Saturday, March 31, 2012

Sweet on Weck...A Sweet Potato Patty on a Kimmelweck Roll


.......with Spicy Ketchup and onions.

Some of you may recall that I was lucky enough to go to The Taste of  the NFL in Indianapolis the night before the Superbowl. While there, I was able to sample some really great food. One item that caught my attention was called Beef on "Weck"...basically a sliced beef sandwich on a Kimmelweck roll. Believe me, I didn't know what it was, either. It took at least 6 times of my asking someone, before it sunk in. The Kimmelweck roll (also spelled "Kummelweck") is a Kaiser roll that is topped with a mixture of course salt and caraway seeds. While the beef on this sandwich was tasty, the roll is what really grabbed my attention. The Kimmelweck roll was the first thing I googled when I got home.

As much as I love sliced beef, I wanted to make something with these rolls that even my vegetarian family could eat, and since I'm deep into sweet potatoes at the moment, why not use those, too? So, at the risk of receiving the stink eye from the good folk in Buffalo, New York (home of Beef on Weck), may I present to you.....Sweet on Weck!

Sweet on Weck

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
1 bag (14 oz) frozen bell peppers and onions, preferably fire-roasted
1 cup frozen corn (again, I'm partial to the fire-roasted variety)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (6 oz) bag baby spinach leaves
1 large sweet potato, baked and skinned*
1 (15.5 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup crushed hot and spicy cheese crackers
1 cup panko bread crumbs
6 Kimmelweck rolls (easy recipe follows)

*Bake the sweet potato at 400 degrees F. for about an hour, or until soft.


Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the frozen peppers/onions, corn and garlic; stir with a wooden spoon and cook until the vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Put aside a few spinach leaves for each sandwich and add the rest to the pan. Cook until the spinach leaves are wilted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash together the cooked sweet potato and the cannellini beans. With a wooden spoon, stir in the pepper/onion mixture, salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder, mixing until combined. Stir in the egg, cracker crumbs, and panko crumbs.



To form the patties, line a custard cup with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang, and fill nearly to the top with the sweet potato mixture. Carefully pull the sweet potato mixture out of the custard cup and fold the plastic wrap over the top to form into a patty. Repeat until 6 patties are formed, leaving wrapped in the plastic until ready to cook (you may freeze the patties at this point).


Once they're wrapped, you can pop them in the freezer or make them right away.

Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium high heat. Unwrap 2-3 sweet potato patties and carefully add to the heated skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low and fry for about 5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Repeat for the remaining burgers, adding additional oil to the skillet, if needed. 


For an easy, easy way to make a Kimmelweck roll, simply purchase some good quality Kaiser rolls at your favorite bakery or supermarket. Then, use this method: (adapted from Bobby Flay)

Mix together 1 tablespoon caraway seeds and 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt; set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 1/4 cup warm water and stir into the boiling water. Cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and cool until room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the top of each Kaiser roll with the thickened cornstarch. Sprinkle desired amount of salt and caraway seed on each roll. Bake for 4 minutes or until the topping has dried.


To serve, simple top the bottom of the Kimmelweck roll with a few spinach leaves, add the sweet potato patty and top with some spicy ketchup (simply stir together 1/2 cup chili sauce with a few drops of Sriracha sauce), and some raw onions. Oh, and don't forget the top part of the roll--my favorite!! :)


Remember--it isn't required to use marshmallows and sweet potatoes in the same sentence. :)



3 comments:

  1. Second try, without spelling errors.... My parents grew up in the area of New York where beef on Wecks are king. Every time we went back to visit the family, we'd stop at their favorite diner for a meal of them. It's so fun to see them here in this version!!

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  2. Thanks, Kristen...let's just hope I'm not offending the Beef on Weck gods with my sandwich, lol.

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  3. I'm sure your sweet potatoes are happier than the rest of them knowing they will end up in a great dish! This patties look great!

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