Grandma’s Potato Croquettes

Cajun French:  la patate douce (la pa-tat doos) – Sweet Potato

Many years ago John‘s grandmother owned a General Store across from the school in Port Allen, LA.  This was before school cafeterias and Francis would make hamburgers at lunch for the students.  Since most of the students were Cajun Catholics, on Fridays she would make Potato Croquettes using fish flakes.  Francis, the below recipe is in your honor, we hope we make you proud.  The below recipe has been updated using sweet potatoes and salmon.

Mais C’est Bon!

Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 1 – 14.75 oz canned Salmon
• ½ cup red Creole onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup sweet pepper, finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp Crystal Hot Sauce
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• 1 Tbl fresh dill
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 ½ cups cooked cubed sweet potato
• Pinch cinnamon
• 2 Tbl Olive Oil

Mash sweet potatoes and add a pinch of cinnamon.

Finely chop onion and sweet pepper.  Chop fresh dill.

Drain Salmon and break up in large bowl.  Add finely chopped onions, sweet peppers, salt, Crystal Hot Sauce, cayenne, fresh dill, mayonnaise, bread crumbs, and beaten egg.  Mix well.

To Salmon mixture, add mashed sweet potatoes mixture.  Blend together.

In a large skillet, heat 1-2 Tbl olive oil to medium.  The type of skillet will depend on how much oil you need.

Make 12 patties of 2-3” and cook on medium for 3-4 minutes on each side.