Cranberry Turkey Meatballs and Sweet Potato Latkes

There was a taste sensation party going on in our house last night. Unfortunately the neighbors from hell were having a different kind of party with screaming in all directions, front, back and sideways. At least we know one thing for sure - it is unlikely taste had any part in their equation.

On the other hand, ours included these fabulous turkey meatballs from Elise at Simply Recipes, absolutely loaded with holiday flavors. Hit the link and head to the source for the recipe, but I have to tell you the Big Guy and I were a perfect team once again putting these beauties together. Loaded with ground turkey that we pulverized ourselves from fresh turkey thighs, and subtly spiced with thyme and fennel, after browning they sat in a garnet colored bed of spiced up cranberry coulis.  We loved them although of course in our opinion they could have used a good jolt of habanero along with the cayenne pepper to make them truly memorable.

Also holding a place on our tray of holiday munchies on Pink Mountain Friday were little lacy crispy nests of sweet potato latkes. Simple to make and so darn delicious, these beauties aren't just wonderful as a "with", but they're perfect appetizers too. A combination of sweet and yukon gold potatoes, along with a grated sweet onion, my secret to perfection in the latke department ...other than having the Big Guy do all the cookin' is to use my potato ricer to squeeze all the moisture out of the potatoes before adding the flour, egg and seasoning.

Topped with a sour cream/horseradish sauce the only thing wrong is that we didn't make enough of the darn things. They're really a perfect appetizer, hot or room temperature, whether topped with the horseradish sauce or smoked salmon or caviar or home made apple sauce or nothing else but salt and your finger. Delicious!

Sweet Potato Latkes (adapted from foodnetwork.com)

1/2 sweet onion

1/2 pound Yukon gold potato

1/2 pound sweet potato

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 large egg

Vegetable oil

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons horseradish

Oil for frying

Preheat oven to 200. Place a wire rack over a sheet pan and set aside.

Grate onion using a box grater and place into a medium sized bowl. Grate peeled potatoes and mix with onion as you go along to prevent browning. Work as quickly as possible. Transfer potato onion mixture into a potato ricer in 2 batches and squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the vegetables. Return to a bowl; add flour, salt, pepper and egg. Mix well to combine.

Heat a quarter inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Using a quarter cup ice cream scoop, transfer latke mixture to hot oil, level top slightly and cook 3 or 4 at a time until golden on both sides. Transfer to prepared sheet pan and hold in the oven while you finish cooking the rest of the latkes.  Mix together sour cream and horseradish and serve with latkes.

A year ago - Baked Pasta with Eggplant Sauce

Comments

[Lea]

OK - I admit it - even I would eat those meatballs! That tray of yumminess looks perfect for a pink mountain Friday.
Hey - our crazy neighbors have started setting off the fireworks they bought for new year's already.... ugh....

[June]

Lea - at least you'll know they won't be settin' them off at midnight and waking you up. As for ours, they'll save 'em and set 'em off right outside our bedroom door. By the way, the meatballs are really wonderful and I think they'd be good made with ground pork or chicken too.

[pam]

Happy Holidays!

[Sarah G]

Those darned neighbours, I feel for you. Love the latkes and all.

[June]

Thanks Sarah. Hope you had a fabulous Christmas. Love those tourtieres - I didn't make any this year. Darn!