Sometimes we get into ruts. Have I chain-watched “Ford v. Ferrari” since I first saw it in theaters two years ago? Why yes, yes I have. Just thinking about it makes me want to hop in the passenger seat with Christain Bale and Matt Damon one more time. It’s what I’d call a cinema rut. Most of us have them. Culinary ruts happen too. This apple sweet potato hash brown recipe was born out of the desire to free myself from a sweet potato rut.

Let freedom reign.

Golden brown apple sweet potato hash browns await a dip in a dollop of orange basil yogurt. — Yeah, that happened.

LET’S GET COOKIN’

INGREDIENTS

sweet potatoes or yams (I’m not picky)
apples (granny smith are the best)
corn starch

INSTRUCTIONS

Start by grating your sweet potatoes. If you’re fancy and have one of those most premium food processors, now is the time to use the grater attachment on it. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to join me on team “Arm Cramp.” 4-cups of grated sweet potatoes is a lot.

When your arms are about ready to fall off, or when you’ve finished grating your sweet potatoes, it’s time to grate some apples. I’ve used all manner of manzanas, but my absolute favorites are tart granny smiths.

Now, get back to grating. You’ve got this.

Stretch, shake out your arms, use a massage gun on your forearms: whatever you need to do to recover from your strenuous apple and sweet potato grating sesh.

A Note on Coconut Oil

Now is a good time to dump a cup of fair trade coconut oil into a pan and set it on medium-high heat.

Top Tip: Coconut oil is wonderful for these, adding a nice, rich, nutty flavor other high-heat oil can’t. Make sure you get that pan and oil nice and hot before you drop your apple sweet potato hash browns in. DON’T LET THE OIL SMOKE! That’s too hot! That means that the oil has separated and has become a potential carcinogen carrier. You’ve been warned.

These apple sweet potato hash browns are in need of some glue. Let’s add in some starch. Mix all of that in a large bowl. Smush a handful of the apple sweet potato hash brown mix in your hands and form a little patty. The video shows you what I actually mean.

Top Tip: Two spatulas work really well at keeping your hands from going the way of fried chicken.

Give your potato cakes the last bath they’ll ever need, and smoosh them with a spatula so they are flat. The apple will be transformed into a gooey sweet glue that will hold your crispy potatoes like a lover’s farewell embrace.

As with all fried things, salt while hot then serve with some fresh orange basil yogurt.

EQUIPMENT

FAQ

Can I use another type of oil?

Of course, you can. It’s your apple sweet potato hash brown party [admittedly a super long title to write on an invitation].

What’s the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?

The color, the sugar content, and the flavor. Yams have bright red or orange flesh and they are MUCH sweeter than sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes may have different colored skin, but their flesh is traditionally a soft yellow-white. They can be cooked a bit more aggressively because of their slightly lower sugar content.

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