looking for new Potato Latke recipe

[smilingal]

This is mine:
1 egg
3/4 med onion - coarsely cut
1-11/2 tsp salt (lean toward the 1 tsp)
3 TBS matzo meal
3 cups diced raw potatoes

In blender -egg, onion, potatoes & salt - grate on low speed - enough to cut up BUT NOT MUSH!
(as soon as the last potatoe is pulled down turn off blender). Stir in matzo meal to make thick pancake consistancy. Drop into hot oil and fry till brown.

I plan on grating the potatoes this year with my food processor and letting them drain in colander - maybe along with grated onion to drain and then with paper towels try to dry even more. I looked on epicurious and was surprised that many don't use a thickening component.

I would love your own tried and true recipe.
Happy Chanukah!

[greygarious]

Some years ago, Cook's Illustrated recommended a mix of both shredded potato and potato which is grated to mush. I believe they used the food processor. Rather than having to wash all those components, I use a cheap-looking plastic grater from Börner (also spelled Boerner). It's ivory-colored plastic, about 3x9x½". It cost about $2 around 2002 at now-defunct Kitchen Etc. One side grates the mush, the other the shreds. It is surprisingly sharp, perfect for the task, and requires just a rinse under running water to clean. I put layers of paper towel into the bowl before grating, then wait a few minutes after putting the grater away, to allow the last-done potato to drain, then just pull out the sodden towels, scraping off any shreds that adhere.
Then I add onion. Rather than fresh onion, I use dehydrated since they soak up some of the extra liquid remaining in the potatoes. I then proceed with flour and egg.

[teezeetoo]

I do keep and add the starch after draining well. I grate the potatoes in the food processor (use russetts or yukon golds), along with the onions, then use the puree disc for a minute, drain well, using cheesecloth or old dishtowels, keep starch at the bottom, add pepper, salt, matzoh meal, eggs, and fry in very hot peanut oil (don't find olive oil heats to the temperature I like). I keep them on the small side and after frying if they aren't eaten "a la minute" they go on to parchment paper, cookie sheet, in preheated oven (375).

[Breadcrumbs]

I rec'd a very interesting Latke recipe today from Bonnie Stern (a well-known Canadian Chef, cookbook author).

"Great Aunt Roza"s Potato Latke's" call for the inclusion of Cream of Wheat (un-cooked). I've pasted the link here if you're interested. . . its almost at the bottom of the page:

http://foodnews.bonniestern.com/

[smilingal]

Thanks breadcrumbs! That does look interesting! Let me know if you make them - I would be interested in how they come out! I will do the same with you in return - but I am a bit latke'd out - if that is ever possible! I like the idea of a firmer pancake that maybe would be a more substantial hor doerves with a sliver of salmon and sourcream and chive on top!

[Breadcrumbs]

Will do smilingal, I was thinking along the same lines as you were - using it for apps. I usually make sweet potato lakes with cranberry orange chutney and curry cream but these are tempting me.

[LA Buckeye Fan]

Not traditional, but I like to add a little shredded zucchini to mine.

[mamachef]

And Buckeye, if you ever make zucchini fritters, add a little shredded potato; they'll absorb much less cooking oil.

[LA Buckeye Fan]

Thanks for the tip, Mamachef!

[melpy]

I have always used the Frugal Gourmet's. Delicious with apple sauce and sour cream (gotta have both).

[masha]

Rather than using the shredding blade, I do my potatoes in the FP by pulsing with the chopping blade. I think that the shredding blade leaves the potatoes too coarse for a traditional style latke.

My recipe is similar to yours except that I also add about 1/2 tsp of baking powder and generous grinds of fresh pepper.

[smilingal]

As I have been researching I have learned that many others use baking powder - as well as using the method of allowing the potatoes to sit in cold water for a while - then after removing the potatoes, saving the water and waiting for the starches to settle to the bottom - slowly pour out the water and then use the potato starch - almost sounds like a science experiment to me! - also I did read of others who had used the method I was going to try of using the salad spinner to get out as much moisture as possible! Who would have thunk that such an old recipe would yield so many new methods!

[2intune]

I've been using the salad spinner method for latkes and hash browns for years. This yields the most consistent browning, with no mushy center. Definitely a crowd-pleaser.

[mamachef]

Basically the same recipe, but we hand-grate on a box grater and dinner invariably includes shredded knuckle. Gotta work fast for this one, though; and use a clean pillowcase to get the majority of the starch out of there so latkes are crispy, not gummy.
Great success was enjoyed one year with sweet potato latkes that had apple grated into them....

[smilingal]

have you tried the food processor to shred instead of the knuckle method?

[mamachef]

We have done that and our general conclusion was that it destroyed too much of the internal molecules. They weren't at all bad; it's just not what we were "used to." Which, in the case of family-specific holiday foods, is all that matters. : )