Monday, December 13, 2004

Potato latkes and Christmas trees

When our clergy friend called yesterday I told her we were putting up the Christmas tree and making potato latkes. She said, "Latkes ... sounds very Minnesotan."

"Er, not quite," I said. "It's Hanukkah so we're having latkes and decorating the tree."

About that time I noticed the cat up on her hind feet licking (yes, licking) a plastic icicle. She kept this up for about a minute. "You won't believe this," I tell the episcopal priest/chaplain on the phone (as if she could provide pastoral counseling on the spot) "The cat is licking a plastic icicle. She can't tell that is isn't real. What could be wrong with her?"

"Hmm, okay ... " says she. "Tell me more about those latkes."

The latke recipe:

Potatoes (grated - I use the Cuisinart to do this)
Onions (ditto)
1 egg (optional - some recipes call for an egg but it's not needed)
Matzo Meal (enough to help the potatoes stick together, a little flour would work as well)
Salt and Pepper (lots! more than you think you need)

Put about a 1/2" of oil in your favorite skillet. Get it very hot.

Drop a forkful of potato into the hot oil (you want a latke to be palm-sized), flip it once, remove when it's golden brown, drain on paper towel (or if you're traditional, a brown paper bag).

Serve immediately with apple sauce and/or sour cream.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

some of us purists like our latkes plain. they were really good, by the way. Babycakes

Dott Comments said...

That's right, Babycakes eschews both the applesauce and sour cream on her latkes but is my never-ending inspiration to cook jewish. xxx, D.

Anonymous said...

and you do Jewish cooking very well. so what's for dinner? xxx babycakes