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January 12, 2011

Contest Winning Sweet Potato & Parsnip Latkes (Morph #3) Creamed Spinach

I already went over the nutrition in parsnips, let's look at the Sweet Potato.

Nutrition in Sweet Potatoes.......
Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B6. Pink, yellow and green varieties are high in carotene, the precursor of vitamin A.

In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables.

Considering fibre content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato.

Sweet Potatoes and Diabetes.......
Despite the name "sweet", it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary studies on animals have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance.

I think the way to incorporate the creamed spinach into this meal would be to make it so it could also be a topping for the latkes, therefore making the creamed part in the 'Creamed Spinach', sour cream.
I will add some grated ginger (to carry that ginger flavor in the latkes) for a little zing and saute some onions for sweetness.

I have a fellow foodie friend that won a latke contest last month over at Food52 and I decided to make her recipe since it incorporated 2 items on the shopping list....sweet potatoes and parsnips.
Annaliese adds the standard onion but also regular potatoes, fennel seed and fresh ginger.
To pay her homage for her win, tonight we ate her wonderful dish.

Variegated Spiced Latkes
* 1 sweet potato, pared (about 1 cup)
* 1 parsnip, pared (about 1/2 cup)
* 1 yellow onion (@1/2 cup)
* 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated (@1 oz)
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh milled black pepper
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 3 ounces flour
* peanut or other high smoke point oil
* homemade applesauce for serving
* sour cream

Hand grate the sweet potato, onion, and parsnip using the large holes into a large bowl first. I think hand grating is the only way to go for these.
Add the salt, pepper and ginger. Let rest a few minutes.
Mix in the beaten eggs and flour.
Generously coat the bottom of a heavy pan with peanut oil (or other suitable oil). The oil need not be deeper than 1/8 inch, if even that. If you prefer thicker latkes, then you might have up to1/4 inch oil. Heat to medium high until a drop of liquid would sizzle in the pan.
Working in small batches ladle the mix to the heated pan to form 5-7 latkes with about a 3 inch diameter and about a 1/4 inch thickness after pressing down gently on the mix with a spatula. Fry each one on one side until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side until golden. Try to keep the depth of oil as low as possible, but make sure the vegetables cook through- soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Drain on paper towels. You should have 15-20 latkes from this recipe.
Serve warm with generous dollops of sour cream and preferably homemade heirloom applesauce.

Congratulations sagegreen33, these were wonderful and The Nudge flipped over them.

For more wonderful creations with a unique twist and unique ingredients, check her out and let her know I sent you over.

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