Tuesday, December 19, 2006

truly crispy nonsense

no posts in two months, and then two in one day - what is she thinking? She is thinking that it is Chanukah time, and no food blog would be complete without a recipe for latkes.

Sweet potato latkes, zucchini latkes, cottage cheese latkes, latkes with parmesan, or shallots, or scallions - all well and good, but sometimes you just want cruchy, greasy, hot, shtetl-style potato-and-onion pancakes, topped with applesauce.

In my family, there is a fierce debate between those of us who like our potatoes grated in the food processor and those who advocate for hand-grating. With food-processed potatoes, the latkes come out crisp and crunchy, with little tendrils of potato sticking out on all sides. When the potatoes are hand-grated, the resultant batter tends to be mushier, and the latkes turn out thickier and fluffier. I happen to prefer the food processor method, as do my sisters. My maternal grandfather is a stalwart hand-grated fan. We usually resolve this conflict by making latkes twice during the eight-day holiday.

I used this recipe, the one my mom always uses and originally from Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook, to make over 100 latkes for a fundraiser for Jews United for Justice last weekend. We used a food processor. :c)

Ingredients:
  • 10 potatoes (russet or other plain baking potatoes work well)
  • 2 yellow onions
  • 2-3 eggs, beaten
  • 4 tbs matzah meal (can substitute flour)
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • lots of vegetable oil, for frying
Procedure:
  • Peel potatoes. As you finish each one, place it in a bowl of cold water, to prevent browning.
  • Peel onions.
  • Push peeled potatoes and onions through the top feed (whatever it's called - the plastic smokestack-looking-thing at the top) of the food processor. Alternatively, shred potatoes and onions by hand, using the medium-sized holes on the grater.
  • Transfer shredded potatoes and onions to a colander and press over the sink, removing as much liquid as you can.
  • Transfer to a large bowl and add eggs, matzah meal, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
  • Heat oil on the stove in a heavy, deep skillet (or two). Latkes are not a saute, and we are not talking a tablespoon or two of oil. Fill the skillet with at least a quarter-inch of oil, and plan to refil as needed. Latkes are deep-fried. You must come to terms with this fact.
  • When oil is hot, drop in large spoonfuls (~ 1/3 cup each) of the batter, patting each into a pancake shape with a spatula. Fry until brown on the first side, then flip and fry until brown on the other side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels (I have yet to find an ecologically-sound alternative to this). Transfer onto a cookie sheet and keep warm in a 200-degree oven until all batter is fried and you are ready to eat.
  • Serve with applesauce (or, traditionally, sour cream - but I, personally, find the idea of dousing your oil with cream kind of weird).
Have a beautiful festival of lights!

time to glow...

oh my; I shouldn't post things I haven't tasted, but this sounds divine (though I'd go easy on the cardamom; it's strong stuff) and easy and exceedingly seasonal.

Plus I just like the name "glow wine." It reminds me of "glow-worm", but a little more sophisticated - did anyone else have a plastic glow-in-the-dark glow-worm, growing up? Mine was about the size of my hand, and was wearing a night cap. I used to sit in the coat closet, the darkest place in my house, and watch it glow.

Hot Mulled Wine (Glühwein, "glow wine")

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle of dry red wine (750 ml)
  • one lemon
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar
  • some cardamom (or ginger)

Procedure:

Heat the red wine in a pot (don't boil). Cut the lemon into slices and add to the wine. Then add the cinnamon, cloves, sugar and a little cardamom (to taste). Heat everything for about 5 minutes - do not boil - and let stand for about an hour. Before serving, reheat and strain. Serve in prewarmed glasses or mugs.


Also, a word to the hoards of invisible readers reading the blog I haven't told anyone about: traffic on this blog may pick up, since I've just joined the blogging team at two heads of lettuce and hopping from one to the other is easy, via my blogger profile. Maybe this is a sign that I should actually tell people about this one too... in the meantime, if you're reading this, leave a comment and let me know you're out there. :c)