Dinner Time: Sweet Potato Pancakes with Goat Cheese and Spiked Mushrooms

Okay, so this dish was a bit of an experiment. I was pretty confident in the Sweet Potato Pancake part (adapted from Mark Bittman’s recipe in How to Cook Everything), but I also had some extra mushrooms in the fridge and thought they might help to make the pancakes more “dinner-like.” I ended up making a sauce of Baby Bella mushrooms and red onions (spiked with brandy) and putting this on top of my serving of pancakes, along with a dollop of soft goat cheese. And the biggest surprise: I also put a drizzle of maple syrup (Grade B, i.e. “the good stuff”) and a squeeze of lemon over the dish. I know, I know… It sounds really weird, but it actually was delicious. The mushrooms and goat cheese were great with the pancakes and the maple syrup added just a touch of sweetness, while the lemon added a refreshing bite. Of course, you can always top the pancakes with some cinnamon apples, sautéed pears, or good ole’ maple syrup. Smoked salmon with sour cream and chives would be great as well. But if you’re feeling a bit adventurous, you can try my combination.

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Goat Cheese and Spiked Mushrooms

For Sweet Potato Pancakes:

(adapted from “Everyday Pancakes,” How to Cook Everything, Tenth Anniversary Edition, by Mark Bittman)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tsbp sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled, plus additional butter for griddle

1 1/2 cups puréed cooked sweet potato (about 1 large sweet potato)

Spiked  Mushrooms (recipe below)

1/4 cup soft goat cheese

1/4–1/2 cup Grade B maple syrup, warmed

Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Directions:

1. Wisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Wisk the eggs in a medium bowl, then add milk and combine. Mix in the melted butter slowly until incorporated. Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, but do not over-mix (there should still be lumps). Add the puréed sweet potato and fold in until fully incorporated. Add more milk if the mixture seems a bit dry.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium to medium-high heat (the temperature is right when a drop of water fizzles on the surface). Melt a pat of butter in the pan and spoon batter onto the pan, 1/4 cup per pancake. Cook on one side for 2–4 minutes; you’ll know the pancake is ready to flip when little bubbles begin to form in the center.
3. Flip the pancakes over and cook on the other side until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. Cooked pancakes can be kept in a warm oven (200°) on an oven-safe plate until ready to serve.
4. To serve, plate 3–4 pancakes per person and top each serving with 1/4 cup of Spiked Mushrooms, 1 Tbsp of goat cheese, a drizzle of warm maple syrup, and a squeeze of lemon juice. A side of bacon or pancetta would also be pretty tasty.

For Spiked Mushrooms:

(adapted from “Simple Pan Sauce: Mushroom Sauce,” How to Cook Everything, Tenth Anniversary Edition, by Mark Bittman)

2–3 Tbsp softened butter

2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion or shallots

1 cup sliced white or brown mushrooms

1 cup brandy

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, warmed

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and sauté until onion is translucent and mushrooms are lightly browned.
2. Carefully add the brandy off the heat, put the pan back on the heat, and cook, stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the broth and continue stirring and cooking until liquid has reduced by half.
3. Add a pat of butter at a time and stir, just until sauce begins to thicken. Serve with Sweet Potato Pancakes. Also good with chicken, salmon, or grilled steak.

Serves 4–6.