Happy Chanukah!
As we continue to celebrate Chanukah this weekend, try out these tasty recipes for Latkes and Sufganiyot from JFS Orlando’s very own Director of Development, Aaron Bernstein!
During this Festival of Lights, know that your friendship is the light that inspires our JFS Orlando family and the thousands of clients we serve each year. Wishing you and your loved ones peace and good health, and a season filled with miracles.
Aaron’s Latkes
Ingredients
3 large baking potatoes, washed and peeled
1 gold potato, washed and peeled
1 medium onion
1 large egg
3 tbsp flour
1¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Canola oil (or any good frying oil)
Instructions
Put colander into large mixing bowl. Cut potatoes in large chunks and grate in food processor or by hand into the colander. Grate onion on top of potatoes. You can also finely mince them.
Take colander out and let drip in sink. Pour out liquid from bowl. Dry bowl and put a clean cloth or several layers of cheese cloth into the bowl. Pour grated potatoes and onion into the towel lined bowl. Close and squeeze towel tightly to get as much water out as you can. Empty bowl and dry. Beat egg well in bowl. Add salt and pepper. Mix in potatoes and onions. Add flour. Mix well by hand. If mixture is too wet add a pinch of flour.
Cover cooling rack with paper towels (not a plate) next to stove. Heat large heavy pan to medium and add enough oil to be ¼ to ½ inch deep. Bring oil to medium heat. Test oil with a small amount of mixture. If it barely sizzles, it’s not hot enough. If it splatters, then too hot. It should bubble.
Make a ball of mixture, about 2 tbsp, in your hand and flatten a bit. Adjust amount to make bigger or smaller. Gently put in oil and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until golden and lightly crispy edges. Flatten with spatula if you like thinner latkes.
Remove to cooling rack over a sheet pan with paper towels. If making in advance, preheat oven to 375 and reheat 10 minutes.
Serve with chive sour cream (1 cup sour cream and 2 tbsp fresh chive)
Optional additions to mixture:
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp turmeric
1 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
Sufganiyot In a Bag
Ingredients
1 packet dry active yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg
3 tbsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1½ tbsp canola or high heat frying oil (plus more for frying)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp Gran Mariner (brandy or cognac works too)
1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 large lemon)
2 cups of seedless strawberry jelly
Powdered sugar
Directions
In a gallon-sized plastic bag, add the yeast, warm water, sugar, liqueur, lemon zest, oil, eggs, and flour.
Zip bag and shake to mix ingredients well.
Place bag in a bowl of very warm water for 1 hour.
Remove dough from the bag onto a floured surface. The dough should be sticky. Roll out the dough to ½ inch thickness. Make sure both sides of the dough are floured, so it doesn’t stick to the surface. Cut 2-inch circles in the dough with a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Remove circles, roll up the scraps and repeat the circle cutting.
Cover with a towel for 30 minutes. Fill a pan with a little more than 2 inches of oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees, about medium heat. To test the temperature, take a piece of scrap dough and put it in the hot oil. If it splatters, it’s too hot. It should be a gentle bubbling. the correct stove-top temperature will be around medium. Fry the doughnuts for about 1 minute on each side.
Remove and place on cooling rack or plate with paper towels.
Fill a pastry injector with the jelly. Make sure it’s smooth and not with fruit chunks. Slowly inject into doughnut until it oozes out. You can also use chocolate spread, or any jelly you like.
Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar from a strainer.