sweet potato pancakes with smoked trout and avocado

March 29 2012, 12:00 pm

salty, sweet, smokey, creamy, tangy, crispity, crunchity- and they're pretty!

i love smoked trout. but sweet lord i hate deboning it. the photos were a nightmare massacre- which accurately captured the essence of the experience. if i'm going to all the trouble of ripping apart a fish with my bare hands, it better be tasty. and pretty. pretty enough to make me forget what it looked like with a head. these sweet potato pancakes are a worthy vehicle, and when garnished with bright green, they won't be the ugly girl at the table.

1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
1 shallot, peeled and shredded
1 egg, whisked
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted
1 tablespoon sour cream
squeeze of lemon juice
chives and pea shoots
smoked trout, broken into large chunks (no bones)

for pancakes:

heat canola oil in a cast iron skillet on medium heat.
wrap the shredded sweet potato with cheesecloth and squeeze all the liquid out. it needs to be as dry as possible, so squeeze it a few times to be sure.
mix together the egg, flour, salt and pepper. add the shredded sweet potato and shallot. combine well.
when the oil is hot, drop mounds of the potato batter into the oil. flatten slightly to make pancakes about 2" in diameter.
cook about 2 minutes until edges are golden and crispy. flip and cook another couple minutes on the other side.

these pancakes are super easy to reheat. you can make them a day ahead, and keep in the fridge. when you're ready to assemble the toppings, place the pancakes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and heat up in a 400 degree oven until crispy.

for avocado mash: