Spicy Sweet Potato and Cheddar Croquettes
These little balls of yumminess (yes, I wrote that) are the perfect mix of spicy and sweet. These make for a great appetizer or a side dish to a meal. Super easy to make and they are just as easy to eat! You can adjust the spiciness to your own tastes. A crowd pleaser for sure.
Makes 30
Time: 1 1/2 hour plus freezing
Cannabis Infusion:
Time: 1 1/2 hour plus freezing
Cannabis Infusion:
- Canna-flour could be a nice choice for this infusion as this would most likely be an appetizer or side dish and you would want to start with a slow infusion if this was going to be part of a full meal experience
- Canna-oil is another choice and what I prefer
The Stuff You'll Need:
FOR THE FILLING:
FOR THE CROUQUETTES:
FOR THE FILLING:
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded (about 1 packed cup)
- ½ cup/65 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
FOR THE CROUQUETTES:
- 1 cup/130 grams all-purpose flour
- 3 whole eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups/125 grams plain fine bread crumbs
- About 4 cups vegetable, canola, peanut or other neutral oil, for stovetop shallow frying
- Kosher salt
Pay Attention to the Directions:
Put the sweet potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in a pot and cover with an inch or two of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, transfer to a bowl, mash with a fork, and let cool for at least 30 minutes. (You can also do this step ahead and let the mashed sweet potatoes cool in the refrigerator overnight.)
Add the cheese, flour, cumin, paprika, black pepper and cayenne to the mashed sweet potatoes and mix until evenly combined. Use a medium cookie scoop (a scant 2 tablespoons) to portion the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Freeze until solid, at least 1 hour.
Prepare to bread the croquettes: Set up a standard breading procedure in three bowls — flour, egg-and-oil mixture and bread crumbs.
Dip each piece in the flour, shaking off any excess, in the egg mixture (turning it a few times to make sure it is completely coated), then in the bread crumbs. Set each breaded croquette on the baking sheet. Refreeze the finished, breaded croquettes until firm. (These can live in your freezer for months.)
Tip: I use an air fryer to create these little loves but you can go old school and deep fry them as well.
Add enough neutral oil to a deep-sided pot or pan to reach a depth of 1 1/2 to 2 inches, and heat over medium until shimmering, or when a thermometer reads between 325 and 350 degrees. Working in batches, fry the frozen croquettes, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned all over and piping hot in the center, about 5 minutes. (When frying, it’s important to moderate the heat to keep as steady a temperature as possible. Adding frozen products to hot oil brings the temperature down, as does crowding.)
Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked croquettes to a baking rack and immediately sprinkle with a little salt before serving.
Put the sweet potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in a pot and cover with an inch or two of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, transfer to a bowl, mash with a fork, and let cool for at least 30 minutes. (You can also do this step ahead and let the mashed sweet potatoes cool in the refrigerator overnight.)
Add the cheese, flour, cumin, paprika, black pepper and cayenne to the mashed sweet potatoes and mix until evenly combined. Use a medium cookie scoop (a scant 2 tablespoons) to portion the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Freeze until solid, at least 1 hour.
Prepare to bread the croquettes: Set up a standard breading procedure in three bowls — flour, egg-and-oil mixture and bread crumbs.
Dip each piece in the flour, shaking off any excess, in the egg mixture (turning it a few times to make sure it is completely coated), then in the bread crumbs. Set each breaded croquette on the baking sheet. Refreeze the finished, breaded croquettes until firm. (These can live in your freezer for months.)
Tip: I use an air fryer to create these little loves but you can go old school and deep fry them as well.
Add enough neutral oil to a deep-sided pot or pan to reach a depth of 1 1/2 to 2 inches, and heat over medium until shimmering, or when a thermometer reads between 325 and 350 degrees. Working in batches, fry the frozen croquettes, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned all over and piping hot in the center, about 5 minutes. (When frying, it’s important to moderate the heat to keep as steady a temperature as possible. Adding frozen products to hot oil brings the temperature down, as does crowding.)
Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked croquettes to a baking rack and immediately sprinkle with a little salt before serving.
