Happy Hanukkah--Mmmm...Potato Latkes

After all the confessions I've made on this blog I'm sure at this point you don't even blink an eye when I admit to some peculiarity of personality so what the hell. Here's another one for the books:  I love religion. Everyone's religion. I'm sort of a mutt when it comes to religion.  I was raised by good people who claimed no religion who let me seek philosophy unrestrained on my own and so because of that freedom my youth was filled with wandering through most of the protestant religions available to me in my small town, everything in the range from Southern Baptist to Latter Day Saints.  Along the way, I came to realize a couple of things.  The greatest of these is that you can be spiritual without being rigid.  If religion is supposed to make us better people then I'm a big believer in gaining insight wherever I find it. While I celebrate the traditional Protestant holidays I was raised with, I always pause to appreciate all my friends' holy celebrations along the way.

I was inspired the other day by Governor Mitt Romney's recent speech about his religion and his candidacy. He expressed my own feelings so much more eloquently than I have when he said:

"I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims. As I travel across the country and see our towns and cities, I am always moved by the many houses of worship with their steeples, all pointing to heaven, reminding us of the source of life's blessings."

In honor of Hanukkah, Festival of Lights, we had a rememberance and potato latkes for dinner. The potatoes aren't the celebration, it's the oil by the way, and G-d knows I can get behind any religion that celebrates fried foods even if it's only for eight days once a year.  Seriously, the celebration is in honor of the Maccabean revolt in 165 BCE where the temple was regained from the Greeks and rededicated.  The miracle Hanukkah celebrates is that upon entering the temple, only one cruse of oil was found that hadn't been defiled by the Greeks.  That translates to one day's worth of oil to fuel the menorah but, miraculously, it lasted for eight days, enough time to rededicate and purify oil.  Hence, the oil, aka fried foods, connection to remind us of the miracle of a faith.

On the lighter side, here's Adam Sandler and The Hanukkah Song:

I have to say I was challenged a bit on this one. Asking a friend if she had any recipes I should specifically make, she replied in her email:

"If you can make Latkes without them tasing like motor oil...you will win the admiration of all Jews. Personally i like greasy food now and then..but these mothers soak up enough oil to make the Arab nations drool."

Now that's funny stuff and how could I not try to rise to the challenge on that one?

Here's the deal on the oil.  After researching over a dozen recipes, the one thing they all had in common was starting to fry the potatos from raw. 

Allow me to digress for a second.  Like I said, I read over a dozen recipes specifically labeled "latkes" and know what struck me?  Almost all of them were grated potato with onion slapped onto a skillet with oil.  Now what does that remind little ole southen me of? ....uh...well, let's be honest.  To me that's pretty much Waffle House hashbrowns, scattered and smothered.

But back to our problem.

Starting with raw potato leaves the cake bubbling in oil for approximately five minutes one each side. Sure, that makes for crispy potato but it also makes for oil-drenched since the potato soaks up all that oil over ten minutes. There is another way. 

In my version, I pre-"baked" the potato in the microwave the way I showed weeks ago on this blog which is how I now "bake" my white and sweet potatoes all the time now.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, click here:  Microwave Baked Potatoes, White or Sweet.

Just be sure to not overcook.  You want the potato to be just beginning to soften but not mushy. You want the potato to be able to finish cooking quickly so as not to absorb too much oil but you also want the sides crisp without the middle dissolving into mush.

For me and my microwave it was right at seven minutes on high with a rest of about five minutes.  That way, after being chilled overnight, the grated potato was mostly cooked but still retained it's shape and texture.

Texture is the key. when I gave Gene a bite he said "Oh yummy. Potato cakes! My mom made those when I was a kid!"  Mine did too but both of our moms started with leftover mashed potatoes and then added a bit of flour, seasoning and egg.  it's not the same. Those are fine but the texture from the grated potato adds a great mouth feel to the final dish.

