Sunday, December 19, 2010

Sweet Potato Po'Boys (and a holiday giveaway!)

Less than a week until Christmas!?!  Oh my gosh.  I am not even halfway there...not even a quarter way there.

So before I get all caught up in the rush of it all, let me give my present to you...a new recipe featuring my favorite tuber, the sweet potato!  And if you leave a comment (here on the blog, not on facebook or twitter) telling me your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes, I will pick 2 of you at random, Wednesday night at 8pm, Due to weather related issues, the giveaway has been extended, and I will do the drawing on Wednesday December 29 at 8pm, to receive a copy of Celine and my brand spankin' new book The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions.  CONTEST NOW OVER

Okay, to the food:
Sweet Potato Po' Boy...

Sweet Potato Po'Boys
If I ever opened a lunch truck or diner, it would be made up solely of gourmet sandwiches and a variety of macaroni salads. This sandwich would definitely be on the menu. Not a traditional Po’ Boy by any sense of the word, it is inspired by the fried seafood sandwiches made famous in Louisiana. Now a true Po’ Boy would be a foot long, so these ones are considered “shorties” and if you decide to use the highly recommended pile of Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw, well then you can consider your Po’ Boy “dressed.”


As always, a deep fryer works best here, but if you don’t have one, a pot filled with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil will work just fine.

For the Sweet Potatoes:
1 large sweet potato
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain soymilk or other nondairy milk
1/2 cup (62 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (14 g) cornflakes, crushed
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Fennel Marmalade:
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 bulb fennel, sliced in a thin julienne (reserve the leaves for later use)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
pinch salt
2 tablespoons (42 g) agave nectar

For the Aioli:
1/3 cup (75 g) vegan mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon (2 g) chopped fennel leaves (reserved from the bulb above)
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Vegetable oil for frying
4 (6-inch, 15 cm) french rolls
1 recipe Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw, below, optional, but highly reccommended
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).
To make the sweet potatoes: Slice the sweet potato into thin rounds, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. You can peel your potatoes if you choose, but we like ours with the skin on!

Place the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
To make the Fennel Marmalade: While potatoes are cooking, add olive oil to a pan and heat over low heat. Add fennel, garlic, shallots, and a pinch of salt.
Slowly cook until very soft and tender, and just beginning to caramelize, About 15 minutes, stirring occasionaly.
Add in agave and toss to coat. Crank up the heat and cook about 5 more minutes, stirring constantly, until caramelized, sticky, and browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the aioli: Whisk ingredients together. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Finish the sweet potatoes: Preheat your oil to 350°F (180°C). Place milk in a shallow dish. Add flour, cornflakes, Old Bay, and cayenne to a resealable plastic bag and shake to combine. Dip one round into the milk to coat and then add it to the bag. Repeat until you have about 5 rounds in the bag. Shake to coat the potatoes with the flour mixture. Carefully add to the coated potatoes to the hot oil and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, flipping half way through, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat until all potatoes are fried.

Assemble the Po’ Boys: Spread a layer of aioli on each half of the french roll. Pile 1/4 of the sweet potatoes on the bottom half of the roll, and top with 1/4 of the Fennel Marmalade, add a heaping pile of the Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw, if using. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Po’ Boys

Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw
*Gluten Free

*Quick and Easy
This coleslaw is a great side dish on it’s own, but it really takes the Sweet Potato Po’ Boys to a whole new level. You can make this ahead of time, but if you do, keep the dressing separate and toss together just before serving.

For the slaw:
1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cups (162 g) shredded carrots
1/2 cup (80 g) raisins or dried cranberries, optional

For the peppercorn dressing:
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain soymilk
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (112 g) vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coursely ground or cracked
1 tablespoon (2 g) fresh chopped fennel leaf
1 tablespoon (13 g) sugar
salt to taste

To make the slaw: Toss together the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
To make the dressing: Add soymilk to a small mixing bowl. Stir in lemon juice and allow to sit for a few minutes. It will curdle and become like buttermilk.
Whisk in the remaining ingredients.
Toss dressing with the slaw and serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings

54 comments:

Jenni (aka Vegyogini) said...

