1,000 Jewish Recipes (121 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
The seasonings can vary from onions, salt, and pepper as in potato latkes, to herbs, garlic, or any spice blend you like. You can even add such flavorings as Chinese black bean paste or plum sauce. Serve vegetable latkes with the traditional toppings of sour cream and applesauce or with whatever sauces you have on hand. I serve fruit-based salsa, tomato sauce, and curry sauce, as well as ketchup for kids who request it.
Chefs might include wild mushrooms in their latkes and top them with caviar or smoked salmon, but latkes excel particularly as a down-to-earth, economical treat. They are a legacy of home cooks over the ages who made tasty holiday treats out of potatoes and other humble foods.
These delicate latkes are delicious and elegant when topped with a dollop of sour cream and a small spoonful of caviar. Another tasty option is serving them with
Mustard-Tarragon Topping
.
6 large leeks (about 3 pounds)
5 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
â
2
cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1
â
4
teaspoon ground white pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1.
Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a tray with paper towels to drain latkes and have a baking sheet ready for keeping latkes warm.
2.
Discard the root ends of the leeks. Cut off the dark green part and save for making soups, stocks, or sauces. Halve the leeks lengthwise, rinse them, and cut into thin slices crosswise. Put slices in a bowl of cold water, separate them and let stand 5 minutes. Lift leek slices out of water and put them in a strainer to drain well.
3.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy saucepan, add leeks, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Adjust seasoning.
4.
Mix flour, eggs, white pepper, nutmeg, and
1
â
4
teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until to a very thick batter. Add batter to bowl of leeks and mix very well.
5.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a deep, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add leek mixture by tablespoonfuls and flatten each after adding it. Do not crowd pan. Fry about 2 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Turn carefully with 2 slotted spatulas so oil doesn't splatter. Transfer to paper towels. Stir batter before frying each new batch. Add more oil to the pan as necessary, and heat it before adding more latkes. After frying about half the batter, put latkes on baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
6.
Pat tops of latkes with paper towels before serving. Serve hot or warm.
 or
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In some Sephardic families pumpkin pancakes are served for Rosh Hashanah. They also make a nice change from potato latkes for Hanukkah. Make them either with sugar pumpkins, sometimes sold as "pie pumpkins," or with sweet winter squash such as butternut, acorn, or carnival squash. I usually microwave the squash to cook it quickly but you can poach it or steam it if you wish.
For meatless meals I like these gently spiced pancakes topped with yogurt and sprinkled very lightly with brown sugar. Served this way, they make a tasty brunch entree.
2 pounds pumpkin or winter squash, halved, seeded, then halved again
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â
2
cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1
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2
teaspoon ground cinnamon
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4
teaspoon ground ginger
1
â
4
teaspoon ground allspice
1
â
2
teaspoon sugar
1
â
4
teaspoon salt
1
â
4
teaspoon ground white pepper
About
1
â
4
cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Yogurt or sour cream (optional, for dairy meals)
Brown sugar (for sprinkling)
1.
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a tray with paper towels to drain the pancakes and have a baking sheet ready for keeping pancakes warm.
2.
Put the pumpkin or squash cut side down in a casserole dish and add about
1
â
4
inch water. Cover and microwave on high 8 to 10 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
(To poach the pumpkin, cut it into 6 or 8 pieces. Add to a large saucepan with enough boiling salted water to cover it halfway. Return to a boil, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat, turning once or twice, 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.)
3.
Remove cooked pumpkin to a plate and let cool slightly. Scoop out pulp. Cut pulp into pieces and mash it with a fork. Press pulp gently in a strainer to remove excess liquid. Transfer pulp to a bowl.
4.
Mix flour, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, sugar, salt, and white pepper in a medium bowl until it becomes a very thick batter. Add to mashed pumpkin and mix very well.
5.
Heat oil in a deep, heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry pumpkin mixture by tablespoonfuls, flattening each after adding, about 2 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Turn carefully with 2 slotted spatulas so oil doesn't splatter. Transfer to paper towels. Stir batter before frying each new batch. Add more oil to the pan as necessary, and heat it before adding more pancakes. After frying about half the batter, put pancakes on baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
6.
Pat tops of pancakes with paper towels before serving. Serve hot or warm. Top with yogurt, if using, and sprinkle with brown sugar.
These golden pancakes are great with grilled fish, lamb, or chicken. If you prefer to serve them as an appetizer or as part of an assortment of latkes, top them with sour cream or yogurt and garnish them with a sprig of cilantro. For a pareve meal, accompany them, instead, with mild or medium salsa.
The secret to the flavor of these latkes is lightly sautéing the cumin and curry powder with the onions.
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), divided into medium florets
5 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, or more if needed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1
â
2
teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1.
Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a tray with paper towels to drain pancakes and have a baking sheet ready for keeping pancakes warm.
2.
Cook cauliflower in a large pan of boiling salted water uncovered over high heat about 12 minutes or until very tender. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy skillet, add onion, and cook over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until soft and golden brown. Add curry powder and cumin and sauté, stirring, 30 seconds.
3.
Drain cauliflower well. Mash it with a fork or chop it in a food processor, leaving some small pieces. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in sautéed onion mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add bread crumbs and eggs and mix well.
4.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy skillet. Take 1 heaping tablespoon cauliflower mixture in your hand and press to make it compact. Flatten it to a cake about
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â
2
-inch thick and add to pan. Make 4 or 5 more cakes and add them to the pan. Fry over medium heat about 3 minutes on each side or until brown. Turn carefully with 2 slotted spatulas so oil doesn't splatter. Transfer to paper towels. Stir batter before frying each new batch. Add more oil to the pan as necessary, and heat it before adding more pancakes. After frying about half the batter, put pancakes on baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
5.
Pat tops of pancakes with paper towels before serving. Serve hot or warm.
Corn and bell peppers, a popular Louisiana combination for stews and salads, also make terrific latkes. These pancakes have just a hint of spice. If you'd like them hotter, add more cayenne to the batter or serve the latkes with hot sauce. If you like, top each latke with a spoonful of
Sephardic Salsa
or savory-sweet
Pineapple-Papaya Salsa
.
2 cups frozen corn kernels, cooked, drained, and cooled, or canned corn kernels
1
â
3
cup finely diced red or green bell pepper
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4
cup chopped celery
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1
â
2
teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large egg
About
1
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4
cup vegetable oil (for frying)
