Thomasina Miers’ Sweet Potato Taquito

Thomasina Miers is the brains behind the Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca. This sweet potato taquito is a Wahaca best seller and is an absolutely delicious vegetarian dish! Fresh, vibrant, crunchy and packed with flavour!

Ingredients

For the sweet potato filling:
  • 1kg sweet potato
  • 100g butter
  • 160g feta
  • 10g diced red chilli
  • A few branches fresh thyme
  • 100g roasted red onions
  • 25g maple syrup
  • 40ml soy sauce
For the roasted red onions:
  • 500g red
  • onions, sliced
  • 35ml rapeseed oil
  • 15g soft brown sugar
  • 10ml sherry vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
For the aioli:
  • 1 tbsp chipotle en adobo
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed with a pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 175ml olive oil
  • 175ml vegetable oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp soft brown sugar
For the salsa:
  • ¼ red onion, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1-2 limes
  • 4 very ripe tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
  • 1 Jalapeño chilli
  • ½ tsp soft brown sugar
  • A small bunch of coriander and tarragon, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp good quality sherry (or red wine) vinegar
  • A splash of extra virgin olive oil
To serve:
  • Blue corn tortillas
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Fresh tomato salsa
  • Sour cream loosened with a tablespoon of milk

Method

To make the mayonnaise open the chilli out like a book and discard the seeds.

Place a small pan over a medium heat and dry fry the chilli for a couple of minutes until it begins to smell fragrant. Try not to burn it or the flavour turns bitter.

In the bottom of an upright blender blitz the chilli, add the garlic clove, mustard and egg and blitz some more, seasoning with a few pinches of salt. With the motor running slowly add the oil drop by drop through the top of the blender until the mayonnaise starts to thicken and emulsify, at which time you can pour the oil in a thin stream. Add the lime juice, stir in the sugar and season to taste.

Sweat the onions over a medium high heat in the oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. After 10 minutes add the sugar and vinegar and continue to cook until golden and caramelised.

Peel the sweet potato and cut into 5cm dice. Place in a steamer for 15 minutes (or until soft and tender).

Heat a large pan over a high heat and add the butter. When the melted butter starts going dark brown, add thyme, soy, maple and red chilli. Take off heat and immediately stir in warm sweet potato.

Mash the sweet potato and butter together and allow to cool. Add feta and red onions and stir well to combine. Soften the tortillas in a pan with a little oil. Fill with the sweet potato filling, attach with toothpicks and deep-fry until crisp.

Put on a plate on a bed of shredded lettuce. Drizzle with the chipotle mayo and cream and top with a heaped tablespoon of salsa.

Ingredients

For the sweet potato filling:
  • 1kg sweet potato
  • 100g butter
  • 160g feta
  • 10g diced red chilli
  • A few branches fresh thyme
  • 100g roasted red onions
  • 25g maple syrup
  • 40ml soy sauce
For the roasted red onions:
  • 500g red
  • onions, sliced
  • 35ml rapeseed oil
  • 15g soft brown sugar
  • 10ml sherry vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
For the aioli:
  • 1 tbsp chipotle en adobo
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed with a pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 175ml olive oil
  • 175ml vegetable oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp soft brown sugar
For the salsa:
  • ¼ red onion, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1-2 limes
  • 4 very ripe tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
  • 1 Jalapeño chilli
  • ½ tsp soft brown sugar
  • A small bunch of coriander and tarragon, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp good quality sherry (or red wine) vinegar
  • A splash of extra virgin olive oil
To serve:
  • Blue corn tortillas
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Fresh tomato salsa
  • Sour cream loosened with a tablespoon of milk

Method

To make the mayonnaise open the chilli out like a book and discard the seeds.

Place a small pan over a medium heat and dry fry the chilli for a couple of minutes until it begins to smell fragrant. Try not to burn it or the flavour turns bitter.

In the bottom of an upright blender blitz the chilli, add the garlic clove, mustard and egg and blitz some more, seasoning with a few pinches of salt. With the motor running slowly add the oil drop by drop through the top of the blender until the mayonnaise starts to thicken and emulsify, at which time you can pour the oil in a thin stream. Add the lime juice, stir in the sugar and season to taste.

Sweat the onions over a medium high heat in the oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. After 10 minutes add the sugar and vinegar and continue to cook until golden and caramelised.

Peel the sweet potato and cut into 5cm dice. Place in a steamer for 15 minutes (or until soft and tender).

Heat a large pan over a high heat and add the butter. When the melted butter starts going dark brown, add thyme, soy, maple and red chilli. Take off heat and immediately stir in warm sweet potato.

Mash the sweet potato and butter together and allow to cool. Add feta and red onions and stir well to combine. Soften the tortillas in a pan with a little oil. Fill with the sweet potato filling, attach with toothpicks and deep-fry until crisp.

Put on a plate on a bed of shredded lettuce. Drizzle with the chipotle mayo and cream and top with a heaped tablespoon of salsa.