Kinder Gentler Latkes Recipes

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and grate them on a box grater. Wrap the grated potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine the potatoes in a bowl with the egg, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Melt the clarified butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place a tablespoon of the potato mixture into the sizzling butter and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and golden brown. Serve the pancakes hot from the skillet.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Place wire cooling racks in the rimmed baking sheets and place in the oven.
• Using a food processor with a grating insert, grate the potatoes and then the onions, transferring grated vegetables to a large bowl when the bowl of the food processor is filled. Alternately, use a box grater. Working in batches, place the potatoes and onions in a clean dishtowel and thoroughly wring out the excess liquid over the sink, then transfer the potato-onion mixture to a large bowl. The more liquid you remove, the crispier your latkes will be, so take your time and use several dish towels if necessary. Reserve the potato-onion mixture.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the potato-onion mixture and mix well.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt equal parts schmaltz and oil (or oil only if omitting the schmaltz) until a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat is reached. Drop 2 tablespoons of latke mixture into the hot fat, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten latkes slightly using a spatula and cook, turning once, until crisp, golden brown, and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer latkes to wire racks and season with salt; return to the oven to keep warm; season with salt. As you remove latkes from the pan, replace them with fresh spoonfuls of potato mixture to maintain oil temperature. Add additional schmaltz and/or oil around the edge of the pan as needed to maintain a scant 1/4-inch depth of fat.
• Keep latkes warm in oven and serve hot with applesauce or sour cream.

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and just cover with cold water.
• Turn heat to high and allow to come to boil.
• As soon as potatoes are boiling, put a kitchen timer on for 10 minutes.
• When timer rings, remove potatoes from stove and cover with cold water.
• Drain immediately, then cover again with cold water.
• Let sit five minutes.
• Remove potatoes and pat dry.
• Using a hand shredder or food processor fitted with a medium disc, shred potatoes (with skins on).
• The potatoes should be slightly softened, but still firm enough to produce shreds.
• If the peel separates from the potato, discard it.
• If the peel gets grated in with the potatoes, incorporate it into the mixture.
• I like the hand grater best.
• When I use the processor, I use two thirds shredded then pulverized potatoes and one third shredded for a mixture than is bulky but still has shreds.
• Worth the trouble.
• In a large bowl, blend shredded potatoes, grated onion, beaten eggs, flour, salt, pepper and baking powder.
• Place newspaper on work surface (near frying area) and cover with a few paper towels.
• In a large deep skillet (I like to use a wok), pour in enough vegetable oil to fill about two thirds.
• If using an electric fry pan, set the temperature to 350 F.
• or 375 F.
• (depending on how fast you want the pancakes to cook).
• Drop potato batter by teaspoons (for small ones) or soup spoonfuls in dollops, flattening slightly with a metal spatula if desired.
• I use large metal tongs for dropping and turning.
• Brown one side, turn once, and complete cooking on other side.
• These cook quickly.
• You're looking for a puffy centre while retaining some crisp shreds of potato on edges.
• Serve immediately or freeze.
• To reheat, place latkes on a large wire cake rack on a cookie sheet.
• Warm at 250 F.
• until crisp.
• For freezing purposes, fry them a little underdone to allow for browning in the re-heating stage.

Steps:

• Push the potatoes through the fine grater disc of the food processor.
• Remove and drain in a sieve, pushing well to get out as much liquid as you can.
• Fit the double-bladed knife to the processor and put in the onion, eggs, salt, pepper and 2 tbsp flour.
• Process briefly, add the grated potatoes and give another pulse or two until the mixture is pulpy but not puréed.
• Add more flour if it's at all runny as opposed to just a sticky, thick mess.
• Fry the latkes in lumps of about 1 tbsp each in a heavy frying pan with hot oil.
• The oil should be about 1 cm deep and it should take 3-5 minutes a side or even less.
• Flatten them slightly when you turn them over.
• If making ahead, at this point you can spread the latkes out on a baking sheet and let cool.
• Keep overnight in the fridge or freeze and when you are ready to eat them cook in a 200 C oven.
• It will take 5-7 minutes if they're from the fridge or a bit longer if they're frozen.
• When ready to serve, top with a little smoked salmon and a dollop of creme fraiche and a sprig of dill.