This recipe, a basic sweet potato fritter from The New Moosewood Cookbook, is a breeze to throw together, especially if you are comfortable making fritters of any kind. A food processor fitted with the shredder attachment makes for light work of the sweet potato-and-onion grating process, though a box grater works just as well, too. Topped with caviar and crème fraîche as featured here, these crispy bites make a festive hors d’oeuvre, but larger fritters on their own or topped with a fried egg are equally delicious. The batter can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before I fry all of the fritters, I like to test one for seasoning in a small skillet, then make adjustments accordingly.

Makes 25 to 30 hors d’ouevre-size fritters

• 4 cups coarsely grated sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup grated onion
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup flour
• Neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed, for frying
• Crème fraîche, sour cream, yogurt, or apple sauce for serving
• Caviar for serving (optional)
• Fresh chives, minced, for sprinkling

1. Combine sweet potatoes, onion, lemon, salt, pepper, eggs, and flour.
2. Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. (See note above re: making a test fritter before frying up the entire batch.) Add enough oil to coat the bottom surface. Using a tablespoon, scoop out mounded spoonfuls of the batter and drop into the pan. The batter should sizzle upon contact. Cook until golden and crisp, flip — I use a fork — and cook until the second size is golden and crisp. For me, it often takes one round to get the timing and temperature right. Transfer fritters to a baking sheet or cooling rack and repeat with remaining batter. Add more oil as needed.
3. Let cool briefly before adding crème fraîche (it will melt!) and caviar. Arrange on platter sprinkle and sprinkle with chives.