festival of latkes

 

Ok, here’s the deal. It’s almost Chanukah and, as my gift to you, I was planning to share my latke recipe, which is quite awesome in itself–it utilizes an eye-opening technique I picked up from food writer, Joan Nathan, years ago. These pancakes are delightfully crispy on the outside and perfectly creamy on the inside, with a bite of green scallion for good measure. But a particular foodie friend has been pestering me to give up a related recipe that I’ve been holding close to the vest, and I suppose it’s time to come clean. I served the second dish I offer here as an hors d’oeuvre at a party I catered about a year ago and it really was an unbelievable hit. I mean, people were standing around the kitchen waiting to pounce on each batch as it came out. The irony is that once you master the latke recipe (which is really quite simple), the rest of this appetizer is just a matter of assembly. But it’s the amazing and unusual collection of ingredients in this mouthful that make every taste bud sing with delight. So delicious, they’re sure to be a sensation at your next party. Whatever you’re celebrating, I wish you the happiest of holidays.

Potato Latkes

 

Potato pancakes, or latkes, are much beloved in my family. But I’m very particular when it comes to this treat: they have to be made with care. It won’t do if they come out soggy or thick–latkes should be light and have the perfect balance of crispy and creamy. Most people weigh their pancakes down with matzo meal or flour, thinking it’s necessary to hold them together. But the most brilliant discovery I made was in Joan Nathan’s book, Jewish Cooking in America. She describes how to use the natural starch from the potato as its own binder. A beaten egg and a some seasoning are all that’s necessary to make a light and lovely latke. Roll up your sleeves and dig in, because this is a real hands-on recipe.

 

Begin by peeling and grating your potatoes. I like to use a combination of russets and Yukon Gold–the former for their high starch content, the latter for their buttery flavor. Of course, the optimal way to grate them is by hand, but, I will admit, if I’m making a large batch, I’ll take the shortcut of using my food processor. The potatoes are grated a little more thickly, but believe me, no one is the wiser.

 

Place the grated potatoes into a strainer over a large bowl. Allow the potatoes to drain for several minutes, helping them along by periodically squeezing the liquid out of the potatoes by hand. 



Let the liquid settle in the bottom of the large bowl without disturbing.

 

Grate the onion and mix in with the potatoes. I prefer to use sweet onion, which is also kinder on the tears.

 

When the liquid has settled, you can tilt the bowl and see the starch that is clinging to the bottom underneath. Pour off the water on top, leaving the starch behind.

 

Add the potatoes and onion to the bowl. Using your hands, mix the potatoes with the starch.



Add in a beaten egg and season the mixture with plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss until well combined.

 

Finely chop scallions, including a couple inches of the green part, and stir into the potato mixture.

 

If there ever was a time to crack out your cast iron pan, this is it. If you have two, all the better for getting the job down more quickly. If you don’t have cast iron, a heavy skillet will work instead. Heat the pan(s) well over medium high heat. Add a thick coating of canola oil to each pan and heat until shimmering.

 

Form a pancake in your hands, pressing down to flatten it and remove any excess liquid. Place it in the pan to fry. Continue making pancakes and fry them in batches, being careful not to crowd the pans as you go.

 

When the latkes are golden brown on one side, flip them over and continue to cook, about 4 or 5 minutes on each side. Adjust the heat as necessary to make sure they’re cooking evenly. As the pancakes absorb the oil, you may need to add more to the pan.

 

A baking sheet with a cooling rack that fits inside is an indispensable tool to have when making latkes. The rack allows air to circulate around the pancakes, keeping them crispy. Covered with paper towels, it’s the perfect place to drain the latkes just after they’ve cooked. If you want to make latkes in advance, cool them after cooking and then refrigerate (you can freeze them too). Bring the pancakes back to room temperature, then use the sheet with the rack inside to gently crisp them in a 350 degree oven before serving.

 

After the latkes have drained, serve them hot with lots of homemade applesauce, or if you want to take it to another level…

 

Zucchini Latkes with Smoked Trout, Creme Fraiche             & Red Pepper Jelly

 


This hors d’oeuvre is amazing in its simplicity and complexity. It’s really easy to make, and yet the flavors are so intricate and, dare I say, mind-blowing. There’s something about the mixture of the savory, crispy pancake topped with cool and creamy creme fraiche, salty smoked trout, and sweet, yet biting red pepper jelly that creates a winning combination. One important tip: when you buy smoked trout, be sure to choose one that’s fleshy and not dried out.

 
Begin with the potato latke recipe. After you have mixed the grated potatoes and onion with the starch, egg, and seasonings, add in grated zucchini–if your zucchini is very pulpy, remove the excess seeds from the center before you grate it.

 

Mix the zucchini with the potatoes, form the pancakes, and cook them in the same manner as described above. If you’re making them as hors d’oeuvres, you should make them into smaller, bite-sized pancakes–about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. And, of course, cooking time will be slightly reduced for the smaller latkes, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

 

When the zucchini latkes are cooked and drained, it’s time to assemble them. Place a dollop of creme fraiche on top of each pancake.

 

 

By hand, flake the fillet of smoked trout, removing it from its skin and making sure to remove any pin bones. Place a chunk or two of trout on top of each latke.

 

You can find red pepper jelly at Whole Foods market; Stonewall Kitchen makes a great version. If you really want to add some heat, you might want to try the hot pepper version instead. Top each pancake with a tiny smidgen of the jelly. 

 

Garnish with thinly sliced scallion greens and serve immediately. 
Be sure to make plenty of these–they will be summarily scarfed down!

 

Potato Latkes
Adapted from Joan Nathan, Jewish Cooking in America
Makes about 2 dozen:
 
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
1 pound yukon gold potatoes
1 large sweet onion
1 large egg
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch scallions, trimmed
canola oil, for frying
applesauce, as an accompaniment

Zucchini Latkes with Creme Fraiche, Smoked Trout
and Red Pepper Jelly
Adapted from Rachel Klein, Food & Wine 

Makes about 4 dozen, 1 1/2 inch latkes:
 
1 pound zucchini, trimmed
potato latke mixture (see above recipe)
1/2 cup creme fraiche
4 ounces smoked trout 
1/2 cup red pepper, or hot pepper, jelly
thinly sliced scallion greens, for garnish

 

4 thoughts on “festival of latkes

  1. Anonymous

    Yummy! We’re making them now on our new stove!!
    Next time — Zucchini!!