I like my sweet potatoes simply baked in a 400* oven for an hour. They come out sweet and flavorful! Thank you for the giveaway!

Carla said...

I made a pasta tossed with tiny cubes of sweet potatoes, pan roasted, with sage and garlic, in olive oil last night. It was divine! Other than that I love sweet potato in soup!!

Unknown said...

I love mine baked then topped with margarine and seasalt and fresh cracked black pepper...hands down my fave starchy food! Yum! The po boy looks so good! Def gonna make for my family!

Veg-In-Training said...

This recipe may be my new favorite way! It looks so awesome! I love them so many ways. Simple is sometimes best. I like to toss them with a combination of fresh herbs from the garden, garlic and olive oil and roast them in the oven until they are just slightly crunchy and golden on the outside. Oh and Fred makes a mean sweet potato and green chile hash.

sgcorrie said...

I am a sweet potato fry gal. Baked, fried, it doesn't matter, as long as they are DELICIOUS.

Ames said...

Diced and roasted with coconut oil!

Anonymous said...

I like my sweet potatoes simply popped in the oven and roasted whole!

Leah said...

I love sweet potato biscuits (and baked, fried, in soup or chili, in stir fry)!

Katie said...

Baked sweet potato fries... the best!!

Kelly said...

Yum! I like to roast mine and then eat them mashed up with black beans, corn, salsa, and tortilla chips for dippin'!

Melissa said...

I like to make sweet potato "falafel"

xmeliss182x (at) yahoo (dot) com

Kelly C said...

I'm a total wuss when it comes to sweet potatoes...the only way I really like them is when I hide them in things like muffins or spaghetti sauce. Those po'boys do look delish though...maybe I will have to open my mind to them.

Elisabeth said...

I love mashed sweet potatoes with vegan butter, almond milk, salt and cinnamon. I also love baking sweet potato wedges sprinkled with cumin, cinnamon, salt, paprika, black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Amanda @ Hungry Vegan Traveler said...

That's one heck of a sammich!

I like my sweet potatoes roasted. Plain an' simple.

Chris said...

I love to make baked sweet potato fries that are seasoned with cinnamon, brown sugar, and curry powder.

Nichole said...

I haven't really experimented with sweet potatoes as much as I'd like. Two of my most favorite recently have been in an pasta bake with kale (from Vegan Yum Yum) and in a chipotle sweet potato bisque (from Viva Vegan!).

Yay for giveaways.

Emma said...

Sweet Potato Sammie, mmmm, looks fabulous. I love sweet potatoes diced into little cubes along with carrots, butternut, rutabaga etc all drizzled in olive oil and roasted in the oven until you get nice chewy bits :)

SandiS said...

I just discovered that roasting sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil is fantastic. I'm reading thru the comments and, apparently, plain 'ol sweet potatoes are a favorite. I'll have to try this without the oil and see if I like sweet potatoes plain. Also, I wasn't aware there are so many varieties of sweet potatoes. I wonder which one most people are referring to?

Anonymous said...

I haven't made sweet potato dishes a lot but I love it roasted!

Lauren Lowe said...

Roasted in olive oil and garam masala. laurenlowe7@hotmail.com

the medjai xx said...

Baked sweet potatoes all the way.

Erin said...

I like just plain ole sweet potato fries the best!

HeyitsBeth said...

I am absolutely in love with sweet potatoes roasted and smothered in a charmoula sauce. It's to die for!

And my god, that sammich looks insane.

celine said...

not taking part in the giveaway clearly but I must reiterate I am in love with the po' boy and that the fried sweet potatoes used in it are my new favorite way of devouring them. and I would do pretty much anything for that fennel marmalade. (but I won't do that.)

Fanny said...

Um... Actually, I've only had sweet potatoes once, and that was baked. I didn't like that very much, but oh my that po' boy! That must be my future favourite way of preparing them!

Love said...

Crispy sweet potato fries, dipped in a mix of ketchup, mayo and curry. Yum.

Vic Robinson said...

Looks great! Nice unique idea.

Lilly said...

I like baked sweet potatoes, but I don't make them very often.

Lee Ann said...

Baked with some earth balance and some brown sugar.

radioactivegan said...

