Pancakes Are Spirited Side Dish

Pancakes are not just for breakfast any longer. Vegetable pancakes, such as these delicious circles of shredded sweet potato and minced green onion, can be spirited vegetable accompaniments to main courses of lamb, fish or poultry.

Vegetable pancakes are colorful and easy to make. The processor quickly dispatches the shredding chores and mixes the flour-based batter. Once cooked, the pancakes can be set aside and reheated at meal time.

The medium shredding disc is standard food processor equipment and using it to shred raw sweet potatoes is elementary. Keep in mind that, since sweet potatoes have a firm texture, firm--but not hard--pressure is used for processing.

Since the length of the potato shreds are not critical to the look of the pancakes, the potatoes can be inserted upright or sideways in the food chute. However, inserting potatoes sideways does produce long shreds while inserting them upright yields shorter shreds.

Before ladling the batter into the skillet or onto the griddle be sure to stir it well. Liquids in the batter tend to sink to the bottom of the bowl, leaving shredded potatoes uncoated; it is necessary to stir the mixture frequently so that pancakes hold together perfectly.

SWEET POTATO PANCAKES

1 1/2 pounds fresh sweet potatoes, peeled

Cold water

4 medium green onions, trimmed

3 eggs

1/3 cup flour

Salt

Ground black pepper

1/3 to 1/2 cup oil

Insert medium shredding disc. Shred potatoes with firm push. Transfer shreds to large bowl, cover with cold water and set aside 15 minutes.

Change to metal blade. Cut green onions into 1-inch pieces and finely chop with 1-second pulses. Add eggs and process 10 seconds. Pulse in flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until mixture is smooth.

Drain potatoes well then pat dry with cloth towels. In dry bowl, toss potatoes with green onions and egg mixture. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet or on griddle. Use 1/4-cup measure to ladle pancakes onto skillet or griddle and spread each to 3-inch circle. Cook on medium-high heat until browned, then turn and cook until well done.

Transfer cooked pancakes to paper towels and blot to remove excess oil.

Repeat to cook all pancakes, stirring batter frequently. Add oil to pan as needed. Just before serving, season pancakes to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 to 6 servings.