Savoury sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are delightful, always the right amount of sweetness in every delicious mouthful. They are sometimes the forgotten provision, probably because cooks may be limited in their mode of preparation.

 
But they’re so versatile, not only are they lovely simply roasted, but they make great “French fries” (make them the same way you would ordinary fries), are delightful when made into cakes, and regal when transformed into a soufflé. 

You can even serve them as a salad with a light vinaigrette and transform them into breakfast hash browns, the possibilities are great.Don’t forget they’re loaded with minerals, fibre and are a good source of complex carbohydrates—those are the carbs we are supposed to eat. So enjoy your sweetness…from potatoes today.

Sweet Potato Cakes

2 lbs sweet potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped herbs
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt
vegetable oil to fry
1 cup each bread crumbs and flour to dredge
1 egg.

Boil, peel and mash sweet potatoes.
Warm milk with butter, add to potatoes mix well add herbs and nutmeg, season to taste with salt.
Beat egg and set aside.
Place the flour in one plate, and the breadcrumbs in another.
Form the potato into 2 inch balls, dredge in flour, shake off excess
Dip in egg and roll in crumbs, flatten and pan fry until golden.

Makes 6 to 8 cakes.

Sweet Potato SoufFlé

2 lbs sweet potato boiled and crushed
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
2 tbs butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tbs brown sugar
2 eggs, separated

Beat egg whites to soft peaks and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375F
Grease a souffle dish or a deep casserole dish, 4 inches in height.
Heat a small saute pan, add butter and melt, add onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
Place sweet potato into a mixing bowl, add onion and combine, add egg yolks, orange juice and zest, brown sugar and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
Fold in egg whites, turn into a greased casserole dish.
Bake for 20 minutes until puffed and golden.

Serves 4 to 6. 

Sweet Potato Galettes

2 lbs sweet potatoes
1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbs chopped chives
2 tbs chopped chadon beni (cilantro)

Boil potatoes in their skins until just cooked, the potatoes need to be undercooked a little.
Peel and refrigerate overnight.
Grate potatoes with a hand grater on the coarsest grate.
Mix butter with oil and add a little to a frying pan.
When hot add about 1/2 cup grated potato, spread out in pan and sauté over moderate heat for about 4 to 5 minutes until bottom has crusted and browned. 
Press potatoes together constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
Turn and continue cooking until brown.
Continue with the rest of potatoes.
Sprinkle with chives.

Makes about 8 galettes.