SWEET POTATO & LEEK PANCAKES WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE, SPRING ONIONS & BOSTON STYLE BAKED BEANS 

IF YOU DO ONE THING THIS WEEK, TRY THESE SWEET POTATO PANCAKES. SERVED WITH BOSTON STYLE BAKED BEANS AND A GENEROUS SPOONFUL OF CRÈME FRAICHE.

PREPARATION TIME: 10-15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 7-10 MINUTES | FEEDS: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 LARGE LEEK – CUT IN HALF AND SLICED INTO THIN LONG STRIPS
LARGE KNOB OF BUTTER
2 SMALL/MEDIUM SIZED SWEET POTATOES – PEELED AND COARSELY GRATED
2 SPRING ONIONS – CUT IN HALF THEN INTO THIN STRIPS
½ ZEST OF 1 LEMON
GENEROUS SPRINKLE OF SEA SALT FLAKES, FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER AND A GOOD DASH OF WHITE PEPPER
3 ORGANIC FREE RANGE EGGS – WHISKED
4 TBSP OF RICE FLOUR (FOR A GLUTEN FREE OPTION) OR PLAIN FLOUR
VEGETABLE OIL FOR FRYING
POT OF CRÈME FRAÎCHE TO SERVE

BOSTON STYLE BAKED BEANS –
GLUG OF OLIVE OIL
½ WHITE ONION – DICED
1 CLOVE OF GARLIC – CRUSHED AND FINELY CHOPPED
1 TIN OF CANNELLINI BEANS OR HARICOT BEANS
1 TSP OF SMOKED PAPRIKA
½ TIN OF TOMATOES
½ PINT OF VEGETABLE STOCK
1 TSP OF MOLASSES
GENEROUS SPRINKLE OF SEA SALT FLAKES AND BLACK PEPPER
1 TBSP FRESHLY CHOPPED OREGANO

BEGIN BY MELTING YOUR BUTTER IN A FRYING PAN, ADD IN THE SHREDDED LEEKS AND COOK OVER A MEDIUM TO HEAT UNTIL SOFT, THIS SHOULD TAKE 4-5 MINUTES | NEXT COMBINE THE GRATED SWEET POTATOES, SPRING ONIONS, LEMON ZEST, SEASONING AND COOKED LEEKS | ONCE YOU’VE THOROUGHLY COMBINED ALL INGREDIENTS ADD IN THE WHISKED EGGS, AGAIN MIXING WELL SO ALL INGREDIENTS ARE NOW EVENLY COATED IN EGG | NEXT GRADUALLY ADD IN THE FLOUR UNTIL YOU HAVE A RELATIVELY THICK AND STICKY CONSISTENCY

HEAT THE VEGETABLE OIL IN A LARGE FRYING PAN YOU IDEALLY WANT BETWEEN 1-2CM DEPTH OF OIL | TEST THAT IT’S HOT ENOUGH BY ADDING A SMALL DOLLOP OF MIXTURE, THIS SHOULD FIZZ AND FLOAT TO THE TOP | IT’S ALSO GOOD AT THIS POINT TO CHECK THE SEASONING OF YOUR COOKED MIXTURE AND ADJUST IF NECESSARY

WHEN YOU’RE HAPPY WITH YOUR SWEET POTATO AND LEEK MIXTURE BEGIN TO GENTLY SPOON GENEROUS TABLESPOONFULS INTO THE HOT OIL LEAVING A LITTLE ROOM FOR THEM TO SPREAD OUT EITHER SIDE | COOK FOR AROUND 2-3 MINUTES ON EACH SIDE OR UNTIL GOLDEN

ONCE COOKED GENTLY TRANSFER TO PAPER TOWEL TO ABSORB SOME OF THE OIL | YOU CAN KEEP THESE WARM IN THE OVEN IF YOU’RE COOKING THESE UP IN BATCHES

FOR THE BOSTON STYLE BAKED BEANS, ADD A GLUG OF OLIVE OIL TO A PAN AND ALLOW TO HEAT BEFORE ADDING IN THE CHOPPED ONIONS AND GARLIC | SWEAT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES THEN ADD IN THE BEANS, TINNED TOMATOES STOCK, SMOKED PAPRIKA, SEASONING AND MOLASSES AND COOK OVER A MEDIUM HEAT FOR 20-25 MINUTES | FINALLY ADD IN THE FRESH OREGANO

SERVE THE SWEET POTATO PANCAKES WITH A GENEROUS DOLLOP OF BOSTON STYLE BAKED BEANS AND ANOTHER GENEROUS DOLLOP OF CRÈME FRAÎCHE WITH A LITTLE EXTRA FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER