Red Flannel Potato Latkes Recipes

MELISSA CLARK'S FAVORITE HEIRLOOM LATKES

Steps:

• Using a food processor with a coarse grating disc, grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer the mixture to a clean dishtowel and squeeze and wring out as much of the liquid as possible.
• Working quickly, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the four, salt, baking powder, and pepper and mix until the flour is absorbed.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, pour in about 1/4 inch of the oil. Once the oil is hot (a drop of batter placed in the pan should sizzle), use a heaping tablespoon to drop the batter into the hot pan, cooking 3 to 4 latkes at one time. Use a spatula to flatten and shape the drops into discs. When the edges of the latkes are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, flip. Cook until the second side is deeply browned, about another 5 minutes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining batter.

RED FLANNEL POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Using shredding holes on a hand-held grater or shredding disk on a food processor, shred potatoes, beet, celery root and onion. Squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible, and place shreds in a large bowl. Add egg, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
• Place a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add a generous film of vegetable oil. Take a handful of potato mixture and press into a flat disk in palm of one hand. Gently place in hot skillet. Repeat until skillet is filled. Fry, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes a side. (Adjust heat as necessary so the latkes do not burn.) Transfer to paper towels to drain; keep warm. Repeat with remaining potato mixture. Serve with applesauce or sour cream.

LATKES

Steps:

• Shred the potatoes and onion in a food processor or with a grater or mandoline. Place in a strainer that has been lined with cheesecloth or a damp kitchen towel. Toss with 3/4 teaspoon salt and let sit over a bowl to drain for 30 minutes.
• Gather the top of the cheesecloth and use your hands to squeeze out as much excess moisture as you can. Transfer the vegetables to a clean bowl; mix in the eggs, lemon juice, flour and some pepper.
• Heat 1/4 inch canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, fry loosely packed rounded tablespoons of the potato mixture until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil to the pan and adjust the temperature as needed. Transfer to a paper towel?lined plate, season with salt and set aside.

TRADITIONAL POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Turn out the shredded potatoes into a large bowl.
• If you have an exhaust fan in your kitchen, turn it on and place the food processor underneath it--the smell from the processed onion will be very strong.
• Place the matzo in the food processor and pulse until you have a range of sizes, from 1/4-inch to nearly flour. Dump this onto the potatoes.
• Put the food processor back together and place the onion and the salt and pepper in the bowl. Process until nearly liquid, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the eggs to the food processor and process until completely incorporated and the mixture turns almost white. Dump this onto the potatoes.
• Put on a pair of disposable gloves and mix everything together by hand. (If you don't use gloves, the onion smell will cling to your hands for a very long time.)
• Form the mixture into latkes: Take enough to fill the palm of your hand, then press your hands together hard, palm-to-palm, squeezing until some liquid comes out. You should end up with a disc that's thicker in the middle, like a flying saucer. Turn the disc around in your hands while patting the sides to firm it up. Give the latke one last squeeze--it's ready for the fryer. (When I make them, my latkes average 3 ounces each.)
• In a deep-fat fryer or heavy medium pot, heat several inches of oil to 375 degrees F.
• In batches, gently put the latkes into the hot oil and leave them alone to fry until golden brown, turning only once, about 4 minutes. The perfect latke will be golden brown and crispy on the outside, soft and white and warm on the inside. You can expect some shreds of potato to come loose; just scoop them out when the latkes are done. If a latke falls apart while frying, it's a sign you have to squeeze harder!
• Using tongs, remove the latkes from the oil; there is no need to drain. Serve hot, with a generous dollop of sour cream or apple sauce for dipping.

CLASSIC POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Add the onions to a food processor and process with the standard blade until smooth. Add the eggs and process until light in color. Add the golden consomme and white pepper and blend on high until you have an even mush with no pieces of onion visible. Transfer the onion mush to a mixing bowl.
• Peel the potatoes and cut a third of them into quarters. Put the quartered potatoes in the food processor and blend until an even mush is achieved. Add the potato mush to the mixing bowl.
• This is a good time to start heating your frying pan(s) on very low heat with NO OIL!
• Switch to the food processor shredding disc and shred the remaining potatoes in batches if necessary. Before you add the shredded potatoes to the mixing bowl, take the potatoes by the handful and squeeze out as much water as possible over the sink. Add the squeezed potatoes to the mixing bowl--breaking them apart as you add them--and mix them in after every 2 to 3 handfuls. This will help evenly incorporate the mush and shreds for a consistent batter that is seasoned evenly as well. Use your strong spoon! Add 3/4 cup flour and mix; the batter is the right consistency when you don't see a lot of water collecting across the top. Add more flour a bit at a time, just enough to not have a watery mix.
• Turn the pan(s) up to medium-high or high heat (for a heavier pan). When a drop of water in the pan sizzles and pops, the pan is hot enough to add about 3/4 inch of oil. Heat the oil to between 375 and 400 degrees F.
• Before you start a big batch, make a few "tester latkes" to taste so you can adjust the seasoning. How many you make will depend on how many "experts" you have hanging around waiting for a "tester."
• Know the size of latke you want to make. I make larger ones if they are part of a meal and smaller ones if they are being served as an appetizer or being sent to school for a holiday party. Smaller ones should be about 1 tablespoon and larger ones should be about a serving spoon of batter.
• Think to yourself "thin and crispy" while you spoon the batter into the pan and flatten. Don't crowd the pan. The shredded edges may touch, but that's ok.
• Cook the latkes until the bottoms are golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. You can't rush perfection--the middle has to cook. Don't make the heat so high that the outside burns but the middle is uncooked. Put on your favorite music or have someone you love keep you company!
• Flip when the bottoms are golden brown. Flipping tip: Putting a spatula under the latke using your dominant hand and a fork on top of the latke with your other hand will give you a controlled flip that won't splash you with oil. Cook on the second side until the bottoms are golden brown, another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Line a baking dish with paper towels. Place the cooked latkes on the lined baking dish on their sides (like a tray of Oreos); this will let the oil drain and keep them from getting soggy. If you have a lot of counter space, feel free to use a wire rack and then stack sideways. Foods cooked in oil are a part of the Chanukah story.
• Mix the batter before each batch to keep everything well incorporated. Repeat and repeat and repeat and beware "experts" looking for more "testers." If you need to add more oil to the pans, do it between batches and give it a minute to heat up. The latkes can be kept in a low oven to keep warm or the baking dish can be put in the oven at 350 degrees F to heat from room temperature. Serve with sour cream and chives or homemade applesauce.
• B'tayavon (Bon Appetit).

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.

SHORTCUT LATKES

Steps:

• Fill a large heavy-bottomed skillet fitted with a deep-fry thermometer with 1/2 inch oil. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a cooling rack on top.
• Combine the potatoes, egg, flour, scallions, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until the mixture holds together when squeezed in the palm of your hand.
• Working in batches, scoop and press the potato mixture into a 1/4 cup measuring cup, then tap it out into your hand. Gently flatten the mixture into a patty, about 1/2 inch thick.
• Carefully add the latkes to the skillet and fry until deeply golden brown on the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and fry until deeply golden brown on the edges, about 3 minutes. Drain on the prepared cooling rack. Sprinkle with more salt if desired. Repeat with remaining latkes being sure to return the added oil to 350 degrees F temperature between batches. Serve warm, topped with sour cream and applesauce.

POTATO LATKES I

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
• In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.
• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!