tackling latkes: sweet potato-scallion & potato, onion and apple

i've never made latkes before,

for the purpose of chanukah.

for my culinary school graduation,

i decided that one of my dishes for the

grand buffet, was going to be beet latkes.

when i was done shredding them,

the table,

my apron,

my hands,

the floor and the counters,

were stained red and i was already

over the project. by then, my chef

had convinced me that they could

be served at room temperature, so

that i did not have to struggle with

a la minute preparations - in retrospect,

that part was probably for the best - and

he had an idea that they should be served

over a bed of sliced, raw golden beets.

my memory of that day is this:

while others had the idea to create appetizers,

like, little savory cheesecake bites, cut into

precious squares, i just had to create not only

one, but three dishes, that involved persnickety,

time consuming steps. after making

teeny tiny chocolate tarts and lobster, corn

and chive shot glasses, i spent all afternoon

frying 150 beet pancakes, only to have the

people who ate them, complain that:

1) their fingers were stained

2) they were kind of cold and

3) they didn't realize the raw beets were for

pretty, not for eating.

i was over latkes.

but, then, this year, for chanukah,

i wanted back in.

i want to start making dishes that have

tradition to them and holiday memories

attached. i want to own a portion of the

jewish meals that my family will serve

year after year. i want to, one day, not

be shocked when i'm responsible for

producing an entire holiday meal

on my own.

my mom was thrilled.

my sisters were happy to still

have latkes.

i was kind of scared.

i was worried that i wouldn't

work quickly enough and that the

potatoes would brown. i was worried

that i wouldn't be a good enough

squeezer and that the latkes wouldn't

turn golden, because they'd be too

waterlogged. i was worried my family,

upon eating their first latke,

would turn to my mother, with pleading

in their eyes, and silently beg her to take

back latke making duties next year.

all of these fears - and the fact that i had to

work the day of our chanukah dinner (held

this past weekend, thanks my work schedule

this week) - convinced me to make the latkes a week

early, and pop them in the freezer, to give me

time to fix any mistakes.

i decided to make two latkes:

sweet potato latkes

from gourmet, that i've

been looking at for years

and

melissa clark's apple potato latkes,

featured one week earlier in

the new york times.

and then,

this happened:

(except for the facts that

-i confirmed that i have

a hot [and cold spot] on my burner

-i made myself cook in a freezing cold kitchen

with the windows open to eliminate the frying

smell from the start [didn't work]

-i should have followed my instinct and squeezed

the sweet potatoes before frying, even though the

recipe didn't instruct for that to happen

-it took me all afternoon to make the latkes

-i may have [literally] frozen my husband out of the kitchen,

and then demanded that he come back to help me

squeeze the potatoes, apples and onions quickly,

before making him help me find room in our jam-packed

freezer for 60 latkes)

the whole thing actually went ok.

sure, i've learned you can always squeeze a little bit

more, to really make sure all the liquid is out.

and yes, i'm now more willing to accept that

the first batch of latkes are kind of like the first pancake,

and will never go that well.

but, the latkes tasted like latkes.

in spite of my best efforts, the house smelled

like chanukah.

and this past saturday,

we reheated the latkes

at my mom's, until they were

crisp-on-the-outside,

creamy-on-the-inside.

i watched my family carefully -

no one seemed to be sending

out smoke signals for help.

they ate every single one,

erasing my

beet latke nightmare memories,

in the process.

sweet potato-scallion latkes

adapted from gourmet magazine

this recipe was very basic, and a couple reviewers had complained that they were bland. so, after grating the sweet potatoes, i stirred in a few healthy dashes of cayenne, cumin and coriander, which i think i actually was able to taste, subtly, in the finished product. i did not measure - i just shook in spices, until it felt right. as i said above, the recipe did not call for squeezing liquid out of the potatoes, but i think that was a mistake. i spent the whole time i was making these, trying not to notice the liquid pooling at the bottom. and, i doubled the scallions, but i think i could have tripled them (below, i've written as i made them - doubled).

i also made the decision to double this recipe, which was the right decision. the original recipe was supposed to make 28, but doubling it, i got 30. sure, maybe some of mine were big, but i don't think they were that big. below, is the doubled recipe.

