/ Source: Epicurious
For food lovers, there's nothing more essential to Hanukkah celebrations than latkes. We begin craving them the minute December dawns, and when the holiday finally arrives, we happily down several (or a dozen) straight from the pan.
But why confine potato pancakes to this time of year? They're just as delicious in other seasons. To that end, here are two recipes that will easily make the transition from Festival of Light to year-round festivities. They incorporate a far-flung range of influences, and would be at home on menus all across the globe. Try them as hors d'oeuvres or side dishes during the holidays and beyond.
Four keys to successful pancakes
- Speed things up: Once you peel and grate the potatoes, work as quickly as possible to prevent discoloration — after a few minutes, they'll start to oxidize and turn brown.
- Dry it out: Squeeze all the liquid you can from the potatoes and onions—lingering water will keep the pancakes from holding together and cooking properly.
- Mix your fats: You can cook latkes in either oil or butter, but a mixture of the two will combine the flavor of butter with oil's high smoking point (which helps protect against scorching or burning). We like a one-to-one ratio.
- Keep the crunch: Potato pancakes are best served as soon as possible, before they lose their crunch. Of course, if you're frying them in batches (as in these recipes), you'll need to keep the first batches warm in the oven while you cook the rest. But as long as you work somewhat quickly, they'll retain most of their texture and flavor. Using two pans can lessen the holding time, but be sure you're comfortable with the frying process — you'll need to watch both pans closely to prevent burning. Or, if your kitchen is close to your guests, offer the latkes as they come out of the pan, after a brief drain on paper towels.
