Sweet Potato Croquettes

There has been one lonely sweet potato in my pantry for several weeks now that no one’s gotten around to eating. I didn’t want it to rot and be discarded so I decided to make these croquettes. I love croquettes (remember these?) – they’re a great way to transform leftovers into a whole new dish.

When I make baked sweet potatoes, I like them with sour cream so I wanted to incorporate that flavor in the sauce. And since sweet potatoes are sweet, the tang of the mustard and lemon are a great compliment.

(Yield : About 12/enough for two people to graze on)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 sweet potato, cooked, mashed*

1 egg, beaten

2-3 tbsp flour

1 tsp mayo

½ c plain bread crumbs

½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper

Dipping sauce:

3 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt/pepper

*Wash and dry the yam. Prick with a sharp knife all over and cook completely in the microwave (or boil if you have the time.) Once cool enough to handle, peel and mash. Cool completely. Refrigerate for best results.

Combine all the ingredients for the croquettes in a bowl. Do not overmix. The dough should be slightly sticky but easy to work with.

Heat the oil in a skillet on medium heat. Working with 1 tsp of the mixture at a time, with wet hands, form the dough into a ball and press to form a small patty. Dredge in bread crumbs. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel.

To make the dipping sauce, simply combine all the ingredients, seasoning to taste.