By Easter. Tom came with Claire, who flew in from Colorado for the week. The prime rib came out right. Dad carved with the left hand more than the right this year, which I noted without comment. Mom's sides. Tom's pecan pie. Claire's good wine. June, five months corrected, sitting in a high chair that Cole had brought, eating small pieces of soft sweet potato and showing great philosophical interest in this new development in her life.
After dinner Tom read the dedication from the mule book aloud, at Claire's request. To Claire, who makes the world sensible. And to Ryan, who writes things down. He read it without affect, as if reading a list of account numbers. Claire said nothing for a moment. Then she put her hand over his and that was enough said between them about it.
I thought about what it means to be in the company of good people doing the things that matter to them. Tom writing at eighty-two. Dad carving with his left hand. June discovering sweet potato. Cole building a business. Linda in Kansas, writing something about Derek that isn't finished yet but is coming. Dr. Crain, quarterly now, checking the work. The company has expanded since I came back to the ranch. The solitude hasn't disappeared but it's inhabited by something other than just myself. That's the right direction.
Ate the Easter ham cold in a sandwich Monday evening, same as always. The best use of the best prime rib, which is the next day's sandwich with horseradish and cold roast on good bread. Some meals are complete over two days. This is one of them.
June got soft pieces from a bowl that night, which was the right call at five months corrected. But watching her work through that sweet potato with such focused attention got me thinking about it in a different form —something with more texture, more give to it, the kind of thing you can make the week after Easter when you’re still in the habit of cooking for people you love. Sweet potato fritters are what came of that thinking. Simple enough to make on a Tuesday, good enough to deserve the good table.
Sweet Potato Fritters
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and grated
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil, for frying
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the sweet potato. Grate the peeled sweet potatoes using the large holes of a box grater. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much moisture as possible —this is the step that makes the difference between a crispy fritter and a soggy one.
- Mix the batter. In a large bowl, combine the wrung-out sweet potato, flour, beaten eggs, green onions, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Heat the pan. Warm 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. You want the oil hot enough that a small bit of batter sizzles immediately on contact.
- Form and fry the fritters. Working in batches, scoop about 3 tablespoons of batter per fritter into the pan, then gently flatten with the back of a spatula. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp. Do not crowd the pan.
- Drain and repeat. Transfer finished fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add remaining oil to the pan between batches as needed. Continue until all batter is used.
- Serve. Plate the fritters warm with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt alongside. A little flaky salt on top does not hurt anything.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 290mg