by Laura Waters, “Retiring & Rewiring” Owner of Snowdon House Gourmet and Gifts – watch for pop-up stores
photo by Janis Jean Photography
Sweet potatoes are a favourite of mine. They are rich in antioxidants, nutritious, high in fibre, rich in beta carotene and considered a healthy carb. This time of the year I think they’re at their finest, and we have local growers – always a reason to use such a versatile product. I’m always looking for an easy appetizer and the sweet potato balls fit that bill. I have frozen them prior to using the egg wash and batter and they freeze really well; when you’re ready to use them just thaw, dip in the batter and fry. The sweet potato salad is easy to make, looks wonderful and tastes great. The purple sweet potato ice cream is just a fun, funky dessert!
SWEET POTATO APPETIZERS
2 orange sweet potatoes, roasted
pinch of salt and pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cup cooked rice (I choose brown basmati)
1 tsp garlic
1 tbsp chopped white onion
2 tbsp chicken stock
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1 cup panko
olive oil for frying
Dipping Sauce
2-3 tbsp mayo
1-2 tsp sriracha (to your spice preference)
Make small slits in the sweet potato for roasting. Oven temperature 300° till done – about 40 minutes.
Mash sweet potatoes, add salt and pepper, cheese, garlic, onion and mix well together. Place rice and sweet potato mixture in a food processor on medium until rice is broken up.
Make the mixture into 1-inch balls and flash freeze (place them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in the freezer; 1 hour is good). This makes them easier to work with for the next step. Beat egg in small bowl, put flour and panko in separate bowls. Dip sweet potato balls in flour, then egg and finally panko – fry till golden brown. Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!
**You can freeze the balls uncooked and then thaw and fry and serve!
PURPLE SWEET POTATO ICE CREAM
2 medium purple sweet potatoes
4 tbsp Greek yogurt
rose petal jelly to taste (for your sweetener)
Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into small pieces boil for 15 minutes or until soft. Mash.
Once cooled, put the mash into a freezer till it is completely frozen. Next place the frozen potatoes with yogurt and sweetener in an ice cream maker; it will take about 10 minutes to blend.
Serve with crushed nuts and rose petal jelly.
SWEET POTATO SALAD
2 purple sweet potatoes
2 orange sweet potatoes
10 small white
baby potatoes
olive oil to drizzle over potatoes for roasting
salt and pepper
Salad
10 cups kale, chopped
1 apple, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, roasted
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 hardboiled eggs
Dressing
3 tbsp crabapple or apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp nasturtium or red pepper jelly
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°. Remove stem from kale, chop kale finely and place in mixing bowl. Drizzle with ¾ of the dressing and toss for a few minutes till kale is coated let rest for 15 minutes
Toss cooled potatoes over the kale, cut up hardboiled eggs into ½ pieces, sprinkle on remaining toppings, apple pecans, and pomegranate, toss and crumble goat cheese on the top. Drizzle with remaining dressing
