Sweet Potato Corn Cakes

I wasn't really sure how much I would enjoy this recipe because for some reason, I've always just held something against sweet potatoes. Don't know why so don't bother asking. Just never have been a huge fan. However, the Sweet Potato Chorizo Enchiladas recipe we make from Budget Bytes began to change my attitude towards sweet potatoes. So when Will said he wanted to make sweet potato corn cakes, I hedged my bets and hoped that the corn flavor would balance the sweet potato.Well needless to say, these guys are tasty little nuggets! Filling, because of the potato, and flavorful from all the spices and the onions.

Cooking Notes: We ate these with leftover tzatziki sauce instead of making the recommended garlic sauce, which I can only imagine would be delightful. I did not include the garlic sauce recipe on here, but you can always find it from the recipe link at the bottom of the recipe. Will also used dried cilantro instead of fresh and used more oil to fry the cakes.

Sweet Potato Corn Cakes (adapted from Budget Bytes; serves 6)
3 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 green onions
1/4 bunch cilantro (or dried cilantro)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Begin by cooking the sweet potatoes. The fastest way is by pricking the skin with a fork, wrapping one potato at a time in a paper towel, placing it on a place, and microwaving on high for 5 minutes. When you can squeeze it and it's soft in the center, it's ready. Repeat with sweet potatoes until they're all done, allowing them to cool. Once cool, cut them open and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.

Slice the green onions and roughly chop a handful of cilantro. Add the green onions, cilantro, frozen corn kernels, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper to the bowl with the cooked sweet potatoes. Stir until well combined. Add the breadcrumbs, cornmeal, and egg to the bowl to bind the mixture. Stir until evenly combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.

Once the mixture has had ample time to refrigerate, prepare to cook it. Add enough vegetable oil to fully cover the bottom of a medium skillet (Will did this part differently because we still had oil left over from fry bread). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until the surface is wavy. Shape the sweet potato mixture into small patties (about 2-3 tbsp each) and cook about 4 at a time in the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on each side; about 2 minutes per side. After cooking, place on a paper towel covered plate to drain. Serve warm!

Recipe: Budget Bytes: Sweet Potato Corn Cakes