Don’t you find that sometimes it’s the accidental that results in the most exciting food on our plates? I definitely found that these sweet potato and sweetcorn fritters were no different. They came about sort of ‘by accident’ when I just didn’t feel like serving up sweet potato mash again, and given that I love sweet corn, I just thought the two should be friends. They’re a most beguiling side dish to almost anything, and can even stand proud just as they are with a yummy dip, pesto or sauce.
I have to say a big thanks to the kind people over at Chai FM here in Joburg. They invited me to join them to chat with the very generous hostess Niki about the launch of my book, bitten. We had a fine time dissecting all sorts of favourite foodie topics, including chocolate truffles, quick cooking tips and lots more. You will soon be able to download the podcast here.
Sweetcorn and Sweet Potato Fritters
Serves 4 as a side or snack | Preparation time 10 minutes | Cooking time 5 minutes
- about 2 cups worth of peeled, diced sweet potatoes
- 1/2 tin whole kernel sweetcorn, drained
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- about 1/3 cup plan flour
- 1 level tsp dried thyme
- a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil, and add in the peeled and diced potatoes. Simmer for about 15 minutes until they can be easily pierced with a knife. Drain and tip into a large mixing bowl. Add in the remaining ingredients and mash together until well combined. (Here you can add more flour if you think the mixture might be too runny – you are aiming for a very thick pancake consistency.)
Heat the oil in a separate frying pan over a med-high heat. When hot, add tablespoon-sized dollops of the fritter mixture to the pan in batches of 5 or 6. Cook for about 3 or 4 minutes on each side until fluffy and golden brown on both sides. Set aside on kitchen paper while you cook the remaining mixture. Serve immediately with chopped fresh parsley and a meat/dip/pesto of your choice.
*Delicious as a meal in itself, or as a side dish with roast meats, lamb chops, steaks, fish dishes, stews, curries, etc. I happen to think these would go particularly well with this Roast Chicken stuffed with Feta, Parsley and Walnuts.
Originally posted on afoodieliveshere – Sweetcorn and Sweet Potato Fritters to fall in love with
My new cookbook, Bitten, is on sale at leading bookstores in South Africa and can be bought online via RandomStruik and kalahari
