8 days of Hanukkah, 8 latke recipes! Celebrate the holidays with our delicious latke recipes from JFS Orlando supporters!
1) Beet Latkes
(Recipe by Donna Pearlman Bolton)
Ingredients
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6 c. beets, peeled and coarsely shredded (about 6 medium)
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6 T. all purpose flour
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1 ½ tsp. salt
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1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
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¾ tsp. ground coriander
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¾ tsp. baking powder
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¼ tsp. black pepper
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3 eggs
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Neutral oil for frying
Directions
Place beets in large bowl, press with paper towels to absorb any moisture. Whisk flour with salt, cumin, coriander, baking powder, and pepper in second large bowl. Mix in beets, then eggs. Pour enough oil into large skillet to cover bottom; heat over medium heat. Working in batches, drop beet mixture by ¼ cup into skillet, spread to 3 ½” rounds. Fry until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer latkes to baking sheet. Latkes can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Reheat in 350° oven until crisp, about 10 minutes.
Pairs well with…Celery & Cilantro Relish
Ingredients
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2 c. celery, finely diced
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3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
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2 T. cilantro, fresh, minced
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2 tsp. Sherry wine vinegar
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Salt
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Pepper
Directions
Combine celery, olive oil, cilantro and vinegar in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 30 minutes. Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Recipes by Donna Pearlman Bolton from “Recipes from The Rock”. Can’t wait to try all the delicious recipes? Purchase your copy by contacting President@KeysJewishCenter.com.
2) Classic Latkes
Ingredients
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1 ½ pounds peeled russet potatoes (3 to 4 potatoes)
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½ medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
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1 large egg
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2 tbsp matza meal
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1 tsp kosher salt
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1/8 tsp ground black pepper
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1 cup canola oil or chicken schmaltz if you can find it for frying. You can mix both, too.
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Applesauce and sour cream, for serving
Preparation
Grate potatoes and onion with a large shredding disk in a food processor or box grater. With a towel or cheesecloth, squeeze liquid from potato and onion. Add egg, matzo meal, salt, and pepper to the potato/onion mixture. Mix and set batter aside for 10 minutes.
Place the oil or schmaltz (or a combination of the two) in a large skillet so it’s a depth of ¼ inch (for a 10-inch skillet you’ll need 1 cup of oil or melted schmaltz). Heat oil over medium-high. Test with a pinch of the latke mixture. If it sizzles immediately, it’s ready. Place about ¼ cup batter into the hot oil. Flatten to form the latke. Fry the latkes until golden on both sides. Repeat until the pan is full but the pan is not too crowded. Cook until deeply golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes.
Serve immediately with applesauce and sour cream. You can also transfer the latkes to a wire cooling rack set in a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes while you continue cooking the rest of the latkes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and re-crisp in a 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch them when reheating so they do not burn. Makes about 20.
3) Cheese Latkes
Ingredients
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2½ pounds shredded potatoes
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1 8 oz. package of cream cheese (softened)
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2 eggs
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3 tbsp flour
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¼ tsp pepper
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1 tsp salt
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1 tsp onion powder
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2 cups shredded white cheddar or another white cheese
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1 cup canola oil
Preparation
Grate potatoes with a large shredding disk in a food processor or box grater. With a towel or cheesecloth, squeeze liquid from potatoes. In a mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, eggs, pepper, salt, onion powder, and flour. Add shredded potatoes and shredded cheese, mix until well combined.
Place the oil in a large skillet so it’s a depth of ¼ inch (for a 10-inch skillet you’ll need 1 cup of oil). Heat oil over medium-high. Test with a pinch of the latke mixture. If it sizzles immediately, it’s ready. Take a handful of batter and squeeze out excess liquid and place into the hot oil. Press lightly to form the latke. Fry the latkes until golden on both sides. Repeat until the pan is full but the pan is not too crowded. Cook until deeply golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes. You can also transfer the latkes to a wire cooling rack set in a baking sheet and keep warm in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes while you continue cooking the rest of the latkes.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and re-crisp in a 300°F for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch them when reheating so they do not burn. Makes about 20.
