Potato-Turnip Duck-Fat Latkes
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 1 hr 15 mins
Active: 1 hr 15 mins
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Any Festival of Lights celebration worth its weight in gelt has latkes. Too often these fried potato pancakes are greasy and one-dimensional, and make the house smell. In this recipe, Sara Dickerman adds turnips and thyme and fries the latkes in duck fat for small flavorful patties that’d make any Hanukkah reveler happy. As for the smelly house, turn to these tips.
Game plan: You could serve these with duck confit and use the leftover duck fat for frying. This recipe is fleishig if made with duck fat.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled
- 1 large turnip (about 10 ounces), peeled and quartered
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 5 ounces), cut into quarters
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces duck fat or 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- Applesauce, for serving (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using the large holes of a box grater or a food processor fitted with a medium-coarse shredding disk, alternately shred potatos, turnip, and onion.
- Place vegetables in a strainer over a large bowl. Squeeze to extract excess moisture, and let stand for a few minutes. Place vegetables in a second bowl, discard liquid collected in the first bowl, stirring any white potato starch left behind back into vegetables. Beat together eggs, flour, thyme, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl until well combined. Add egg mixture to vegetables and mix until evenly combined.
- Heat duck fat or oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, line a large plate or baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
- Form a silver-dollar-size latke and carefully place it in the hot fat to test for proper oil temperature; the oil should immediately bubble on the edges of the latke. Cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove latke from oil and taste, adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Form more silver-dollar-size patties and place into hot oil while not overcrowding the pan. Fry undisturbed until latkes hold together and become golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Remove to the paper towel–lined plate, and continue cooking more latkes, skimming out any vegetable bits in between batches and adding more fat when necessary. (If you add more fat, make sure it is at the proper temperature before cooking more latkes.) Serve hot or at room temperature with applesauce.
COMMENTS | ADD YOUR OWN
No! No! NO! Do not put hot fried food on paper towels: it traps steam and hastens them getting soggy. Put them in a single layer on a rack, over a baking sheet, in a warm oven.
Frankly, I'm not sure latke-making tips from a person who thinks a house smelling of frying latkes is something to be avoided should be given any credibility at all!
I agree on the drainage rack, Ruth-- it's a trick I learned from watching Jacques Pepin.
I might consider substituting rutabaga and/or parsnip for the turnip, since I'm not a real fan of white turnips...
If your kitchen has no vent and bad ventilation in general, having your apartment smell like fried food for days on end is not the magical experience you're making it out to be, Ruth!