PERFECT POTATO LATKES
Time to make potato latkes…
Whether it’s Hanukkah or not, potato latkes are always worth the effort. They don’t JUST make a decadent side dish, they are PERFECT as the base of a showstopping hors d’oeuvre that I can’t wait to share! (If you don’t want to read on, just scroll to the bottom for the recipes)
Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights. Besides lighting candles for 8 nights, it’s traditional to eat food that has been cooked in oil. Some people eat donuts, and others, like me, go for a more savoury indulgence like potato latkes! Whether you’re an ‘MOT’ (member of the tribe) or not, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t LOVE these babies. They are typically eaten with apple sauce. But I just like them with a sprinkling of salt.
A piece of advice: When I go to the trouble of making them, I always make at least a dozen or so mini potato pancakes and freeze them so I have them on hand to make Potato Blinis as an hors d’oeuvre for a future dinner party. (recipe to follow, just below this one)
Easy Potato Latkes (my mom’s recipe)
4 medium potatoes 1 tsp baking powder
1 onion 3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup flour oil for frying
Put 2 colanders in sink and have a large bowl ready to mix all ingredients.
Fit the food processor with the grater and grate 4 potatoes using light pressure.
Transfer to one colander and rinse with cold water.
Change grater to steel knife, cut onion in 4 and chop onion.
Transfer chopped onion to other colander.
Squeeze as much water as possible from 1/2 of grated potatoes and return to processor, add 1/2 of chopped and drained onion and process with 3 or 4 very quick on and off turns.
Put into bowl and repeat same process with other 1/2 of potatoes and onions and add to bowl.
In processor, put rest of ingredients except oil and process a few seconds.
Pour mixture in bowl with potatoes and onions and thoroughly mix.
Pour oil to about 1/8th inch depth into a large skillet. When hot, drop in potato mixture in large spoonfuls to form pancakes. Brown well on both sides. Drain well on paper towels.
Can be made ahead of time and frozen. To reheat, place latkes in a single layer on an ungreased foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake uncovered at 450 for 7 or 8 minutes till crisp.
Yields about 2 dozen.
- • ½ cup low fat plain yoghurt
- • ¼ Tsp salt
- • Pinch of pepper
- • 1Tsp lemon juice
- • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- • 12 small dill sprigs for garnish
- • 12 thin small slices of smoked salmon
- • 12 mini potato latkes
- 1) Make mini potato latkes in advance (see my Potato Latke recipe on walnutkitchen.ca)
- 2) Place latkes in 450F oven for 7-8 minutes
- 3) Combine all the yogurt dill sauce ingredients in a small bowl
- 4) When latkes are crisp, top them with a small slice of salmon
- 5) Place a small dollop of the yoghurt dill sauce on top of salmon
- 6) Garnish with a dill sprig. Serve immediately. ENJOY!
Enjoy!
For related posts click on the following tags.
What a fabulous and easy recipe.
One question: how do you get the oil smell out of your hair clothes furniture rugs etc. Boil vinegar?
Thanks so much for visiting Walnut Kitchen and leaving a comment. GREAT question Beth! It’s easy. Cover your head with a shower cap and your furniture and rugs with plastic. JUST JOKING!!! It’s a problem and I doubt there’s a solution. I’ve read that some people light candles while cooking, some boil cinnamon and clove or bake vanilla in the oven to mask the smell. Heck! there’s even an article about it here: http://bit.ly/1IPLwad http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/happy-hanukkah-smelly-latke-103574 If anyone has any foolproof suggestions please let us know
Love how you are so specific about the food processor in this recipe, it means nothing is left to chance. Great job and visually stunning. Love it.
I love the smell of frying, but if you don’t, I suspect if you used an oil with a higher burning point, like ghee, or coconut oil (a flavourless one) it wouldn’t burn and the pan is easier to clean.
Thanks Lucy I love the feedback. Great suggestion on avoiding the lingering frying smell.