Arugula Salad with Sweet Potato–Parsnip Pancakes, Chives, & Blue Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup peeled and coarsely grated sweet potato
- 1 cup peeled and coarsely grated parsnip
- ¼ cup peeled and coarsely grated yellow onion
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup finely chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg beaten
- 5 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
- 4 cups arugula
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese such as Crema de Blue or Maytag Blue
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh chive sprigs for garnish optional
Instructions
- In medium bowl, combine grated sweet potato and parsnip. Reserve 1 teaspoon grated onion for salad dressing; add remaining onion and ½ teaspoon salt to grated veggies. Mix well, and let stand 10 minutes.
- In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, the reserved teaspoon grated onion, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to make dressing. Smash garlic clove, and add it whole to dressing mixture to infuse; set aside.
- Transfer sweet potato mixture from bowl to cheesecloth-lined colander; gather ends of cloth to squeeze vegetable mixture and wring out excess liquid. Wipe out any moisture in bowl, and return sweet potato mixture to it; stir in chopped chives and flour. Add egg, mixing until well combined.
- Heat oven to 175°F, and place a baking sheet, lined with paper towel, in oven (keep a close eye on it and do not leave in oven any longer than necessary). Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 9-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, drop heaping tablespoons of sweet potato mixture— 4 at a time—into oil, spreading mixture with back of spoon to make 2-inch wide pancakes. Cook 2 minutes; turn pancakes to brown other side and cook through, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer pancakes to lined baking sheet in oven; repeat frying, using more vegetable oil as needed, to cook remaining vegetable mixture, making a total of 12 pancakes.
- Just before serving, remove garlic from salad dressing and discard. Toss arugula with dressing, and divide among four serving plates. Arrange 3 pancakes and 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese on top of each salad. Sprinkle generously with freshly ground black pepper. If desired, garnish with fresh chive sprigs, and serve.
Elaine Khosrova
Elaine Khorova is the original Editor-in-Chief of culture magazine and the current recipe writer extraordinaire. She resides in the Hudson Valley of New York where she is working on a book about the history of butter.
Stylist Eugene Jho
Eugene Jho is a food stylist based in New York City. You can view his work at www.eugenejho.com
Photographer Jeremy Merriam
Jeremy Merriam's early artistic influences stem from watching Bob Ross, Saturday morning cartoons, comic books, and his fascination drawing dinosaurs. It was years later that he decided to further shape his artistic side by becoming a professional photographer. His interest in photography has been a constant evolution, and is a medium that continues to surprise him. He developed a strong interest in food and food related photography inspired by his love of cooking, which led Jeremy to explore food as a subject.
