Hi Everyone, It does not take much convincing for me to try a new or different recipe when certain ingredients are involved. There is almost no hesitation. I become obsessed and want to make whatever it is right away. Cassava, green plantains and coconuts are three such ingredients that can make me abandon more important tasks to go into the kitchen, cook and bake. Last week I ditched the grading of papers and writing of my book to make my friend Richard’s Cassava and Mince Fritters. Well by the time I was done, they were more like patties. I’ll explain later.
It all started when Richard’s sister-in-law posted a photograph of the fritters he had made on Facebook, titled: Gourmet Cassava Fritters. The plate looked appetizing. I just knew I had to make them. The recipe is simple – a mixture of mashed cassava and cooked seasoned beef mince, combined, dipped in an egg wash and pan-fried.
05Here’s the thing, I was planning to make Shepherd’s Pie with creamed cassava topping instead of regular English potatoes after a conversation I had with Dave Martins; and on a previous occasion with a Guyanese residing in North America. Dave wrote me to extol the brilliance of his wife in suggesting the use of cassava in place of potatoes when he made his Shepherd’s pie and the woman in the USA had written asking for a recipe for the mashed cassava topping for the Shepherd’s pie that Fogarty’s used to make. My plans for the Shepherd’s Pie with cassava topping were set aside when I heard about the Cassava Mince Fritters.
Just so that you don’t feel cheated, quickly, here’s what to do for the Shepherd’s Pie.
Boil the cassava in salted water, drain and mash while still hot. To get it light and creamy, add some milk, a beaten egg along with some baking powder. If you can find it easily, use the recipe I gave for the baked cassava puffs back in January.
Finely chop up some onions, carrots, celery, thyme and hot pepper and mix it all in with the mince A couple pinches of ground jeera goes well with the beef. (You can opt to sauté the veggies and herbs separately if you like).
Heat oil in large pan until smoking hot and add the mince to brown. Spread the meat out in a even layer, breaking it up here and there so that it does not clump up. Then leave it alone, do not poke, push and prod it, let it get some colour.
Give the mince a toss when it is browned on one side and let it continue to cook. Crush a couple of beef or vegetable bouillon cubes and add to the beef along with salt and black pepper to taste and 1 ½ cups of water. Mix well, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. You don’t want the mixture to be dry; you want it saucy but not watery. If the meat has sprung water, then only add half a cup of water, let it then cook in its own juices.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Dump the beef mixture (juices and all) into a large Pyrex or oven proof dish and spread evenly. Top with the cassava mixture, spread evenly, smoothing the top. Brush with melted butter or a neutral oil, leave as is or use the back of a fork to draws lines designing the top. Dust with a little paprika if you have and bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the top is golden.
Satisfied? Back now to the Cassava Mince Fritters.
The principles in terms of preparing the cassava and the mince are very similar to that of the Shepherd’s pie, the major differences are – for the fritters, the two ingredients are mixed together. Secondly, one is baked and the other is fried and thirdly, the Shepherd’s pie is one big dish while the fritters are individual bites.
My friend Richard made his fritters really fritter-like and by that I mean that he patted them really flat. However, by the time I had finished boiling and mashing the cassava, sautéing the aromatics and cooking the mince I did not have the patience to stand at the stove pan-frying a little over 2 dozen fritters and so I opted to make them into thick patties. The size and shape of burger patties. I do not regret my decision because they were hearty and they could actually be inserted between a burger bun, smeared with a little Mayo, a squirt of ketchup and a drizzle of pepper sauce. I am drooling the thought.
I also did something else with the cassava and mince, which I would guess some would describe as cassava puff? I stuffed the cassava with the cooked meat and pan-fried them as well. Think of a large cassava ball with minced meat in the middle!
A couple of friends and I have been feasting on the cassava-mince fritters patties and the stuffed-cassava balls, ahem, cassava puffs.
Two ingredients, three different approaches. This is what I keep telling people who complain about having to eat the same thing all the time, change up the routine by approaching and presenting it in a different way. As much as the ingredients were the same. The Shepherd’s pie, the fritters/patties and puffs were each eaten and enjoyed differently.
The Shepherd’s Pie was eaten with a salad. The fritters/patties were eaten with Rice and Peas and as a burger. The puffs were eaten as is with some sour. See? Totally different eating experience.
There was no recipe so to speak from Richard, he said: “I just…” you know the rest so I am not going to write more. I took his “I just…” and did what I wanted to do.
Cassava-Mince Patties
Yield: 16
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs. cassava
Salt and black pepper to taste
Oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (optional)
Minced hot pepper to taste
1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 ½ pounds beef mince
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin (jeera)
4 whole scallions/green onions sliced thinly, white and green parts
All-purpose flour
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
DIRECTIONS
Peel cassava and cut into large pieces; add to a large pot, cover with water and place on high heat. Cover pot and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, season with salt to taste. Taste the water after adding the salt to check that you have put in enough. Cook until cassava is soft.
While the cassava is cooking, add 3 tablespoons of oil to pan and heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook on low heat until the onions are softened. Raise heat to medium and add thyme, parsley, hot pepper and garlic, and let cook for 2 minutes before mixing in with the onions. Cook the mixture until the garlic and pepper are softened; reduce heat to low if you have to. Do not let the mixture develop a colour (get brown). Set aside to cool.
Drain the cassava well and add to a large bowl along with half of the sautéed onion mixture and mash until smooth; remove all of the fibrous stems from the cassava and discard. Set aside the mixture to cool.
In a large frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil until smoking hot and add mince, spreading it out in an even layer, breaking up the meat to avoid creating clumps. Do not toss or mix, let the meat brown. When browned on one side, give a toss, sprinkle with cumin and let cook until the meat is no longer pink and there is very little liquid, (if any liquid has sprung from the meat). Toss in the remainder of the cooked onion mixture, season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook until the liquid (if any) has evaporated. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions/green onions and set aside to cool for about 15 – 20 minutes.
Using a sturdy spoon, mix together the mince and the cassava until fully combined.
Wash and dry your hands and rub with a little oil. Take a handful of the mixture (about ½ cup), roll into a ball and then flatten into ½-inch patty. Repeat until all the mixture has been formed into patties. Let rest for 10 minutes so that it can set. You may have to oil your hands in between making the patties.
Add ½ cup all-purpose flour to a bowl or a plate; set aside.
Lightly whisk together the eggs and milk in a bowl.
Add oil to just coat the bottom of a shallow frying pan and place on medium heat to heat up. (See important cooking note below)
Working in batches (based on how large your frying pan is), lightly dust each patty in flour, dip into egg wash and add to pan. Cook until brown on one side, flip and cook on the other side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the patties are cooked.
NOTES
These patties can absorb a lot of oil so use a non-stick pan if you have one. Secondly as the recipe suggests, only put a little oil to coat the bottom of the pan. As a result of this, you will need to add oil a couple of times to the pan or in-between batches. I do not recommend adding all the oil at one time.
To make fritters, take smaller amounts of the mixture and pat it flat.
You can use chicken, pork, lamb mince for this dish.
Let me know what you think when you try it.
