Sweet Potato Hash Browns With Baked Beans

Vanessa Clarkson VANESSA CLARKSON

Makes: about 16 small hash browns
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

DIETARY INFO: Dairy-free, gluten-free option (use gluten-free flour), nut-free, vegetarian

Baked Beans

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 5 large truss tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 40 g (1½ oz/ ¼ cup) sun-dried tomatoes
  • 4 soft medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar (optional)
  • 1 small handful fresh basil leaves
  • 750 g (1 lb 10 oz/ 3 cups) cooked cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Method

  1. To make the baked beans: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium–low heat. Add the onion, garlic, fennel and cumin seeds, and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, dates and vinegar, if you like.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning and adding the basil 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
  4. Use a hand-held blender or food processor to carefully purée the sauce (it will be hot), then empty into a large ceramic ovenproof dish with the beans and give everything a good stir. Pop into the oven, and bake for 30 minutes.

Hash Browns

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 large sweet potatoes (about 650 g/ 1 lb 7 oz), peeled
  • 10 spring onions (scallions), green part only, finely sliced
  • 50 g (1 3/4 oz/ 1/3 cup) wholemeal (whole-grain) spelt flour
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • Olive oil for frying

METHOD:

  1. To make the hash browns: Grate the sweet potato using a grater or a food processor with a grating disc. Put in a medium bowl with the spring onion, flour and eggs. Stir to combine.
  2. Allowing 1 tsp olive oil per hash brown, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  3. Make a patty with a heaped tablespoon of the sweet potato mixture, carefully drop into the pan and flatten with a spatula into a hash brown shape.
  4. Fry for 2–4 minutes until golden brown, then flip over and repeat on the other side.

For little ones: Mash the beans on top of the hash browns, and cut into fingers for easier gripping.

Vanessa Clarkson

BY VANESSA CLARKSON

I'm a mother, dietitian, cook, writer and I'm passionate about nourishing families with plant-based whole foods eating. I have just released my first book - 'Real Food For Babies And Toddlers'. Originally from the UK, I now live, work and write on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia.