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Sweet Potato Tots with Cilantro-Lime Sauce. What's Your Favorite Childhood Food?

by on ‎08-01-2014 03:09 PM

Hello, foodies…


Sometimes our recipes on In the Kitchen with David make me feel nostalgic and Sunday’s recipe is truly one of those…we’re making Sweet Potato Tots with Cilantro-Lime Sauce. Obviously, sweet potatoes are a bit of a change from the original, as is the zesty cilantro-lime sauce. But, I still felt like a little boy again when we taste-tested this recipe in our QVC kitchen.


Sweet Potato Tots with Cilantro-Lime Sauce


Sweet Potato Tots with Cilantro-Lime Sauce
Serves 4‒6


Ingredients:
Sauce:



  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, rough chopped

  • 1/2 of a jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced

  • 1 scallion, minced

  • 1 Tbsp lime juice

  • 1/2 tsp sugar

  • 3-1/2 tsp salt, divided

  • 3/4 tsp black pepper, divided


Tots:



  • 2 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in large pieces

  • 1/4 cup flour, plus additional for rolling

  • 1 tsp cornstarch

  • 1 tsp chili powder

  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs

  • 2 egg whites, beaten

  • Oil, for frying


Preparation:



  1. Combine the sour cream, cilantro, jalapeño, scallion, lime juice, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

  2. Place the sweet potatoes in a medium-size saucepan. Cover with cool water and add 2 tsp salt. Bring the potatoes up to a boil over medium heat.

  3. Pierce the potatoes with a fork every 5–10 minutes until they feel slightly undercooked. Then, drain the water and let the potatoes cool in the pot.

  4. Meanwhile, combine the flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, cornstarch, and the chili powder in a large bowl and set aside.

  5. When the sweet potatoes have cooled, mash 1 piece of sweet potato and set it aside. Finely dice the rest of the potatoes. Carefully fold the mashed and diced sweet potatoes into the flour. The mixture should form a dough-like consistency when blended.

  6. Cut the sweet potato dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out 1 half of the dough into a 13–14" log that's about an inch in diameter. Repeat with remaining dough. Slice each log into small 1" x 1" logs.

  7. Preheat a deep fryer to 375°F.

  8. Place the egg whites and breadcrumbs in two small shallow dishes. Roll each tater tot in the egg whites and then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Place the tots on baking sheets that have been lined with a couple layers of paper towels.

  9. Fry the tater tots in batches of 6 until they're a deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Serve with the dipping sauce.


This recipe is prepared with the Kuhn Rikon Colored Nonstick 4th Burner Pot by MarkCharles Misilli (K40455).


Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.


Foodies, if you rarely fry food in your house, you can bake these and get great results…just put them on an unlined baking sheet in a 350°F preheated oven for about 10–12 minutes.


As I sit here thinking about all of those days in the school cafeteria—a mound of tater tots—in front of me, I’m reminded of all those foods I loved growing up. I think my favorite was something my mother used to make for my brother, sister, and me when we wanted a snack. She used to take store-bought chocolate chip cookies and spread peanut butter in the middle so we had little dessert sandwiches. Sometimes, she blended them into milkshakes. I’ll share with you that I have chocolate chip cookie milkshake in my new cookbook that’s inspired after that very treat. And yes, it's as good as it sounds.


So in honor of those childhood favorites, tell me in your blog question today…what’s your favorite kid food? Meaning, what did you eat when you were little that you still love now? Peanut butter and jelly? Grilled cheese? Hot dogs? Jell-O? After chocolate chip peanut butter sandwiches, a grilled cheese is my favorite. There’s nothing better than white bread and melty American cheese. I can’t wait to hear your answers! I’ll see you Sunday on In the Kitchen with David at Noon ET.


Keep it flavorful!
—David