New Zealand Yams

These are New Zealand yams: oxalis tuberosa.  Sounds like a spell Hermione Granger might use, doesn't it?   Everyone loves them here and we are going to try them tonight with another Kiwi recipe for pumpkin fritters.  The yams are little for potato-like vegetables, but they sure are pretty colors.  They give Julia the prickles to look at and she is agog at the idea that I am going to make her try something that looks a bit like a grub.  My response is similar to the one I learned from my own dad, "When in Rome...."

Here is a link to more info on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalis_tuberosa

The Pumpkin Fritter recipe I will be using comes from Cuisine magazine, the local foodie periodical.  I wanted to try them because they are really common on restaurant menus around here.  I have also like Donna Hay, the foodie mag from Australia.  The July issue is all about gnocchi!  I can't wait to try some of these.

You can find more about them here and try some recipes from down under yourself!
http://cuisine.co.nz/
http://www.donnahay.com.au/

Pumpkin and Bacon Fritters by Ginny Grant, published in Cuisine Magazine, June 2012 issue


Serves: 4 (makes 12 large fritters)This delicious brunch dish is also good served with wilted greens.


Almond & coriander salsa
1 small clove garlic
1⁄4 cup roasted almonds
pinch of chilli flakes
1 cup firmly packed coriander leaves
1⁄4 cup mint leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons thick Greek-style yoghurt
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Process the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped then add the almonds and grind to a crumb. Add the remaining ingredients and blitz with 2-3 tablespoons water until the salsa has emulsified and has a smooth consistency. Reserve.

For the fritters
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus extra for frying
150g streaky bacon, finely diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped sage
500g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, grated
1⁄4 cup flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
cos salad to serve
Heat the oil in a frying pan then fry the bacon until crisp. Add the sage and fry, stirring, for another minute. Remove from the frying pan and set aside.
Put the grated pumpkin in a bowl. Sift the flour and baking powder over the top and mix gently to combine. Add the eggs and mix well to combine. Fold the bacon and sage through the pumpkin mixture then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat a little more oil in the frying pan you fried the bacon in then add large spoonfuls of the pumpkin mixture and fry, in batches, for 2 minutes each side or until the fritters are golden and cooked through. Keep warm in a low
oven while you cook the remaining fritters. Serve with the almond and coriander salsa and a cos salad.