A few Chanukahs ago, prolific cookbook author Mollie Katzen politely “sautéed” latkes for her family in a desperate attempt to make them lower in fat. Low-fat latkes? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
“They were downright depressing,” she lamented. “Starchy, soggy and greasy! I remember latkes that were whisper thin and wildly crisp. I wanted to see pieces of dark golden brown potato, almost overcooked, and I wanted to taste fried potato and onion with a trace of salt.”She finally had to concede, “There’s no way to get a potato pancake that’s perfectly crisp unless you fry it. And if it’s not crisp, what’s the point?”
You can’t blame Katzen for trying. After all, the chef and author has sold five million cookbooks, including Moosewood Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 1977) from her groundbreaking restaurant, which introduced the concept that colourful, healthy dishes with fruits, vegetables and grains could also be delicious. In all of her eight books, rarely does she give instructions for frying.
Thinking back to her low-fat latke fiasco, she sighed.
“We don’t eat latkes for their nutritional properties. They’re a treat,” she said. “Latkes are fun to make; they’re delicious, but don’t try to turn them into something they’re not. Eat them, enjoy them; just don’t gorge on them.
“It’s not the fat in your diet that makes you fat,” said Katzen. “A healthy diet is not about slashing fat from your diet; it’s about replacing the bad fats with the good ones. It’s important to know when to say yes to fat.”
Because different fats begin to degrade at different temperatures, Katzen said, it’s crucial to use oils that are refined for high heat such as avocado oil, almond oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil.
“If I am sautéing vegetables, I use olive oil. But my favourite oil for frying at high temperatures, which is how you cook latkes, is safflower oil,” said Katzen. The hotter the oil, the more likely the latkes will be light and crisp instead of heavy and soggy.
“I never made latkes that were crisp enough until I discovered safflower oil,” she said. “Because you can fry efficiently at a very high temperature, crisp doesn’t begin to describe them. You can hear someone bite into one from two rooms away!”
For a delicious variation, replace up to half the potato with grated sweet potato. Potatoes may be peeled, partially peeled or left intact.
The batter lasts for several days if kept in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Leftover potato pancakes can be reheated in an ungreased, preheated skillet over medium heat.
1 1/2 lb. potatoes (any kind)
1 medium onion
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or rice flour
1/2 to 1 tsp. salt (rounded measure)
2 large eggs, beaten
safflower oil for frying
optional toppings: sour cream or thick yogurt, applesauce, fruit compote
Use a hand grater or the fine grating attachment of a food processor to grate the potato and onion together. Transfer the grated vegetables to a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle in the flour and salt. Add eggs and stir until thoroughly combined.
Place a large, deep skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat for about three minutes. Add enough oil to make a 1/8-in.-deep pool in the pan. Wait another minute or two to heat the oil. When the oil is hot enough to instantly sizzle a bread crumb, use a quarter-cup measure with a handle or a large spoon to scoop batter into the pan, going slowly so you don’t splash hot oil. Spread each pancake out so it is very thin.
Fry the pancakes on each side for about seven or eight minutes, or until deep golden and crisp all over.
Line a platter with a triple thickness of paper towels. Remove the pancakes from the pan using a slotted metal spatula. Hold each over the pan for a moment to drain off any excess oil. Place pancakes in a single layer on the prepared platter for a few minutes before serving. There should be plenty of oil left in the pan to fry the remaining batter. If the oil smokes, spill it out and start over with new oil.
Serve hot or warm with sour cream or thick yogurt, applesauce or fruit compote. Makes 12 to 14 medium sized latkes.
1 cup chickpeas, cooked until crisp tender
1 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cups minced onion
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 or 3 bay leaves
6 cups chopped tomatoes, peeling and seeding optional
freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
optional toppings: yogurt, minced fresh parsley or mint, a few currants
Place cooked chickpeas and uncooked lentils in a pot with the cinnamon stick and about seven cups of water. Cook until chickpeas and lentils are perfectly tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and drain the legumes, saving the water.
Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, garlic, salt, turmeric, cumin seeds, ground cumin and bay leaves, and sauté over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until onions are very soft.
Add six cups of the reserved cooking water from the lentils (supplement with fresh water if there’s not enough) and the tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer; partially cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
Stir in the chickpeas and lentils; cook for about 5 minutes longer. Do not allow the legumes to become mushy. Season to taste with black pepper, cayenne and lemon juice.
Serve the soup hot. If desired, add a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkling of parsley or mint and pass a small bowl of currants. Makes six servings
2 lb. apples and pears, cut into 1 1/2-in. chunks (peeling is optional)
1 to 2 tbsp. lemon juice
a dash or two of salt (optional)
optional additions: dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, apricots, cherries, pineapple (up to 1 cup); honey or pure maple syrup to taste; sweet spices such as cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger, cardamom or anise to taste.
optional toppings: yogurt, toasted walnuts
Place fruit in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Cover and cook slowly, checking in every five minutes or so to give it a stir. Add small amounts of water as needed.
After about 20 minutes, add the lemon juice, salt and dried fruit. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or so, then taste. If desired, you can sweeten it, add a touch of spice or leave it plain. You can cook it even softer and mash it or keep it textured.
Serve at any temperature, plain or topped with yogurt and toasted nuts. Makes six servings.