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 bunch scallions, trimmed, cleaned and finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

ground cayenne

ground cumin

ground coriander

3/4-1 cup vegetable oil

in large bowl, stir together eggs, scallions, salt and pepper; set aside.

using box grater or grating attachment on the food processor, grate sweet potatoes; transfer to a dish towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. add grated sweet potatoes; sprinkle with flour and a couple healthy shakes each cayenne, cumin and coriander. stir to combine.

in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat 3/4 cup oil until hot, but not smoking. Working in batches of 4, spoon 2-3 tablespoons sweet potato mixture into skillet. flatten using back of a slotted spoon (i actually used the 1/4 cup metal measuring cup i was using). reduce heat to medium and cook 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on each side, turning once. transfer to paper towel-lined plate or sheet pan. add remaining oil to skillet, if necessary.

to freeze: let cool completely. freeze in single layer 2-4 hours. transfer frozen latkes to a freezer safe resealable bag or container. to reheat: heat oven to 400˚f. heat latkes 10-15 minutes, or until hot and sizzling, turning once.

potato, onion and apple latkes

adapted from the new york times

for this recipe, i did something that i never do: i just trusted the recipe. i decided to make it the second i saw melissa clark tweet about it, i didn't bother to research if anyone else made it and i just went for it. it was kind of refreshing. i also doubled this recipe and made the latkes, larger than instructed, but somehow, got exactly the right number (36).

i think that my apples were small, and as i result, i didn't really taste that much apple, but i don't mind, and i would still try them again the same way. i used 4 onions, because they were tiny. also: because i was so nervous about making sure that the apples and potatoes, didn't brown, i asked larry to help me and we turned it into a very fast multi-step process. instead of shredding the onions, potatoes and apples at the same time, i shredded the onions first, squeezed them and then added them to the bowl with the eggs. then, i asked larry to shred and squeeze the apples while i peeled, shredded and squeezed the potatoes. we did not have anything brown, and i recommend it, but if you're cooking alone, there's probably no reason for my crazy version of operation shred and squeeze. (i also realize that my method added work, but it relieved stress, so i consider it a wash.)

here's what i didn't do: i didn't make the cinnamon sour cream that went with it (i'm not really sure why), and since i was making this recipe second, i opted to just keep using vegetable oil, instead of the olive oil.

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoons black pepper

2 medium yellow onions, peeled

4 golden delicious apples

2 large russet potatoes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

vegetable or olive oil for frying

in large bowl, stir together eggs, salt and pepper; set aside.

using box grater or grater attachment on the food processor, grate onion. place onion in strainer; press on onion to release liquid. transfer onion to dish towel; squeeze out remaining liquid. transfer to bowl with egg mixture.

peel and core apples; grate apples. repeat straining and squeezing. transfer to bowl with onions; stir to combine. peel potatoes; repeat shredding and squeezing. sprinkle with flour and baking powder; stir to combine.

in large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4-inch oil, until hot, but not smoking. in batches of four or five, drop 3 tablespoons of latke mixture into skillet; press to flatten. cook 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown, turning once. transfer to paper towel-lined sheet pan.

to freeze: let cool completely. freeze in single layer 2-4 hours. transfer frozen latkes to a freezer safe resealable bag or container. to reheat: heat oven to 400˚f. heat latkes 10-15 minutes, or until hot and sizzling, turning once.

the best thing i've made in 2010: onion panade

2010 has not been so hot,

food-wise.

we brought in the new year

with a dinner, that i've said,

was ok, i guess.

and then the next night,

after i spent hours saying,

i was going to make fresh pasta,

but instead watched a lot

of law and order: svu,

i boiled up a pot of dried spaghetti

and tossed it with sage and grated parm.