So for Jamie, potato latkes with lots of flavor, not much of it coming from grease:

Potato Latke's

recipe by Glenna Anderson Muse

1 large baking russet potato

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 large egg, beaten

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

Canola or olive oil for frying

Sour cream

Green onions

1.  Microwave potato in baggy with water (see previous microwave baked potato post) until just barely beginning to soften.  Allow potato to sit in microwave and steam on own for another 5 minutes. Do not overcook.

2.  Chill potato for several hours or overnight.

3. Hand grate potato.

4. Gently stir in salt, flour, onion, and egg.  Meanwhile, heat oil in medium heavy bottomed skillet on medium heat.

5. Divide mixture into six portions. Scoop up each portion one at a time into the palm and gently shape into flat disk patty.  Place into hot oil and fry on each side for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Do not turn over first time until edges are golden brown.

6.  Serve warm with sour cream and chopped green onion.

Makes 6.

Glenna's Southern Potato Latke or Potato Cake

recipe by Glenna Anderson Muse

1 large baking russet potato

2 chopped green onions

1 large egg, beaten

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp commercial cajum seasoning salt

Canola or olive oil for frying

Sour cream

Green onions

1.  Microwave potato in baggy with water (see previous microwave baked potato post) until just barely beginning to soften.  Allow potato to sit in microwave and steam on own for another 5 minutes. Do not overcook.

2.  Chill potato for several hours or overnight.

3. Hand grate potato.

4. Gently stir in cajun seasoning salt, flour, green onion, and egg.  Meanwhile, heat oil in medium heavy bottomed skillet on medium heat.

5. Divide mixture into six portions. Scoop up each portion one at a time into the palm and gently shape into flat disk patty.  Place into hot oil and fry on each side for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Do not turn over first time until edges are golden brown.

6.  Serve warm with sour cream and more chopped green onion.

Makes 6.

Comments

[chanit]

Happy Hanukkah, it's a yummy recipe-thank you ! :-)

[sher]

Oh, I feel faint from hunger looking at those beauties! They look perfect!

[Lydia]

Beautiful presentation -- makes the humble latke look so elegant!

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

Now Glenna you know potatoes are my down fall . . . and this is going to take cooking and cooling that potato . . . I think I have to try this and with a mix of sweet and white potatoes.

Beautiful!!

[Mimi]

I like your approach, Glenna. I was lucky enough to attend a very liberal Catholic high school that embraced all faiths and offered a course in church history that taught us about different religions.

On the food side, I adore latkes and I think your photo is wonderful!

[Glenna]

Chanit--Thank you!

Sher--LOL! I feel like making more today!

Lydia--Thanks! I love the greens altogether.

Tanna--Yes, love the idea of the white and sweet potatoes together!

Mimi--Very cool. I think everyone should have a liberal religious education. Thanks!

[catherine durnin]

These look very good can't wait to try them

[Boots in the Oven]

Glenna, your latkes look delicious! We had the greasy kind every year growing up, until my husband tried his hand at them a few years ago. Don't know why all the latke recipes are so... yuck.

[Glenna]

Catherine--Thanks so much!

Girlie--I know. It's a simple recipe but you'd think it would have evolved more over the years...

[Mandalu]

I just made these for an early lunch for my mom and I, and they were delicious! Very good recipe, thank you.

[Florence]

Hey! I just wanted to let you know that I've just finished doing a whole kg of potato latkes! They are yummy!

[Glenna]

mandalu and Florence--Yeah! So glad you made and enjoyed them!

[Eve]

I can't wait to try these. Of course, being Southern, I will serve with a slice of ham and a side of pole beans. Mama made these from mashed potatoes too. I've never tried it but I love potatoes,,,if I could have only one starch for the rest of my life, it would be potatoes.... : )

[Glenna]

Eve--Oh yum!Can I come have dinner with you? I hear you. I love potatoes too!

[Frinnarem]

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