Sweet Potato Cakes and Mojito Sauce

Gay Gilmore's Note:

A lovely appetizer or side dish.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 3 sweet potatoes , peeled and cooked (I usually just steam them or microwave them)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ onion , finely chopped
• ½ jalapeno pepper , seeded and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• salt and pepper
• 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup oil

Mojito Sauce

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium high heat, add the oil.
2. When it shimmers, add the onion, jalepeno and garlic, and cook until the onion is soft (~3min).
3. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Put the cooked sweet potatoes in a large bowl and mash.
5. Stir in the onion mixture and bread crumbs.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Using your hands form the mixture into little cakes (I find that silver dollar size works best, and makes a great appetizer).
8. Flatten them and dredge in the cornmeal.
9. In a large skillet, heat the oil.
10. Working in batches, fry each cake til golden brown, and then transfer to paper towels.
11. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Combine all ingredients to make the mojito sauce and serve immediately with the cakes.
13. I have made a large batch and baked the cakes instead of frying them for speed.
14. Just be sure to baste with oil on both sides and turn while baking.

Reviews

[Linda47]

This recipe called out for ginger. Other Jamacian sweet potato appetizer recipes that I saw did have ginger. Too many calories so I baked them as suggested but without brushing with oil. The mojito sauce was essential. Everyone said that they were good but there were a few left.

[Ninna]

Thanks for the great recipe Gay. I made these a while back and served them as an appetizer – they were extremely popular with our guests. I used orange sweet potato, (which I think you call yam in the States - we sometimes call it Kumara in Oz) but I think maybe the orange sweet potato was not the correct choice. Was I supposed to use the small white sweet potatoes? Anyway it was still wonderful although as the orange ones are big I think it changed the consistency of the mixture, even though I didn’t use the 3, because before and after baking they were quite soft and it was hard to keep their shape. I will make them again and still use the orange sweet potato but I will use about 1/2 next time. I would love to know what sweet potatoes you used Gay. This recipe was a lovely change from the usual appetizers even if I did use the wrong ones :-).

[Latchy]

I loved these, and so did the people I served them to as an appetizer. I did bake them as suggested and really loved the sauce, it could go with fish or chicken too. They beat the Colonel's Mashies anyday.