la la latkes
Potato pancakes California style
(Serves 4)
Illustration by Bob Blumer
Christmas and Hanukkah are so connected at the commercial hip that it's a wonder Santa's elves aren't busy carving dreidels. As the religious roots of the holidays continue to be eroded by corporate makeovers, it is not surprising that holiday food boundaries are also blurring. Potato latkes, once a well-kept secret of Hanukkah dinners and Jewish delis, are following in the populist footsteps of the bagel.
![[The Burnt-out Cook: The tyranny of rustic cuisine]](kuh961202.gif) Traditional potato latkes are made from a mixture of grated potatoes, onions, eggs and flour. Then they are sauteed in a generous amount of vegetable oil.
Here's a contemporary twist on the traditional recipe that even Santa would approve of. Try them for the holidays, or at any time of the year.
Ingredients
1 large yam, peeled
3 large russet potatoes, peeled
1 leek, white section only (about the bottom third) washed thoroughly, and minced
1 two-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 lightly packed cup of cilantro leaves, chopped
2 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons safflower oil, or other vegetable oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Lime-sour cream dip
1 cup sour cream
zest of 1 lime (zest first, then squeeze for juice required below)
3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Grate yam and potatoes with the coarse side of a grater. Mix together and let sit in a
bowl for 10 minutes, then drain out excess liquid.
2. Beat in eggs, then add leek, ginger, cilantro, flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream dip ingredients. Reserve.
4. In a saute pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of safflower oil and 1
tablespoon sesame oil. When oil begins to smoke, add potato mixture to the pan in 2-tablespoon dollops. Press down lightly with a spatula to flatten. Brown latkes on both sides (approximately five minutes per side).
5. After removing latkes from pan, place them on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
6. Serve with lime sour cream dip.
Remaining oil may be required for second batch.
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Le Secret: Fry latkes until they are very crispy, then serve immediately. To avoid the necessity of keeping latkas warm in the oven — where they will lose their crispness — use several pans at once when cooking for large groups.
The Adventure Club: Spin the dreidel ... spin the bottle...
Music To Cook By: "Festival of Light" (interpretations of traditional holiday songs by contemporary artists), Six Degrees Records
Wine: Anything but Manischewitz
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