The rundown: "an easy, everyday, original recipe that unleashes the amazing qualities of the sweet potato"--with out the sugar stuff!
Sweet Potato catfish hushpuppies
with bread and butter pickle tartar sauce -dill optional
Here goes! A couple of years ago I met a North Carolina boy who loves sweet potatoes the most out of anyone I'd ever known. It took no time rubbing off on me. Now its my favorite vegetable.
I fix them the same way everytime, my favorite way. Wrap in foil tight, bake at 425' for 30-45 min or until you can push your finger in and it mushes just right, and topped with butter. The last time I prepared them differently, I made 2 birthday pies, one with marshmallow meringue and one with an oreo cookie crust...
I am a prime example of the whole point of this contest: "celebrating the versatility of sweet potatoes"!
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| sweet potatoes the usual way |
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| break out! |
So what's a better way to celebrate, than with a basket of Sweet Potato catfish hushpuppies!
Here's the inspiration beind it: the sweet potato, distinctly North Carolina, represents not just the food tradtions we have here, but the experience that comes with them. No matter if its wrapped tight in foil or its marshmallow pies or casseroles, it serves as a crucial component when getting together with the people who mean the most to you.
And so will these hushpuppies! Summer's coming quick with good times to come, and where there are hushpuppies, there's friends gathered around them. It's a well suited fit for the NC sweet potato. It has the opportunity to be the centerpeice that it is, and keeps with the tradtion of good people coming together over sweet potatoes.
Sweet potato catfish hushpuppies
with bread and butter pickle tartar sauce -dill optional
Ingredients:
1 lb sweet potato, peeled and grated
=2 cups packed
1/2 lb. catfish fillets (my friend-and roommate Alex does.not.eat.seafood
and he popped 3 in a row and had no clue, or cared that he ate fish!)
cajon seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon2 lemons
salt and pepper
oil for frying
Method:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Peel sweet potato and grate on the medium grate on the box grater, be careful of your knuckles. Add to large bowl. Season fish with cajun seasoning, lightly or heavy-to your liking, and place on parchment paper lined pan. Slice 1 lemon into thin round slices and place over them over top of seasoned fish. Bake on top rack for 15 minutes.
When done, allow to cool down for 5 minutes, then add to sweet potatoes. With a fork mash fish and mix together well. Add juice of 1/2 lemon and mix in. Add cinnamon, a pinch of salt and a little heavier on the pepper. Then add hushpuppy mix a little bit at a time, stirring well. If needed, add other half of lemon and stir if seems to need a wetter consistency. *add diced jalapeno peppers if you want them spicy!
Heat oil to 350'. Drop a Tablespoonful of mix into oil. It will bubble, fry for 3-5 minutes til deep golden brown. Fry hushpuppies in batches. Allow to drain on a paper towel and cool down a bit before eating. Enjoy with tartar sauce or butter. Great next day!
Bread and butter pickle tartar sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup bread and butter pickle chips, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 teaspoon Grey Poupon mustard
1/2 cup Dukes mayo
1 cup greek plain yogurt
1 teaspoon chopped dill, optional
Method:
Mix together all ingredients well. Chill in fridge for 10 minutes, and serve alongside sweet potato catfish hushpuppies.
feed you soon!
