Marc Silverstein Latkes Recipes

BEET AND CARROT LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Grate the potatoes and carrots on the large holes of a box grater and transfer to a large colander set over a bowl. Grate the onion and add to the colander. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Firmly squeeze the mixture with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible; blot dry on paper towels if especially wet. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Mix in the beets and parsley. Add the flour and egg and stir until thoroughly combined.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Working with 1/4 cup of the mixture at a time, form tightly packed pancakes 3 to 4 inches wide and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
• Heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the pancakes until golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and put in the oven while cooking the remaining pancakes.
• Serve with sour cream.

CLASSIC LATKES

Steps:

• Grate the potatoes and onion on the large holes of a box grater into a colander set over a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, toss well and let stand 5 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of the mixture firmly with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Blot dry with paper towels, then transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the beaten egg and matzo meal or flour to the potato mixture and toss well to combine. Scoop 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture and tightly pack into thin 3- to 4-inch pancakes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
• Preheat the oven to 250˚. Heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil or chicken fat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in three batches, fry the latkes until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side, reducing the heat as needed if the latkes are browning too quickly. Remove to a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Keep warm in the oven while you make the remaining latkes. Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream.

CLASSIC LATKES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir together potato starch, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; set aside. Peel potatoes; place in a bowl of cold water. On the large holes of a box grater, grate potatoes and onion. Transfer to a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth and set over a large bowl.
• Gather mixture in cheesecloth and squeeze moisture out into bowl. Let stand until a white paste settles to bottom of bowl, about 2 minutes. Remove sieve; pour liquid out of bowl and discard, leaving behind white paste.
• Add potato-onion mixture to bowl and sprinkle with baking-powder mixture; toss to coat. Add eggs; stir to combine.
• Heat 1/4 inch oil in a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high until hot but not smoking. (Test with a shred of potato; if it sizzles immediately, it's ready). Reduce heat to medium. Working in batches to avoid crowding, scoop a scant 1/4 cup of potato mixture into oil; flatten with a spatula to 1/4 inch thick. Fry, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to paper towels set over a baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Repeat, stirring potato mixture between batches, and adjusting heat as needed while frying. Serve immediately.

MARC SILVERSTEIN NOODLE KUGEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon nutmeg. Toss in the noodles, raisins and orange zest. Pour mixture into prepared pan. In a small bowl mix together remaining 1/4 cup sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over noodles. Top with 1/4 cup melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes or until set.;

LATKES

Steps:

• Shred the potatoes and onion in a food processor or with a grater or mandoline. Place in a strainer that has been lined with cheesecloth or a damp kitchen towel. Toss with 3/4 teaspoon salt and let sit over a bowl to drain for 30 minutes.
• Gather the top of the cheesecloth and use your hands to squeeze out as much excess moisture as you can. Transfer the vegetables to a clean bowl; mix in the eggs, lemon juice, flour and some pepper.
• Heat 1/4 inch canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, fry loosely packed rounded tablespoons of the potato mixture until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Add more oil to the pan and adjust the temperature as needed. Transfer to a paper towel?lined plate, season with salt and set aside.

DAVID FIRESTONE'S LATKES

Steps:

• Place the onion in a food processor. Pulse the blade a few times until the onion is diced into crunchy bits. Remove blade and scrape the bits into a small bowl. Return the food processor bowl to the machine. No need to wash it yet.
• Scrub the potatoes with a brush, and cut lengthwise to fit into the processor feed tube. Put the medium-coarse shredding disk into the processor and turn it on. Begin feeding in the potato slices.
• When potatoes are shredded, place in a colander over a large bowl. Dump in the onion bits and mix everything around with your hands, squeezing out the potato moisture as you work.
• Pour the potato liquid out of the bowl, but leave the starch that clings to the bowl. Dump in the shredded potato and onion mix. Add the eggs, matzo meal, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir the mixture briskly, then let sit for about 10 minutes.
• In a large cast-iron skillet, pour 1/4 inch of olive oil. Over high heat, get the oil very hot. Using a 1/4-cup measure or a long-handled serving spoon, start spooning the batter into the skillet. Flatten each with a metal spatula to a diameter of 4 to 5 inches. Do not try to make the latkes uniformly round. Reduce heat to medium and cook latkes until golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn them over and fry some more, another 5 minutes or so. When crispy on the outside and moist inside, remove latkes and place on several thicknesses of paper towels. Repeat until you run out of batter.
• Serve latkes immediately, with pumpkin preserves.

MAXINE'S LATKES

Steps:

• Grate the potatoes and onions by hand, using the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated potatoes and onions in a dish towel and wring out the excess liquid. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, bread crumbs, salt, baking powder, and pepper. Stir in the potatoes and onions and mix well. Heat schmaltz and/or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop the mixture by spoonfuls into the pan. Flatten latkes slightly while cooking, and turn only once. Remove from the pan when latkes are crisp and golden. Serve hot with apple sauce or sour cream.

LATKES

Steps:

• To the grated potatoes, add 1 grated onion, 2 lightly beaten eggs and 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs (or matzo meal); substitute neutral oil for butter. (Be liberal with the oil.)
• Spoon the mixture into the oil to form pancakes; fry until brown and crisp on both sides.
• Serve with sour cream and applesauce.