For our 2018 Holiday Party for Alliance for Children’s Rights, we hosted a cooking station where young adults help us make a side dish for all 100 guests. This station is popular! A few young men were texting Matt, “Yo, can you give me the recipe?” So here it is for everyone, a great dish to make with children and friends for an informal cocktail party. With sweet potatoes available all year, this dish is not limited to the holidays.
SWEET POTOTO LATKES
Makes 4-6 Pancake Sized Latkes or 10-12 Appetizer sized Bites
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Cheese Grater
Cutting Board
Knife
Clean Towel
Mixing Bowls
Saute Pan/Skillet/Electric Griddle
Spatula
Paper Towels to Drain Latkes
RECIPE:
2 Medium Sized Yams, Peeled
2 Medium Sized Regular Idaho/Russet Potatoes, Peeled
1 Onion, Peeled
4 Cloves Garlic, Peeled & Chopped
2 Eggs
1 Cup Chopped Soft Herbs (Any/all of the following: Chives, Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, Chervil, Oregano, Marjoram)
2 Cups Flour (for Gluten Free Substitute Garbanzo Flour)
1 Cup Canola/Olive/Sunflower Oil to Cook
Salt and Pepper to Taste
PROCEDURE:
Preheat Skillet/Saute pan over Medium Heat with no oil.
In a large mixing bowl, using the cheese grater large side, grate sweet potatoes, russet potatoes and onions. Add Chopped Garlic and season lightly with Salt and Pepper. Allow to rest 5 minutes to allow liquids to drain from grated veggies.
With the clean towel, handful by handful wring out the grated veggies by twisting them up and allowing the liquid to drain and be disposed of. Place wrung out veggies in a clean mixing bowl to make the Latke Batter.
Combine drained, wrung out veggies with the two cracked eggs, soft herbs and flour. Season again with Salt and Pepper. Consistency should resemble thick oatmeal. Its ok if it is too runny, simply add more flour to thicken and absorb the liquid.
Add 3-4 tablespoons of Olive Oil to the preheated pan. Per Latke place about an ice cream scoop worth of the batter in the center of the oil and flatten lightly to about an ½ inch. Fill pan with 3-4 latkes per batch. Allow to crisp and brown on each side and transfer to plate lined with paper towel to drain. Season with Salt and serve immediately. Reheat in oven at 400 degrees on lined cookie sheet for about 5-7 minutes if serving later.
Toppings could be Crem Fraice or Saur Cream, fresh Chopped Chives, Sauted Apples or Pears, Smoked Fish, Fried Egg, Ketchup, you name it!
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