Yum, that looks great. Last night I had a giant sweet potato, baked and topped with black beans, green onions, and sriracha. It was delicious!

Sheree' said...

Oh my! Sweet potatoes just about anyway are good, but I have never had them on a sandwich! Looks so good. I think my favorite way so far is any way it is cooked that had pecans in the ingredient list. They just go together.

TZel said...

I love to bake my sweet taters in the oven and serve them with fixin's. Thanks so much!
bridgestranslation at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Because I've had them SO recently and I LOVE them, I'd say sweet potato chips! OMG. Well... maybe not more than Susan's Sweet Potato Casserole (from fatfreevegan.com) OMG sweet potato bliss! :)

Amey said...

oh yums! I have never had a po-boy, but I have heard of their greatness... and your picture is totally compelling.

Sadly for me, my otherwise-wonderful boyfriend does not like sweet potatoes at all. So, every time he goes out of town, I celebrate by eating non stop sweet potatoes! Roasted, baked, in tofu scramble, in stew... mmmm!

moonsword said...

I came across Rum-Spiked Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate Pecans from 1,000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson...super fabulous!

KittyPaws said...

I love shaved sweet potatoes cooked in a maple syrup reduction.

Annmarie said...

I love using sweet potatoes in stuffed chiles/peppers or when I make vegetarian shepherds pie! That's the best.. it's so earthy with some kale in there as well. Mmm.

Anonymous said...

Boring, I know, but I like them roasted in the oven. So simple and yet so good!

Courtney

Carin said...

What a great looking sandwich. Insead of deep frying the sweet potatoes, is there any way they could come out crispy from the oven? If so, what temp would I use?(I still am dealing with high cholesterol which translates to no frying).
PS-I just received your "The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions". What a great read, the possibilities are endless. Thank you!!

Jilleen said...

i love my sweet potatoes anyway really but they are especially good in a curry sauce.

Erika said...

I'm pretty anyway goes with my sweeties too, but I love to mashed them up, add a little maple syrup and make a sweet potato quesadilla. Second to that, sweet potato fries.

MeloMeals said...

That looks and sounds sooo good! I love all the different layers of flavor.

I adore anything with chipotle and sweet potato.

just melissa is fine said...

I like to bake my sweet potatoes and then eat them with a garnish of black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, onion and cumin. And sometimes I add corn and vegan sour cream for good measure.

Tomdan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tomdan said...

My favorite way is to make sweet potato fries and dip them in mustard =]

SandiS said...

Who were the two lucky people to get the book??

Lacey said...

I love sweet potatoes as fries or I love them purreed in a soup with fresh ginger

Joni Marie Newman said...

Due to weather related issues, the giveaway has been extended, and I will do the drawing on Wednesday December 29 at 8pm

Anonymous said...

This recipe is brilliant! I love when people think of cool veggies to sub for meats & fish!

The Chubby Vegetarian said...

Love your Ideas for a sweet potato sandwich. Looks WONDERFUL. I like to use them in queasadillas with spiced black beans like this: http://chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2009/11/mexican-corn-chowder-w-sweet-potato.html

http://www.thechubbyvegetarian.com

SandiS said...

Wow, those pictures of Laguna Beach and all were sobering! I hope things will calm down and return to normal.

susan said...

rubbed in olive oil and roasted in the oven...yum

Sara said...

Sweet Potatoes are my favorite! I especially love sweet potato sushi rolls! So very good and delicious. Mmmm.

Nicole said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe Joni! It looks amazing.

As for my favoutite way to eat a sweet potato, I am currently hooked on making an inside-out burrito with a freshly baked potato - I pile on the black beans, salsa, guacamole, green onions, and sour cream and dig in!

2012 Copyright/Permissions/Disclaimers

All recipes written by me, Joni Marie Newman, unless otherwise noted. Please feel free to refer to or link back to any of my recipes, but please ask for permission, and remember to give credit when reprinting recipes in their entirety. I do provide links to affiliate programs (such as Amazon) in which I receive a small commission for items purchased. I do not provide paid reviews. All reviews done on products or books are of my own unsolicited opinion. On occasion I may receive a book or product to review. I will note when this is the case, but rest assured, it will not affect the authenticity of my review. Thanks!--Joni