latkes

Esther Levin’s Latke Recipe from the Old Country

December 13, 2011

Author: lafoodie

Esther-Lichtbenching-2-04-07-09-225x300.jpg

There are hundreds of recipes in Jewish cookbooks, American cookbooks, and on the Internet. Here’s a simple one that is a sure hit. But of course, best only when enhanced with some secrets from Rabbi Moshe Levin’s great-grandmother Rochel, passed on to her daughter, Ida, and then to his mother Esther.

Tips from Esther Levin: “Making latkes together, especially parents with their children, is a lot of fun. One of the great things about latkes is that they can be made in advance, so cooks and kids can make them together in the afternoon and serve the latkes when family and friends are ready to eat dinner, right after Hanukkah candles are lit. Latkes may be made up to 8 hours ahead. You can even refrigerate them or even freeze them if you made them earlier. But reheat them on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, about 5 minutes. IF they were frozen, first let them get back to room temperature.”

Esther’s cousin Mollie said that grating the potatoes, then soaking them briefly in water, and then squeezing out the liquid (as we’ve done here) keeps the batter from turning brown too quickly. However, remember what Bubbie Rochel said – not to pour out the starch, only the water. And believe it or not, Tante Beila used to add a little sour cream to the potato onion mixture before frying them so they come out golden brown, not burnt looking.

Ingredients:

1 lb potatoes Yukon Gold are best because of the high starch content

1/2 cup(s) onion finely chopped

1 large egg lightly beaten (Rochel liked it better with two regular size eggs)

2 Tablespoons Matzoh meal Tante Basya says all-purpose flour works too

1/2 teaspoon salt More will give you high blood pressure!

1/4 teaspoon pepper optional

Preparation:

Makes 10 good size latkes. (Adding a little flour will make it into a 12-16 portion batch if you want.) Double this recipe for a hungry crowd! And make sure you have enough sour cream and applesauce at the table for everyone, because they will pile it high on the dinner plate!

Preheat your oven to 250°F.

Peel the potatoes and coarsely grate by hand (Rochel didn’t have a Cuisineart), transferring the mixture to a large bowl of cold water. Soak the grated potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after the last batch is added to the water, and then drain well in a colander. Bubbie Rochel said, “Do NOT pour out the starch in the bottom of the bowl – only the water! Then use your hands to scoop out the starch and add it back into the mix.”

Spread the grated potatoes and onion on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Only then should you transfer the potato mixture to a bowl and stir in the egg(s) and salt (and pepper if you wish).

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Uncle Yankel has a heart condition so Tante Beila coated the pan with cooking spray instead of oil, and of course she cut down on the salt. Make batches of 4 latkes, by spooning 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture per latke into the skillet, flattening them into 3-inch round shapes with a fork. (Rochel said, “Don’t press hard! Thin latkes are too crisp so they don’t come out so good.) Reduce the heat from high to moderate and cook until the undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the latkes over and cook them until the new undersides are browned, about 4-5 minutes more.

As each batch is done, place them on paper towels to drain and season with a tiny bit more salt (unless someone in your family has high blood pressure, as Zeideh Zalman did). Add a little more oil to the skillet as needed each time you make a new batch. Keep the latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in your oven until all are ready to be served.

 

 

 

 

Potato Latkes

July 12, 2012

Author: Leo Beckerman

Leo Beckerman, co-owner of the new and wildly popular Wise Sons Deli in San Francisco, recalls his favorite thing about hannukah– his mother’s latkes. It was as much an event as it was a meal (yes, latkes for dinner). After hours of hand grating potatoes on her grandmother’s latke grater, a tool used only during the festival of lights, everyone would gather in the kitchen. Round blobs of potato and onion went into the cast iron skillet and sizzled to delicious brown crispiness. From the frying pan they went right to the paper towel to remove excess oil, but they rarely made it farther than that. Once on the paper towel, a latke was fair game for eager family members willing to brave the intensely hot potato pancake. A quick dip in sour cream or applesauce and right to the tummy. These nights were celebrated standing up in the kitchen as latke after latke came out of the oil, until all had burned mouths and sated appetites.

Ingredients:

3 lbs Russet potatoes

1 large Yellow onion

2 Whole Eggs Beat the eggs

1.5 Tablespoons Matzo meal

1 teaspoon Salt

.25 teaspoon black pepper

4 Cup(s)s Vegetable Oil for Frying

Preparation:

Cut half of the potatoes into quarters, then boil in salted water until soft, about 15–20 minutes. Drain and mash until smooth. Combine the mashed potato with the matzo meal or flour and set aside.

With a box grater or food processor with a grater attachment, grate the remaining potatoes and the onion and mix to combine. Using a piece of cheesecloth or a fine strainer, squeeze out any liquid from the grated potato–onion mixture, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the egg, salt, pepper and mashed potatoes and stir well to combine. Form the mixture into patties, each approximately 3 inches in diameter by ¼ – ½ inches. Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan over medium–high heat. When the oil is hot, add some of the latkes, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 3–4 minutes (if they are browning too quickly, reduce the heat), then flip and cook until golden brown on the second side, about 2–3 minutes more.