4) Sweet Potato Latkes
Ingredients
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1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
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½ lb. gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
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2 scallions, finely chopped
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⅓ cup all-purpose flour
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2 large eggs, lightly beaten
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1 tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
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1 cup olive oil (not EVOO)
Directions
Stir together potatoes, scallions, flour, eggs, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Be careful not to let it smoke. Spoon ⅛ cup of the potato mix into oil and flatten. Reduce heat to medium and cook until golden brown. Transfer latkes to paper towels to drain. Serve with sour cream.
5) Zucchini Latkes
Ingredients
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2 lb. zucchini (5-6 small ones)
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2 tsp kosher salt
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⅔ cup all-purpose flour
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⅔ tsp baking powder
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1 egg, lightly beaten
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½ red onion, finely chopped
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¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
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1 cup shredded parmesan
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½ tsp ground black pepper
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1 cup matza meal or plain breadcrumbs
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1 cup olive oil (not EVOO)
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½ cup Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)
Directions
Makes 22 latkes. Finely grate zucchini. Place in a colander over a bowl and add salt. Mix and let stand for two hours to release water. After two hours, squeeze out all the liquid from zucchini with your hands and place in a large bowl. Add flour, sprinkle baking powder evenly all over the flour and mix well. Then add egg, red onion, parsley, parmesan, and black pepper and mix.
With an ice cream scoop, form about 22 equal sized zucchini balls, arrange them in a tray then flatten them a little using your hand. Put matza meal in a small bowl and dip each latke on both sides. Layer a baking sheet with a double layer paper towels. Cover the bottom on a non-stick frying pan with olive oil and heat on medium heat. When oil is hot, start frying latkes until golden, about 4 minutes per side. You can increase the heat if they aren’t cooking well, but do not overcrowd the pan. Transfer to paper towel lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the latkes. Serve hot or warm, topped with Greek yogurt (optional).
6) Beet Carrot Mozzarella Latkes (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
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2 large sweet potatoes, peeled & shredded
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1 carrot peeled
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1 beet peeled
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1 ½ cup fresh mozzarella cut into cubes
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4 eggs beaten
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4 tbsp fresh basil chopped
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2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
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1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Hand grate the sweet potato, carrot, and beet into a strainer over a bowl and strain well. Let sit or use your hands to squeeze out any excess liquid. Place in bowl and add the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil. Mix well. Prepare a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add ½ cup of olive oil and heat for about 1 minute. Prepare the mixture in the palm of your hands making a small but thick latke. Place it very carefully into the oil and fry for 5 minutes per side. Serve hot or keep warm in the oven for no more than 30 minutes. They do not reheat very well.
7) Corn Latkes
Ingredients
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3 large ears of corn (or 2 15oz cans of crisp sweet corn)
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2 cups small curd cottage cheese (Breakstone is the best)
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2 tbsp. milk
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½ cup flour
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2 tbsp. cornflake crumbs
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2 eggs
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¼ tsp. kosher salt
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Olive oil (not EVOO) for frying
Directions
Boil corn, cut kernels off the cob. Mix all ingredients together. Heat oil. Scoop batter into the oil. Fry 3–4 minutes on one side. Flip and fry another 1–2 minutes. Remove from oil, drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all batter is fried. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 15 medium latkes.
8) Broccoli Cheddar Latkes
Ingredients
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1 lb. broccoli florets, chopped and steamed
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1 russet potato, peeled and grated
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1 small onion, diced
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½ cup panko crumbs
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2 eggs
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½ tsp black pepper
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¼ tsp salt
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¼ tsp cayenne pepper
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2 tbsp flour
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1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
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¼ cup canola oil
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1 cup oil for frying
Directions
Steam and chop the broccoli florets. Place in large mixing bowl. Add the grated potato, diced onion, panko crumbs, eggs, pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, flour, cheese, and oil. Mix well. Shape into patties and fry until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pan. Drain on paper towel lined sheet pan. Makes 12.