Potato Latkes & Satay

The Food Nanny
December 16 & 17, 2008
Meal 1: Potato Latkes, Roasted Pear Sauce and Carrot Ginger Soup
· Warm soup through to desired temperature on the stove or in microwave.
· Heat a very generous amount of oil in a pan or electric skillet. When the oil is shimmering hot add large dollopfulls (about ¼ cup) of the latke mix to the pan and pat them down into flat cakes. Be Careful! When the underside has browned well, about 3 minutes, flip the latkes and cook through. Add more oil if necessary to prevent frying one side and toasting the other. Remove to a plate with some paper towel to drain and keep in a warm oven while the other latkes cook, or serve immediately. Latkes are best piping hot.
· Serve with roasted pear sauce, and any other topping you like.

Meal 2: Tempeh or Grassfed Turkey Satay, Savory Sticky Rice and “Winter” Rolls
· Heat the satay under a broiler or in a hot (400°) oven until hot through and sizzling lightly. Be careful to not ignite the skewers. They can be removed or covered with foil for heating.
· Heat the Sticky Rice in the microwave with a little water or in a sauté pan with a little water until it has steamed through.
· Serve the cabbage rolls at room temperature.

Latkes

Hope no one is opposed to child labor!

There are a few things that make really good latkes. Primarily, yet seemingly contradictorily, is the onion. The onion is the structure upon which the fried potato flavor comes out, so never skimp on the onions in latkes. If it seems like too much, its just right. Perhaps more importantly the onion, along with oil as an ingredient inhibits the oxidization of the potatoes, by which they become an unseemly grey/ black. So, grate the onions alternately with every few potatoes to ensure an even coverage. Salt is crucial to a good latke. Make sure you use enough to scare yourself a little. Taste for it by frying up a small tester, like with forcemeats and adjust as necessary. Finally, the best thing for a good latke is to fry it in fearsome ammounts of oil. It is the liberal application of lipids that qualifies the latke as an icon of Hanukkah in the first place remember ? So don't skimp here. The oil should ride halfway up the latke in the pan and add more as necessary to ensure both sides and all rounds get crisped and not toasted.

The latke does not reheat to a shadow of its former self. This is why I sent latke batter to your homes and not latkes. They should be eaten piping hot and in rounds. Fry 'em then eat 'em - repeat till you are overfull of rich potato flavor and yu can barely see through the haze of suspended oil in the air. If you make them for a party either get everyone in to your kitchen, or use an electric skillet so you can get your 'kitchen' into everyone. The excitement of the fry-up seems to electrify the observing crowd while oven held latkes passed around to a seated crowd are just a dud.

A note on condiments. I recommend apple sauce, but I can certainly empathize with the sour cream crowd. Pomes tend to enhance the potato and salt flavor while the cream is simply another layer of richness. We have sent oven roasted pear sauce just to be cute, but thanks to Mark and Lori who hipped us to how fantastic pear preserve is with latkes.

Eat Well.