Louis York

This recipe is pretty multipurpose, as it can serve as a meal in itself. The peanuts, mushrooms, and egg are all sources of protein – as a side, a starter, or a snack. Sweet potatoes are a very popular ingredient for celebrations that happen in late November, such as Thanksgiving, and this recipe might offer a more palatable alternative to the traditional sweet potato and marshmallow casserole that can be found on many American tables this season too.


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Mountain View

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Being a vegetarian alternative, I felt it was important that this recipe should maintain moisture, flavour and crunch – at this time of year, in the Christmas holidays, many vegetarians will be disappointed by stodgy, dry and unfulfilling nut roasts and stuffed mushrooms as alternatives to turkey. Keeping the size of the stuffing balls down and cooking them at a high heat for a short amount of time should help to produce a crunchy exterior and a moist and flavourful interior.

In terms of allergen replacement, the peanuts and breadcrumbs can be increased in ratio for those with nut allergies and for coeliacs respectively. The recipe can also be made vegan if you replace the egg with a little silken tofu – maybe a third of a small block.

I like to dip these stuffing balls in sriracha hot pepper sauce, but they are also good as dumplings on a warming soup, or just as a festive side.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Stuffing Balls – makes 18

Ingredients:
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 100g Breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 sprigs of rosemary
  • 100g of roasted peanuts
  • 300g chestnut mushrooms
  • 1 onion
  • 100g of roasted peanuts
  • 50g of vegetable oil
Method:
  • Preheat the oven to 220°C, 200° fan.
  • Rub a little oil on the sweet potato and prick a few times with a fork.
  • Microwave the sweet potato until fork tender, 5-10 minutes.
  • While the sweet potato is in the microwave, dice the onion and de-stalk and dice the mushrooms.
  • Remove the stalks from the rosemary and slice.
  • Chop the peanuts.
  • Sweat the mushrooms and onion in a little oil until reduced.
  • Once the sweet potato is softened, peel and mash with a fork in a large bowl until smooth.
  • Add the onions, mushrooms, eggs, rosemary, peanuts and breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper.
  • Mix the ingredients with a spoon until fully combined.
  • With your hands, shape the dough into balls roughly an inch and half wide and place on a lightly oiled sheet tray.
  • Roll the balls around on the tray to make sure the balls are coated in a little oil but make sure they remain spaced out.
  • Bake for 10 minutes at 220°C and serve with a little rosemary garnish.