Brandade Potato Latkes Recipes

POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Grate the onion on the side of a box grater with the largest holes until you have 1/3 cup. Place in a large bowl and reserve the rest of the onion for another use.
• Shred the potatoes in a food processor fitted with a grating disc with medium-sized holes. Remove and discard any large chunks. Immediately and thoroughly toss with the onion.
• Line a smaller bowl with cheesecloth and fill with the potato-onion mixture. Twist into a ball and wring out as much of the liquid as possible, reserving the liquid. Let the extracted liquid sit undisturbed for 5 minutes to allow the starch to settle, then pour off the liquid so that only the starch remains.
• Whisk the egg into the starch and set aside.
• Add the schmaltz to a cast-iron skillet to measure 1/8 inch deep and heat over medium until shimmering. (Don't let it get over 375 degrees F; that's its smoke point.)
• Place the potatoes in a large bowl, add the instant mashed potatoes, salt and pepper and combine using your hands. Stir in the egg mixture.
• Drop a mounded tablespoon's worth of the potato mixture into the skillet and flatten firmly with the back of a spatula. Fry in batches of 4 until browned, flipping only once, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then remove to a rack set over a pan lined with paper towels. Season immediately with additional salt. Continue to add fat in between batches to maintain 1/8-inch depth.

POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grate potatoes in long strips, using smooth strokes to run potatoes across grater into a large bowl of ice water. Using a strainer or slotted spoon, transfer potatoes, reserving liquid, to another large bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel; gently squeeze dry.
• Set reserved liquid aside for 10 minutes to allow starch to sink to the bottom; carefully pour liquid from the bowl, reserving milky residue (potato starch) and discard. Transfer potatoes back to bowl with potato starch.
• Add onions to bowl; stir in eggs, beer, flour, salt, and pepper.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. In a heavy nonstick skillet, heat 1/4-inch of oil. Spoon 1/2 cup of potato mixture per pancake into skillet. Make a few at a time, being careful they don't run into each other.
• Fry on both sides until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to prepared baking sheet to drain. Keep warm in oven while preparing the others. Serve hot with applesauce, or sour cream and caviar, if desired.

BRANDADE POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Liberally coat cod with about 3 tablespoons salt on each side, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Place cod in an 8 by 12 baking dish or jelly roll pan. Pour olive oil and milk over cod, and lay thyme sprigs and garlic on top. Cover with foil and bake until fish is just cooked and begins to flake, about 20 minutes. When fish has cooked, remove cod and reserve thyme and cooking liquid; discard garlic.
• While fish cooks, place potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and return to pot. Place over very low heat for about 4 minutes to get rid of excess moisture. Remove from heat; mash in pot until smooth.
• In a large bowl, whisk egg. Stir mashed potatoes, little by little, into egg. Add leaves (not stems) from reserved thyme. Using a fork, flake cod and fold it into mashed potatoes until well blended. If batter is too stiff, mix an extra 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup cod cooking liquid into the remaining batter. If it does not hold together, add up to 1/4 cup matzo meal. Season to taste with pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Fill a large skillet with about 1/4 inch vegetable oil, and place over medium-high heat. Using a 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure a portion of cod-potato mixture and shape into a 1/2 inch thick disk. Coat disks in matzo meal or bread crumbs. Fry until golden, turning once, about 2 minutes a side. Repeat with remaining batter and drain on paper towels. To serve, reheat if necessary on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven.