes cooking
Sweet Potato “Gnocchi”
Sweet Potato “Gnocchi”
I made my classic gnocchi with potatoes and gnocchi made with beets for a birthday dinner with friends the other night. I also made gnocchi with sweet potatoes. They went well with the other gnocchi and the rest of the menu. I was using small sweet potatoes that were pretty pale once I cooked them so I added some turmeric to the dough to bring up the color a bit. That would certainly be optional. The turmeric added some flavor, but it really made the sweet potato gnocchi look great on the serving platter.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
1 c. mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
1/2 c. mashed, cooked russet potatoes
2 eggs
1 t. salt
1 t. turmeric, optional
2 c. flour or more
Get a pot of water boiling. In mixing bowl combine the sweet potatoes with the eggs and seasonings. Add about 1 1/2 cups of the flour and stir until a soft dough forms. Continue adding flour, a little at a time, until the dough can be handled without sticking to your hands but is still soft. Take about 1/4 of the dough at a time and roll into a rope, about 15 inches long, on a floured work surface. Cut dough into 1/2 thick pieces. Place pieces in a pot of boiling water and after a few minutes the gnocchi will float to the top. Cook them for several minutes after they have risen to the top of the pot. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. If you aren’t going to use them right away drizzle with a little oil to prevent sticking or toss with butter. You can also run a little cold water over them instead. Repeat with the remaining dough.
A Trio of Gnocchi
Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
A friend of mine gave me this recipe years ago. I try to make it at least a couple of times a year. Confession time- I actually have had a piece for breakfast. Don’t judge me until you try it. Hey, it is a vegetable.
Sweet Potato Pie
½ c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. allspice
½ t. salt
¼ t. cloves
1 ½ c. cooked, mashed sweet potato
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk or almond milk
2 T. melted butter or 2 T. olive oil
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
Combine sugar with seasonings. Stir in remaining ingredients and combine until smooth. Pour into pie crust and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until filling is set.
Flaky Pie Crust
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
3/4 c. shortening, chilled
1 T. cider vinegar
4-5 T. cold water
Combine flour and salt and cut in shortening. Toss in vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.
Sweet Potato Salad
Sweet Potato Salad
This is one of the dishes I made for a dinner with friends last night. I had forgotten about this dish. I used to make it a lot more often. It is a great change up from regular potato salad and a nice side for all sorts of meals. We had it with duck but a friend of mine is planning on serving it with her ham dinner planned for next week. The secret is to watch the sweet potatoes carefully when cooking them. You need to get them cooked, but not mushy. I steam them- either traditionally or in the microwave and check them often. Once they get to the right degree of “cooked” I put them in cold water to stop the cooking.
Sweet Potato Salad
3 large sweet potatoes
2 c. corn kernels, fresh off the cob preferred but frozen is O.K.
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 sweet onion, diced
1 c. sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
2-3 T. fresh parsley
1/3 c. oil
1 t. Dijon mustard
3 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c. cashews
In medium saucepan boil or steam potatoes until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and place in a large bowl of ice water. Add corn to saucepan and cook until just tender about 2-3 minutes. Drain corn and add to ice water with the potatoes. Once the vegetables have cooled down drain them and peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place potatoes and corn in a mixing bowl with remaining vegetables. Combine remaining ingredients, except cashews, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well before pouring over the sweet potato mixture. Toss to blend and chill until ready to serve. Add cashews just before serving. Serves 6.
Sweet Potato Salad
Sweet Potato Muffins- Gluten Free
I love cooking with sweet potatoes in all sorts of dishes from sweet to savory. I had been cooking with sweet potatoes recently and had some extra cooked ones so I used them in this recipe. Easy to make, moist and not too sweet they make great breakfast or snack. They also freeze well.
Sweet Potato Muffins- Gluten Free
4 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 c. oil
1 c. sugar
2 c. cooked sweet potatoes
1 3/4 c. gluten-free flour
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
Blend together in large bowl eggs, sugar, sweet potatoes and oil and set aside. In another bowl combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stir until well blended. Pour into paper-lined muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until muffins spring bake when touched lightly. Makes 30-36.
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
If the only way you enjoy sweet potatoes is as a side at the holidays or in pie it is time to expand your thinking about them. In this recipe the mashed sweet potatoes add both sweetness and moistness to the finished cake. Great plain or with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh berries.
Sweet Potato Pound Cake
1 1/2 c. cake flour*
1/2 t. each baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream, room temperature
1 1/3 c. sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. mashed sweet potato
1 t. vanilla
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly oil an 8×4-inch loaf pan. Mix flour with next 4 ingredients and set aside. In large mixing bowl beat together butter and sour cream. Beat in sugar and then beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in mashed sweet potato and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients and pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool in pan 30 minutes before loosening cake sides from pan and removing. After cake has cooled wrap in foil and store at room temperature. Serves 8.
* If you don’t have cake flour you can make your own. Simply measure out a cup of all purpose flour and remove 2 tablespoons of the flour. That is now the same as a cup of cake flour OR remove the 2 tablespoons of flour and replace them with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and sift together to combine. I do the flour/cornstarch mix and keep a batch on hand for when I need it in baking.
