1544. SWEET POTATO and BACON FRITTERS

1/2 pound bacon, coarsely chopped
1 large yam (orange-fleshed sweet potato), scrubbed and patted dry
1/2 cup buttermilk, plus more as needed
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
vegetable oil for deep-frying
pure maple syrup for serving

Cook the bacon over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Prick the yam and baked it in a 400 degree oven until tender. (For the quick version, microwave the yam on high for about six minutes.) Once the yam is cool, spoon the flesh into a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Place 1/2 cup of the mashed yam in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg and buttermilk.

Sift the flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and allspice into a bowl. Use a pastry cutter and combine until a fine meal forms. Add the flour mixture to the yam mixture and stir until a soft dough forms, add more buttermilk as needed if the dough is too dry. Add the bacon and stir until just distributed. Cover the bowl with a towel and let stand for 10 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a Dutch oven [I recommended a Fry Daddy]. Heat the oil over medium heat until it registers 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Drop tablespoons full of the dough, 5 or 6 at a time, into the oil and fry, turning occasionally, until cooked through and brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the baking sheet. Place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, letting the oil return to temp between each batch. Serve the fritters hot with maple syrup.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Life at the Condo with Baby, February 19, 2009