Sweet Potato & Buckwheat Rissoles

This was delicious! The uncooked mixture (prior to eggs and breadcrumbs addition) was so yummy that I'd use it again as a "mash" on the side for a meal, or as a Friday night quick meal.

Original recipe from Diet Dessert & Dogs http://dietdessertndogs.wordpress.com/2008/05/20/sweet-potato-and-kasha-burgers/

We made one panful of rissoles as per the original recipe, but they were very fragile and fell apart easily (not sure why), so I added egg and dry breadcrumbs to the rest of the mix to make them hold their shape - as per below. I used quite a lot more oil, and a bit more basil, but otherwise the original balance of flavours is the same - deliciously smoky and sweet.


~Sweet Potato & Buckwheat Rissoles~
1-1/2 cups dry buckwheat
3 cups vegetable stock
1 large onion, finely chopped
8 tab sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
2 small celery stalks, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
2 large sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1/4 cup tahini
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 entire spring onion, finely chopped
2 tab tamari
3 slices dry bread, made into crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
flour to dust (I used cornflour but any would do)

Dry-roast the buckwheat in a heavy pan over medum heat for 5 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon.

Add stock; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and cook over low heat until water is absorbed and buckwheat is tender, about 15 minutes.

Cook onion in 1 tab oil over medium heat until softened. Add celery and carrot; cook for another 5 minutes until softened.

Stir together all ingredients (except remaining oil and flour) until combined. Form rissoles and roll lightly in flour, then flatten to about 1.5cm thick.

Heat 2 tab oil in heavy frying pan over medium-high heat and cook in batches, using more oil as needed. Cook until one side is dark and crispy, then turn and cook other side until similarly black-brown.

Sunbeam Buckwheat Pikelets

Mum had a Sunbeam mixmaster and a Sunbeam frypan so it's uncertain which instruction book this recipe came from, but curious that it calls for sour milk. We didn't generally have any sitting around so added some vinegar.

Pikelets were a quick last-minute smoko that we kids could help cook; they were made often. We liked them with sugar and lemon juice on top, but golden syrup or treacle is good too. T trialed peanut butter but rated it as only ok. He was going to try tomato sauce.

The boys helped make them this morning, leaving trails of batter across the stovetop, licking their fingers, and wriggling with excitement at the bubbles rising before the Flipping of the Pikelet. They even helped flip and lift, not bad fine motor skills boys, I was impressed. But just in case you're mislead to think that I let them do this for longer than a few batches, don't be ;) It's quite challenging to my bench wiping fetish.

We used buckwheat flour for something different and added 2 tsp baking powder per cup of flour to make it self raising.

~Sunbeam Pikelets~

1 cup SR flour (or buckwheat or other, with baking powder to suit)

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

pinch salt

2 tab sugar

1 egg

1 cup sour milk (or add 1 tsp vinegar)

60g butter and a little extra for the pan

:::Sift flour, salt and soda.

:::Add sugar, egg and milk and beat well for a few minutes.

::: Fold in melted butter and leave to rest for a few minutes.

:::Heat pan to medium-hot. Grease it with a little melted butter and place spoonfuls of batter around the pan, leaving plenty of room for them to spread, and for later flipping.

:::Wait for the big bubbles to burst then flip each pikelet with a spatula. If the cooked side is golden brown then temperature is just right; if not, adjust accordingly.

:::Cook the other side briefly, peeking under to see when it's done.

:::Lift out and eat warm. Or cold. With whatever you like. Even tomato sauce :)

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