Sabbath During Hanukkah

Appears in

Jewish Holiday Cooking

By Jayne Cohen

Published 2008

About

*Classic Challah

*Mediterranean Chickpea Latkes, glossed with pomegranate molasses

*Scallion Latkes with Scallion Dipping Brushes

*My Mother’s Fried Cauliflower

*Apricot-and Orange-Scented Goose with Roasted Garlic

*Sautéed Cabbage and Garlic Noodle Kugel

Salad of fresh tart greens

Fresh mango with lime juice

Latke Lessons

Latke batter should be at room temperature; cold batter will lower the oil temperature, causing the latkes to absorb too much oil. (Exceptions: cheese latkes, which may fall apart if not very cold).

A very wet batter will produce steam. The result? Soggy, greasy latkes. If the batter has thrown off a lot of liquid, drop a measureful of batter into your hand, so you á can gently squeeze out the excess moisture before slipping it into the hot oil.

If your pan cannot be heated over high heat, heat it over the highest setting recommended by the manufacturer.

I prefer the flavor of a fragrant, everyday olive oil (don’t use extra virgin oil for latkes), and I use it whenever possible. But because olive oil has a lower smoke point than canola, it requires greater vigilance in regulating the heat. For batters that are naturally wetter or more fragile (like New Mexican Sweet Potato Latkes or Italian Apple Fritters), I choose an oil with a very high smoke point like canola.

If you need to test the oil temperature: stand an untreated wooden chopstick in the oil. If little bubbles form around it, the oil is ready. Or flick a pinch of flour into the oil; if it sizzles, start frying.

Between batches, scoop out any burned fragments from the pan. Every two batches or so, it may be necessary to wipe out the pan to remove burnt oil or bits and add fresh oil.

Preparing ahead: you can keep latkes for a few hours at room temperature, in a single layer on a rack, loosely covered with a kitchen towel. Refrigerating leaves latkes sodden and lifeless. But you can freeze them for longer storage. Arrange drained, cooled latkes on a cookie sheet and slide into the freezer until solidly frozen. Store in a strong, resealable plastic bag or airtight container. To serve, reheat the latkes on a rack set on a baking sheet in a preheated 400°F oven until hot and crisp.