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The perfect latkes and doughnuts for your Hanukkah celebration

Hanukkah is quickly approaching, and no celebration of the holiday is complete without traditional latkes, applesauce and doughnuts. Eli Sussman, chef at Brooklyn's Mile End Delicatessen and a contributor to Saveur magazine, joined TODAY's Lester Holt and Erica Hill to share some traditional latkes, a more adventurous latke double down sandwich and doughnut recipes for your Hanukkah celebrations.�

Hanukkah is quickly approaching, and no celebration of the holiday is complete without traditional latkes, applesauce and doughnuts. Eli Sussman, chef at Brooklyn's Mile End Delicatessen and a contributor to Saveur magazine, joined TODAY's Lester Holt and Erica Hill to share some traditional latkes, a more adventurous latke double down sandwich and doughnut recipes for your Hanukkah celebrations. 

Latkes with lox sauce and applesauce

Ingredients: 

  • 4 russet potatoes, peeled
  • 1 yellow onion, minced
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 2 tbs fresh minced chives
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper)
  • vegetable oil for frying

Using a box grater, shred the potatoes and onion alternating into a large bowl. (The alternating helps against oxidation.) Drain the potatoes and onions by pressing hard into a colander to remove as much liquid as possible. In a large bowl, add the eggs, flour, garlic salt and pepper, and mix well.

Pour the oil into a large frying pan to a depth of about a 1/2-inch and heat over medium heat. Using your hands, scoop a golf ball-sized portion of the latke mix and form a ball, then flatten into a disk about a 1/4-of-an-inch thick. Drop into the hot oil and repeat this process making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown on the first side about 2-3 minutes, and then flip on the second side an additional 2 minutes.

Transfer to the wire rack of a baking sheet and hold in a warm 200 degree oven until serving.

Lox sauce

Mix the following ingredients together with a spatula: 

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 ounces lox, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Cinnamon applesauce

Mix the following ingredients together in a bowl with a whisk:

  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

Latke double down

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons fresh grated horseradish
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 1 head radicchio, cored and halved, leaves separated
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups canola oil
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, pounded until ¼" thick
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 bunch rosemary
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • Apple sauce, for serving

Make the horseradish cream: Mix sour cream, horseradish and 1 tsp. vinegar in a bowl; set sauce aside. In another bowl, toss remaining vinegar, the radicchio, salt and pepper; set aside.

Heat oil in a high-sided 14" skillet over medium high. Whisk flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Place eggs and panko in separate shallow dishes. Working in batches, dredge chicken in flour mixture, then dip in eggs, and coat in panko; fry, flipping once, until chicken is golden, 1-2 minutes. Add butter, rosemary and thyme; cook, basting chicken with butter, until crisp, 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towels to drain; season with salt.

To serve: Spread a thin layer of apple sauce on the latkes; top with 1 piece chicken and some of the reserved radicchio. Spread reserved horseradish cream over the other latke and place on top; slice sandwich lengthwise.

Doughnuts

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 11 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 scraped vanilla beans 
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups cream cheese, melted
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. In a second large bowl, crack the eggs and whisk. Whip cream cheese with sugar, scraped vanilla beans, vanilla and almond extract for 1-2 minutes. Add the cream cheese mixture to the eggs and whisk well to mix. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Whisk until mixed well.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Scoop the donuts into 350 degree oil. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until cooked through.

Remove from the fryer and immediately dust with powdered sugar.

Serve with the raspberry sauce below.

Raspberry sauce

Ingredients: 

  • 1 pint raspberries
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon honey

In a small stockpot over medium heat, warm all ingredients until the raspberries break down into a jam approximately 20 minutes. Stir often to avoid scorching.