Jews around the world celebrate Hanukkah by eating foods cooked in oil, including potato pancakes (latkes) and jelly doughnuts (sufganiyot). We celebrate the miracle of the oil that burned for eight nights instead of one during a siege of the Temple in Jerusalem during the 2nd century BCE by a small band of rebels led by Judah Maccabee.
I first learned how to make great potato latkes when I lived in Worcester years ago. My friend Joyce Kressler, who was known to her friends as Mrs. Potato Head, taught me the importance of squeezing out the liquid from the grated potato and onions, and of using an oil that was good at high heat. Joyce does not peel her potatoes, and she uses half matzo meal and half flour in her recipe. In those days, we used peanut oil, but now, with so many of us suffering from nut allergies, the best alternative would be canola oil, according to chef Michael Brisson, owner of l’étoile, one of Martha’s Vineyard’s premier restaurants for exceptional food and drinks.
I asked Michael what type of potato he uses, and he replied that russets are best due to their high starch content. Another question that always arises when making potato pancakes is how much flour to use. Both Michael and I prefer a very crisp latke, which means that we use about a half cup in a recipe that yields between three and four dozen. In his recipe below, which yields 24 latkes, he recommends between 1/3 to 1 tablespoon of flour.
Many chefs use a small amount of baking powder to lighten the pancakes and make them less dense. Michael has not tried that. He makes them on a built-in griddle on his professional stove but recommends a cast iron skillet if you don’t have one. I always make them in a skillet and then blot them on paper towels before I transfer them to a rimmed baking pan lined with parchment.
We both then keep them warm in a low oven at 250 degrees before serving. If you make them a few hours ahead, leave them on the paper towels and reheat them in a 325 degree oven or toaster oven before serving them as recommended by Michael. Freezing is not recommended.
There are many toppings that are served with potato latkes. The most traditional are sour cream and applesauce. Other options include crème fraiche, yogurt, caviar, and smoked salmon. In addition to the classic potato latkes, my family and friends enjoy my Curried Sweet Potato Latkes. These pancakes have a different consistency than potato latkes, due to the addition of milk in the batter. They also have the rich aroma of Indian spices, including Madras curry powder, ginger, cayenne, and cumin.
Michael Brisson’s Potato Latkes
Yield: about 24 latkes, approximately 3-inch round
6 russet potatoes, peeled and shredded
½ large Spanish onion, diced small (or pulsed in a food processor)
2 large eggs
⅓ to 1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. salt and a touch of white pepper
50 percent canola oil and 50 percent clarified butter, enough to generously coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet (If you prefer, you can use all canola oil)
1. Rinse the shredded ingredients and then squeeze out over a colander in a towel.
2. Add the seasonings and eggs, sprinkle in flour and mix well.
3. Fry in oil/clarified butter for a few minutes, until golden, then turn them with a spatula, and fry the second side until golden.
4. Slide them onto paper towels and press gently with a turning spatula to squeeze out the excess shortening.
5. If using within an hour, put them in a 250 degree oven to keep them warm. If you make them a few hours ahead, leave them on the paper towels and reheat in a 325 degree oven or toaster oven.
They are best eaten that day and should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Serve with sour cream and applesauce, or sour cream topped with smoked salmon and caviar. For a special occasion, like New Year’s Eve, serve with champagne.
Linda’s curried sweet potato latkes
Yield: 16, 3-inch pancakes
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
½ cup flour
1 Tbsp. candied ginger, minced
2 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. double acting baking powder
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. Madras curry powder
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large eggs, beaten
Approximately ½ cup milk
Canola oil for frying
1. Place grated sweet potato into a bowl. In a separate larger bowl mix the flour, ginger, sugars, baking powder, cayenne, curry, cumin, salt and pepper.
2. Add the eggs and just enough milk to the dry ingredients to make a stiff batter. Add the sweet potatoes and milk and stir until incorporated. The batter should be moist but not too runny. If it is too stiff, add more milk.
3. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a cast iron skillet until it is barely smoking. Drop the batter by tablespoons into the oil and flatten with a spatula. Fry over medium heat for several minutes on each side until golden. 4. Drain on paper towels and serve.
4.Top with applesauce, sour cream, yogurt, or crème fraiche.
