A Latke Recipe
Written By Joe Flannery
It is one of the greatest forms of food. Humans worldwide, regardless of culture, religious belief, region of birth or general mood on any given day will welcome a tuber fried in oil. Fried potatoes are comforting in the way that few other foods are. All love and welcome the fried potato; one of the greatest foods known to humanity.
Fried potato, cream, onion, and cured fish are basic but magical ingredient combinations. For those of us who did not grow up in Jewish households, the potato latke may be an unknown; however, it is as comforting and deliciously uncomplicated as a tater tot. A latke is a simple pancake made of shredded potatoes, egg and breadcrumbs which has been shallow-fried in oil. When I bring these magical ingredients to my table I use lox (or if I am feeling more decadent than usual, caviar), chives, crème fraîche and potato latkes. Latkes are always a universal hit. It is, simply put, a perfect food.
Potato Latkes
What You Need:
500 grams Yukon gold potatoes
120 grams yellow onion
5 eggs
7 grams kosher salt
37 grams breadcrumbs
Black pepper to taste
200 grams of neutral oil for frying
kosher salt to finish
Tools:
Mixing bowls
Box grater
Large pot, 6 quarts or more
Skillet, or dutch oven
Fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
What You Do:
Peel and boil half of the potatoes until they are fully tender. Put them through a food mill, potato ricer or simply mash with a wooden spoon.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Peel and shred the other half of the potatoes on the box grater. Blanch the shredded potatoes in the boiling water for one minute. They should not fall apart, but should be slightly tender.
Shred the onion on the box grater and place in a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Apply pressure to the onion to squeeze as much water out of it as you can.
Mix the mashed potatoes, shredded potatoes, onion, eggs, salt, breadcrumbs, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Heat the oil in a skillet or dutch oven over high heat. Place tablespoons of the potato mixture in the hot oil and smash flat with the back of a spoon. Cook until one side is golden brown. Flip the latke and cook until the other side is also golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
Season with a little more salt directly after the latkes come out of the oil.
Cured Salmon
Although I am not from a Jewish family, my mother liked the potato pancakes and would make them for us in the winter. She always served them traditionally, with sour cream and applesauce or preserves. These days I have married my obsession with cured fish and my nostalgic love of the latke. I cannot think of a more perfect celebratory dish than cute little latkes served with crème fraîche, chives and lox (or caviar!). It’s a wonderful dish for the holidays, a show-stopping dinner party or just a perfect night with someone you love. I advise serving a bottle of champagne as well.
What You Need:
One fillet of salmon, any size will do
2 cups of kosher salt
2 cups of white sugar
10 grams chopped dill
Tools:
Any vessel that will accommodate the salmon fillet
Sheet tray with a rack
What You Do:
Mix together the salt, sugar and dill.*
Cover the bottom of the vessel in the sugar/salt mixture. Place the salmon in the vessel. Cover the top of the salmon in more salt/sugar. Allow to cure in the refrigerator for 30 hours. Remove from the salt/sugar and rinse off. Air dry on the sheet tray with a rack for at least 24 hours.
Slice as thinly as possible to serve.
*You may not use all of this mixture, depending on the size of the filet. Only use enough to cover the salmon in a thin layer.
Latkes with Crème Fraîche and Cured Fish
What You Need:
Prepared latkes
Cured Salmon or store bought lox, smoked trout or caviar.
Chives
What You Do:
Mince the chives as finely as possible.
Top the hot latkes with a dollop of crème fraîche, a sprinkle of chives and a healthy portion of sliced cured fish or a generous spoonful of caviar.
Open a bottle of champagne. Eat a latke. Drink a glass of champagne. Repeat.
The History of the Latke
The latke is most commonly eaten during the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. Hanukkah celebrates a military victory of the Maccabees, a group of Jewish warriors, in reclaiming Jerusalem from the Hellenistic-Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. It is said that latkes were made behind the Jewish lines and carried to soldiers as a quick meal during the war. The latke is also a celebration of the commodity of oil. When Jerusalem was reclaimed by the Maccabees, the Second Temple of Jerusalem needed to be rededicated. Unfortunately there was only enough lamp oil to burn for one day during the rededication, which would not be enough time. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days instead of one which was enough time for the temple to be consecrated. As a food fried in a good amount of oil, the latke honors the miracle of the temple.
The latkes we eat today are not the same that the Maccabees would have consumed in 164 BCE. The earliest recipes we have for latkes are from the 1400s, from Italian Jews. Potatoes had not yet made their debut on the European table, so these latkes were made of ricotta. In the 1800s, the potato had become the staple starch of eastern Europe. The Ashkenazi Jews who lived in Ukraine and Poland began making their celebratory pancakes with potato instead of cheese. Thus, the eastern European version of the latke become the default recipe for the Hanukkah.