that was followed by huevos rancheros

that may have been ok,

if i didn't somehow overcook the eggs,

chickpea patties that were like

bland hockey pucks,

potatoes that i

smashed with the bottom

of a glass (on purpose)

and then kind of

burnt to a crisp (not on purpose),

a pasta, cauliflower and horseradish

dish that needed lots of hot sauce

to enjoy and a salad dressing that was

way too garlicky for the

perfectly good salad i carefully assembled.

when dinner goes wrong,

it's a bummer. but when dishes

are unsuccessful several days in

a row, you start to doubt yourself,

and seriously consider turning to

meals made outside the home.

but then, you find a recipe.

one recipe, that miraculously

goes according to plan,

doesn't surprise you along the way

and in the end, is exactly what

you were hoping for

and maybe, even more.

for our wedding anniversary,

larry put the

give-paper-for-one-year rule,

into brooke terms

and gave me a cookbook.

the art of simple food,

by alice waters, to be precise.

the thing is, i'm not that simple.

i can taste the difference

between an unbelievable tomato

and a good tomato.

and i can appreciate the brilliance

of someone taking that

amazing tomato and drizzling

it only with a few drops of olive oil

and a couple sprinklings of

really good salt.

but most likely - and maybe, sadly -

in my hands, it wouldn't stay that way.

i like what comes of mixing together

spices and herbs and vinegars.

and i like what happens when something

is sauteed or roasted or combined

with something a little wacky.

so, i glanced through the book

and saw, what i consider,

good basics. there was a list

of pantry essentials,

recipes for fruit salad and

different methods for preparing

rice, a garlic and olive oil sauce

and cheese omelets.

and yes, i know this is alice waters.

and i know and love a lot of what

she has done, what she is still on

a mission to do. i just like a little

more oomph.

but, for some reason,

page 262 stopped me. i had never

heard of a panade before - which,

now after conducting a ton of research,

seems ridiculous. but here, it was,

a panade, featuring very simply:

onions

thyme

stale bread

gruyere

parm

chicken broth.

simple. and sounding pretty much

like the ingredients for french onion soup.

i loved the idea of a panade:

you prepare all the ingredients

(saute the onions,

slice and toast the bread,

grate in the cheese),

and then you layer them all

together in a casserole dish

and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

when it's pulled from the oven,

it should be intensly flavored soup.

and to my delight - on another absolutely

frigid winter night - it was. after baking

for 45 minutes, i pulled the foil off and

cooked until the top was brown and bubbly.

when i first opened the oven,

i couldn't believe how much it all smelled

like bread pudding, or how beautifully

the top had puffed up. but, of course, unlike

bread pudding, this is an eggless recipe

and the soup deflated fast.

when i scooped into it,

the bread pudding wafts were a distant memory,

instead replaced clearly by

the scents of a very rich onion soup.

even the chicken broth - maybe not so optimal

for those of you who swear by beef broth to make

the heartiest, boldest variation - transformed

thanks to those golden onions

and thin layers of cheese,

that have been jumbled together, first in the oven,

and then in your bowl.

once scooped into individual dishes,

it's not gorgeous, but who needs gorgeous

when you've got delicious?

and yes, delicious is not a very

imaginitive word. but it's simple and fitting,

and maybe, sometimes, that's not so bad.

onion panade

adapted from the art of simple food

this is the perfect sunday night soup - it does not require a lot of attention, especially once the onions are out of the pan, but it does take time that you may not have on a weeknight.

i used a 2-quart dish instead of the 1 1/2 quart casserole indicated, so i upped the ingredient amounts just a bit - i've listed my changes below. i also realized later that i was meant to heat the chicken broth before adding it to dish - i didn't and i don't think the soup suffered (but, apparently, i am not doing so well in the basic reading department lately). also, when making this, i used my method of caramelizing onions, instead of the one in the book. it took about an hour (instead of the 45 minutes waters called for).

