Sweet Potato Brussels Sprout Latkes with Harissa Cream Sauce
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Good Health Gourmet
Recipe type: Side Dish, Holiday
Cuisine: Jewish, Middle Eastern, Paleo, Vegetarian
Yield: 12-16 latkes and 1 cup sauce
Ingredients
- For Harissa Cream Sauce
- 4 oz (½ cup) sour cream or non-dairy Greek style yogurt¹
- 3 oz (½ cup) good sheep’s milk feta, finely crumbled
- 10ml (2 tsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 tsp harissa paste²
- ½ tsp finely grated garlic
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
- ⅛ tsp Kosher salt
- For Latkes
- ¾ lb sweet potato, peeled & finely grated³ (yield 2 lightly packed cups)
- 4 oz Brussels sprouts, shredded or sliced³ (yield 2 packed cups)
- 1 large leek, white & light green parts only, finely sliced, rinsed well⁴ (yield 1 lightly packed cup)
- 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh turmeric (or substitute ¼ tsp dried)
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp whole cumin seed
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 3 large eggs, beaten until uniform
- 11g (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp) arrowroot powder
- 45g (6 Tbsp) cassava flour (I recommend Otto’s Naturals)
- Neutral high-heat oil for frying (I use avocado)
- For Garnish and Serving
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped chives
- Applesauce
Procedure
- Make the cream sauce: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl or blender, and whisk or blend to combine. A blender will turn out a smoother sauce, while hand-whisking will result in a more textured sauce with visible bits of feta. Set the sauce aside while you make the latkes.
- Make the latke mixture: In a large bowl combine sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, leek, spices, and baking powder, and toss to combine. Mix in eggs until incorporated, then stir in arrowroot and cassava flour until evenly distributed - you shouldn’t see any dry starch or flour remaining.
- Fry the latkes: Set a heavy skillet (I use cast iron) over medium heat, cover bottom of pan with ⅛ to ¼ inch oil, and heat oil to 365°F. While waiting for oil to heat, line a wire cooling rack with a layer of paper towels for draining the latkes, and set aside.
- One the oil has reached the proper temperature, scoop 2 tablespoons batter into your palm - I recommend a spring loaded one-ounce cookie scoop for this - and mold the batter into a patty shape. Gently lower it into the oil, and repeat with 2-4 more patties depending on the size of your skillet. Don’t overcrowd the pan (smaller 8 or 9 inch pans will only hold 3 at a time; 10-12 inch pans can accommodate 4 or 5).
- Fry the latkes for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned on the bottom, then flip and continue frying on the other side for 2-3 more minutes until evenly browned. Use a spatula to transfer cooked latkes to the towel-lined rack to drain; flipping after a couple of minutes to drain the other side. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping an eye on the oil temperature and adjusting the flame as necessary to maintain a range of 350-365°F. At lower temperatures the latkes will be very greasy; at temperatures higher than 365°F the natural sugars in the sweet potato are likely to burn.
- Serve: Arrange the latkes on a platter, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and chives, and serve Harissa Cream Sauce and applesauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
¹ If substituting non-dairy yogurt for the sour cream, you may want to add a splash of lemon juice for tang
² Harissa paste varies widely in heat level across brands, so adjust the amount according to your palate and the type you’re using. I love spicy food, so I use a spicy harissa and the full tablespoon of paste.
³ Use the finest holes on a box grater or the smallest setting on a food processor grating disk to grate the sweet potatoes so they’re in fine strands. Larger/thicker pieces won’t hold together as well when it’s time to fry the latkes. To shred the Brussels sprouts you can use a food processor with the shredding disc on the finest setting, though mine doesn’t do a very good job so I shred them by hand using a knife or mandoline (if you use the latter please be extra careful). Stores do sell pre-shredded Brussels sprouts so you can use those instead, though if the shreds look thick you might want to give them a quick chop; the pieces should be somewhat delicate/thin.
⁴ Leeks are notorious for hiding grit between their layers. Add the leek slices to a bowl, fill to cover with cold water, and give them a good swish with your hand to agitate out any bits that are still stuck inside the slices. Let the leeks float in the water for 1-2 minutes to allow any grit to settle to the bottom, then carefully scoop out the clean leek slices and drain well.
² Harissa paste varies widely in heat level across brands, so adjust the amount according to your palate and the type you’re using. I love spicy food, so I use a spicy harissa and the full tablespoon of paste.
³ Use the finest holes on a box grater or the smallest setting on a food processor grating disk to grate the sweet potatoes so they’re in fine strands. Larger/thicker pieces won’t hold together as well when it’s time to fry the latkes. To shred the Brussels sprouts you can use a food processor with the shredding disc on the finest setting, though mine doesn’t do a very good job so I shred them by hand using a knife or mandoline (if you use the latter please be extra careful). Stores do sell pre-shredded Brussels sprouts so you can use those instead, though if the shreds look thick you might want to give them a quick chop; the pieces should be somewhat delicate/thin.
⁴ Leeks are notorious for hiding grit between their layers. Add the leek slices to a bowl, fill to cover with cold water, and give them a good swish with your hand to agitate out any bits that are still stuck inside the slices. Let the leeks float in the water for 1-2 minutes to allow any grit to settle to the bottom, then carefully scoop out the clean leek slices and drain well.
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/sweet-potato-brussels-sprout-latkes-harissa-cream/