Mary-Frances Heck's Sweet Potato "Big Macs"

Mary-Frances Heck made Sweet Potato "Big Macs", from her new cookbook, "Sweet Potatoes". Meet Mary-Frances at an event hosted by Chef Maneet Chauhan in honor of her longtime friend, tonight from 5pm to 7pm on the patio of The Mockingbird, 121 12^th Ave. N. Nashville, TN 37203. The cookbook is called "Sweet Potatoes: Roasted, Loaded, Fried and Made into Pie" and it is available now on Amazon and at other booksellers. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @maryfrancesheck.  

Sweet Potato “Big Macs”

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled (about 1 ½ lbs)

1 t kosher salt

½ t freshly ground black pepper

Neutral oil (such as canola or grapeseed)

4 sesame seed burger buns, plus 4 additional bottom buns

Burger Sauce (recipe follows)

½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded

24 dill pickles

4 slices American cheese

¼ c thinly sliced onion or shallot

1. Grate sweet potatoes on a box grater into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil to a depth of ¼ inch in a large, non-stick skillet set over medium heat. Line a plate with brown paper or paper towels. When the oil shimmers, add 2 or 3 handfuls (about a ½ cup each) of sweet potato to the skillet in compact mounds. Let the sweet potatoes fry into a patty, like a hash brown or latke, for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook till the patties are crispy, 2 more minutes. Drain the patties on the brown paper. Replenish the oil as needed to maintain a depth of ¼ inch. Repeat with remaining sweet potatoes until you have 8 patties.
3. Toast the buns. Line up the 8 bottom buns on a work surface. Spread 1 T of the burger sauce on each and then top with shredded lettuce and pickle chips. Place a slice of cheese on 4 of the bottom buns and a patty on all of them. Top the patties with onions, stack the burgers, and add the top buns.

Burger Sauce

¼ c mayonnaise

2 T grainy mustard

1 t pickle juice

½ t honey

2 T chopped dill pickles

1 garlic clove, chopped

½ t paprika

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, honey, pickles, garlic and paprika till smooth. The sauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.