Sweet Potato & Leek Pancakes

This ersatile dish of Sweet Potato & Leek Pancakes with Smoky Baked Beans

is perfect for breakfast, brunch or lunch and is even hearty enough for dinner too! It's also a favourite of the vegetarian in my life. It works well prepared ahead of time should you be entertaining, you can simply reheat the pancakes and beans and serve with minimal effort and fuss.
 Feeds: 4 Preparation time: 10 - 15 minutes Cooking time: 7 - 10 minutes 

INGREDIENTS:
1 large leek, cut in half and sliced into thin long strips Large knob of butter
2 small to medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated 2 spring onions, cut in half then into thin strips ½ zest of lemon Generous sprinkle of sea salt flakes, freshly ground black pepper and a good dash of white pepper
3 organic free range eggs, whisked
4 tablespoons of rice flour (for a gluten-free option) or plain flour Vegetable oil for frying Pot of crème fraîche to serve Boston style baked beans: Glug of olive oil ½ white onion, diced 1 clove of garlic, crushed and finely chopped 1 tin of cannellini beans or haricot beans 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika ½ tin of tomatoes ½ pint of vegetable stock 1 teaspoon of molasses Generous sprinkle of sea salt flakes and black pepper 1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano

PREPARATION: Begin by melting your butter in a frying pan, add in the shredded leeks and cook over a medium to heat until soft, this should take four to five minutes. Next, combine the grated sweet potatoes, spring onions, lemon zest, seasoning and cooked leeks.
Once you've thoroughly combined all ingredients add in the whisked eggs, again mixing well so all ingredients are now evenly coated in egg. Gradually add the flour until you have a relatively thick and sticky consistency. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan. You ideally want between one and two centimeters depth of oil. Test that it's hot enough by adding a small dollop of the mixture - this should fizz and float to the top. It's also good at this point to check the seasoning of your cooked mixture and adjust if necessary.
When you're happy with your sweet potato and leek mixture begin to gently spoon generous tablespoonfuls into the hot oil, leaving a little room for them to spread out either side. Cook for around two to three minutes on each side or until golden. Once cooked gently transfer to paper towel to absorb some of the oil. You can keep these warm in the oven if you're cooking these up in batches. For the Boston style baked beans, add a glug of olive oil to a pan and allow to heat before adding in the chopped onions and garlic. Sweat for several minutes and then add the beans, tinned tomatoes, stock, smoked paprika, seasoning and molasses and cook over a medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, finally add in the fresh oregano.
Serve the sweet potato pancakes with a generous dollop of Boston style baked beans and another generous dollop of crème fraîche with a little extra freshly ground black pepper.