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced

2 or 3 thyme sprigs (or 1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

kosher salt

1/2 day-old italian or country-style loaf

1/2 cup grated parm

3/4 cup grated gruyere (i used aged)

3-5 cups chicken or beef broth (i used chicken)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

in large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. when hot, add onions and thyme; cook 5 minutes, stirring often. reduce heat to medium low and cook 30-35 minutes, or until very soft. increase heat to medium and cook 15-20 minutes, or until onions are a medium golden brown, stirring often.

meanwhile, heat oven to 350˚f. thinly slice bread; place slices on a baking sheet and bake 5 minutes, turning once, or until dry, but not brown.

in bowl, mix together grated parm and grated gruyere.

in 2-quart baking dish, place single layer of bread (the recipe did not indicate, but i did cut bread to make sure the bottom was completely covered). top bread with half the onions, spreading evenly; sprinkle with half the cheese mixture. top with second layer of bread, remaining onions and another third of cheese. top with remaining bread and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

place baking dish on baking pan. carefully pour broth down the side into the dish, taking care not to disrupt the layers, until the top layer of bread begins to float. dot with butter.

cover; carefully transfer baking pan to oven. bake 45 minutes. uncover dish and bake 20-30 minutes more, or until the top layer is golden brown and crisp. (after 30 minutes, i put the broiler on for a couple more, just until the top had a few golden spots.)

green shrimp and scallop posole

you know those recipes that you

see, pull and stash for months

or even years, waiting for the

right night or occasion?

(we all know i've done that

once or, ok, many times.)

well, what happens if

before you get around to

making it, someone else unknowingly

makes it for you? and what happens

if that someone happens to be

your husband and it is more

delicious than you had imagined?

well, then you are lucky.

as lucky as i was wednesday night,

when i was asked to pick up

a can of hominy and then was

greeted by this show-stopping

vision:

perfect mise en place.

i actually clapped with joy

at the sight -

vegetables, chopped

and separated into

ready-to-cook

piles.

i had to take a picture.

then, i did something that

i regret.

i left the room.

i had things to do and

clearly, he had everything

under control (see: picture).

i knew he was making a posole,

but that was it, information-wise.

i did not walk back in until

he was ladling the lovely-smelling

soup into bowls and sprinkling

them with freshly chopped cilantro.

i grabbed another picture.

i wish i had stayed in the kitchen

the whole time, taking pictures

and watching the meal

come to life, because

let me tell you:

the end result was unbelievable.

slightly spicy and briny,

thanks to the clam juice

and tomatillo salsa base,

textured with earthy hominy

and onions

and brimming with

shrimp and sea scallops.

one bite in, i realized two things:

this was the posole recipe i pulled

from bon appetit years ago and

this is probably my favorite thing

larry has ever made.

he's made good things before.

and great things, too.

but, this? this i would go back

to a restaurant for and order again

on the repeat visit.

next time,

i would just

take more pictures.

green shrimp and scallop posole

adapted from bon appetit magazine

larry followed the recipe very closely - he only modified two things. first, he used sun-dried tomatoes that were not packed in oil, they plumped up just the same once heated and simmered. (although, for me, the sun-dried tomatoes at all, are optional.) second, he reduced the scallops - which he cooked perfectly, i will add - to only 1/2 pound without adverse results. i've incorporated his changes, below.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion (if i did this, i would probably just use all of a medium-to-large onion)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

3 cups (or more) bottled clam juice

1 can (15 ounces) white hominy, drained and rinsed

1 cup salsa verde (tomatillo salsa), medium or mild

2 tablespoons finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

1 pound uncooked large shrimp (they looked to me 18-22 count), peeled and deveined

1/2 pound large sea scallops, halved horizontally

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided (i think he may have used more)

in large deep skillet over medium-high heat, warm oil. add onion; cook 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. add garlic and cook 30 seconds more, stirring constantly. add 3 cups clam juice, hominy, salsa verde, sun-dried tomatoes and lime peel to the skillet. bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.

add shrimp, scallops and cilantro to the broth, adding more clam juice to thin, if necessary. simmer 3 minutes, or just until seafood is just opaque in the center. season with salt and pepper, if desired. divide amongst bowls; sprinkle with remaining chopped cilantro.