Kat in the Kitchen: Sweet Potato Cakes

Super Bowl weekend! Who are you cheering for? We are wearing the blue and green (okay honestly, I'll probably be wearing black because that is all that I seem to choose lately), but I also grew up cheering for the Broncos so really I can be happy either way.

This weekend last year, my brother-in-law's best friend who loves to cook visited, and he brought along Plenty. We tried out three recipes from the cookbook, and all were divine. If I were ever to turn vegetarian, it would be an easier transition if I had Plenty play recipe roulette with. It's a great cooking companion for the omnivore who might need to branch out a little from her steamed broccoli repertoire. 

My favorite recipe that we cooked was the one for Sweet Potato Cakes. I think I could eat the whole batch so the servings should be written as serves 3-4 or 1 Katrina.  I'm not even joking. The cakes are savory with just a hint of sweet, and the green onions and soy sauce add a perfect amount of flavor. They are delightful with a kick. 

The sweet potato cakes are healthy, too, and you could make them even more healthy if you substitute the small amount of all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour and coconut oil with butter. I like to make a big batch, and then I freeze them.

SWEET POTATO CAKES // Serves 4 (makes about 2 dozen small patties)

Potato cakes adapted from Yotam Ottelenghi's Plenty

1 3/4 lbs peeled sweet potatoes, cut in large chunks (I used three large ones)

3-4 green onions, finely chopped

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 clove garlic, minced

3/4 tsp. salt (you can salt to taste)

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 tsp chili garlic paste

1/2 cup  flour (I used all-purpose)

1 egg, well whisked

Butter or coconut oil for cooking

Yogurt sauce

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp. lemon juice (sometimes I do 1Tbsp lemon juice, 1Tbsp vinegar)

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro or basil

pinch of salt and pepper

Steam the potatoes until tender. Place in a colander to drain any excess moisture, and set aside to cool.

While the  potatoes steam, you can prep anything that needs chopping or mincing.

Meanwhile, blend all of the yogurt sauce ingredients, besides the cilantro or basil. You can use a food processor, a blender, or a whisk with a strong arm. Last add the herbs and give it one or two more whirls just to blend in the herbs. Set aside.

After the potatoes have released most of their moisture, transfer them to a large bowl and mix them with the green onion, soy sauce, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, chili garlic paste 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 egg and mix to combine.

Add enough butter or oil, to your nonstick/cast iron pan to generously coat the bottom, and warm over medium high heat (I'm not sparing with the butter). Make small, two tablespoons patties and drop them into the hot pan, pressing down to flatten. Cook until well browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes a side, adjusting heat as necessary if they begin to burn. Remove to a paper toweled lined plate to absorb excess fat while you cook another batch.

Serve with yogurt sauce. 

Let me know if you make them!

And have you entered the giveaway?