Drain the latkes on paper towels, seasoning with salt while still hot. Repeat with remaining latkes until they’ve all been cooked. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

 

Basic Potato Latkes

July 20, 2012

Author: Rachel Cort

 

My Dad has taught me almost everything I know about cooking, food, baseball, fishing and Judaism; which means he’s taught me quite a lot. This recipe is from some old magazine or book but it is the latke recipe that we make every year at Hanukkah. I can remember being a little kid, standing on a chair and helping my dad flip the latkes or stir the batter. He is the reason why I can cook, why I identify with Judaism and why I am me.

Ingredients:

2 Pounds Idaho potatoes well scrubbed but unpeeled

1 medium Onion

2 Eggs

1/4 cup(s) matzos meal or all purpose flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Vegetable Oil for Frying

Preparation:

1. Grate potatoes alternately with the onion (this keeps the potatoes from darkening), either by hand or in a food processor. With a food processor, either use a fine shredding disk, or cut the potatoes in half-inch dice, and then use the steel blade with an on-off pulse motion to yield uniformly grated potatoes.

2. Drain potatoes and onions.

3. Mix in eggs, then matzo meal or flour. Season with salt and pepper

4. Pour oil into a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, to a depth of 1/4 inch, and heat. Oil should be very hot but not smoking.

5. Using a large tablespoon, form round or oval pancakes about 3 inches across, flattening them in the frying pan with the back of the spoon. Fry until golden on both sides.

 

 

The Thanksgivukkabob

November 20, 2013

Author: OOGIAH

I did not realize what a big deal having Thanksgiving on the first day of Chanukah was going to be. Before I even heard the word “Thanksgivukkah,” I was thinking of ways to culinarily combine the two holidays. Little did I know there would be full websites, parties and t-shirts dedicated to this historical event! The most involved and inclusive dish I came up with includes combining foods from each holiday on a stick. In the ultimate homage to the holiday that is Thanksgivukkah, I give you: The Thanksgivukkabob!

From top to bottom:

-Jelly Donut Hole: I bought these from a local gourmet donut shop, but any will do.

-Corn Bread Pancake: I meant to make cornbread, but followed the recipe for pancakes, which actually ended up being great since pancakes are eaten on Chanukah. And my kids love pancakes any day.

-Boiled Sweet Potato Cube with honey, brown sugar and cinnamon: Sweet and savory.

-Turkey Meatloaf with Cranberry Sauce: This is recipe that my mom loves to bring when a new baby arrives. It freezes well and tastes great. So it’s Bubbie’s meatloaf!

-Potato Coconut Cumin Latke: I got the idea to add coconut from What Jew Wanna Eat.

-Another Sweet Potato Cube: Another splash of color!

-Canned Green Beans with lemon juice throughout the kabob: My husband loves canned green beans, and will eat them straight out of the can, with lemon, while camping.

The kabob contents can be dipped in cranberry sauce or applesauce and enjoyed!

This one kabob includes so many everyday and holiday family favorites. It is fun to make and eat!

 

 

 

Rosenthal Family Latkes, Smoked Salmon, and Creme Fraiche

May 5, 2014

Author: Mitch Rosenthal

Ingredients:

1 skin on center-cut salmon fillet, about 1 ½ pounds

Curing mixture:

1 cup sugar

1 cup sea salt

1 T ground allspice

1 T freshly ground black pepper

1 T ground fennel

1 T ground star anise

Grated zest of one lemon, one lime and one orange

½ fennel bulb, trimmed

Dill Crème Fraiche:

½ cup crème fraiche

½ cup sour cream

1 T chopped fresh dill

1/8 t salt

Grated zest of one lemon

Latkes:

1 yellow onion

1 very large russet potato, about one pound, peeled

1 large egg

1 t salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 T all-purpose flour

¼ t baking powder

Canola oil for frying

Preparation:

Salmon:

Using a sharp knife, cut 10 to 12 evenly spaced small slits in the skin of the salmon. To make the curing mixture, in a bowl, stir together the sugar, salt, all of the spices and all of the citrus zests, mixing well. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, thinly shave the fennel bulb, then add it to the bowl and mix well.

Lay a long sheet of plastic wrap on a sheet pan, and spread half of the curing mixture on the plastic wrap, forming it into a rectangle about the size of the salmon fillet. Place the salmon, skin side down, on top of the mixture. Spread the remaining curing mixture on the flesh side of the salmon, then wrap the salmon tightly in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate the salmon on the tray for 3 days, turning the salmon over once a day. When the salmon is ready, unwrap it, rinse it well, dry it well and then re-wrap it. It will keep in the refrigerator for one week.

Crème Fraiche:

In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients, mixing well. Refrigerate until serving.

Latkes:

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. You will use the strainer to drain the grated onion and potato. Using medium holes on a hand grater, grate the onion and place in the strainer. Then grate the potato and add to the strainer. Be sure to grate the onion first, as the potato will oxidized and discolor quickly. Mix together the grated onion and potato in the strainer, then press down gently to remove excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the egg, salt and a few grinds of pepper and stir to mix. When the ingredients are evenly combined, add the flour and baking powder and mix well.

Pour the oil to a depth of about ½ inch into a heavy frying pan (preferably cast iron) and heat to 325 degrees. To form each latke, drop a heaping tablespoon of the potato mixture in the hot oil and fry, turning once, for about 4 to 6 minutes, or until brown and crispy on both sides. Be careful not to crowd the latkes in the pan. When they are ready, using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel. You should have about 18 latkes. To serve, thinly slice the salmon. Place three latkes on each of six plates (or serve on a platter), spoon a dollop of the crème fraiche on each hot latke, then lay a salmon slice on top.