Can we call them Vintage? Worlds Best Classic Potato Latkes Recipe Just like Bubby Made with Topping Ideas!
Worlds Best Classic Potato Latkes Recipe
Just like Bubby Makes with Topping Ideas!
Can we call these Vintage?
These days with social media, I have been bombarded by all sorts of variations of the classic Chanukah Latke. Yet I still crave and have a deep everlasting love for the classic Potato Latke.
There is absolutely nothing that yells to me Chanukah LOVE like the classic hand grated Potato Latke – Just like hubby makes. Except I don’t call her bubby – My grandmother pretty much nixed that idea when I was born. Nope she wanted to be called mommy because SHE was NOT THAT OLD – and no one should know I was her granddaughter – because God Forbid she should be dated…
But my own mother was really not too thrilled about that whole me calling her mother – mommy instead of her – my own mother (yup you can see where that would be confusing) – so instead we call her MemeMalka – Meme is french for mother & Malka, her name. It stuck and EVERYONE grandchild or not calls her that these days.
But back to the Potato Latke. You see this food item in my Mememalka’s house is a staple. Those graters and frying pans come out almost weekly – it is the one thing you can count on eating whenever you go visit her in Queens. And no matter how many thousands of these little potato fried perfections I have eaten in my many decades on earth – I still love them like I only eat them once a year.
So for me, every Chanukah when I pull out that grater and start doing this dirty and not so glamours job of hand grating these potatoes (because I swear they taste better when done by hand then machine) I think of my beloved grandmother and call her on the phone to thank her for this recipe and her pure love!
Now that my daughter is 6 years old and at the age that is just ripe to get into the kitchen and be a little helper – I will get her in the kitchen and teach her to make these just like my hubby – I mean Mememalka made! Just call me Vintage….not her!!
Potato Latke Recipe:
According to my grandmother verbatim it is:
1 egg for every 1 Potato. salt and pepper to taste.
A little VERY HOT oil in the bottom of the Pan. Spoon it in and wait for it to brown. Then flip and brown on top.
Serve hot but don’t burn your tongue!
Hows that for a recipe?
Now there is that debate of Sour Cream or Apple Sauce as your Classic Potato Latke Topping? Personally I am BOTH. But when I throw a party I love to have different choices of toppings and let the guests go wild. The topping list grows every year – here are some the favorites:
Mushroom Gravy
1½ cups mushrooms, cleaned and quartered (canned are not recommended, as they won’t absorb the broth)
1 tsp olive oil
¼ cup vegetable broth
Sauté mushrooms in olive oil. When mushrooms appear tender, add broth and let it cook down to a thicker consistency.
Cranberry Relish
2 cups fresh cranberries
½ orange, peeled
2 Tbsp sugar or Splenda
In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse cranberries and orange slices until it resembles a relish consistency and no chunks are present. Add sugar and mix.
Tip: To save a little time, you can replace the orange with canned mandarin oranges.
Dill Yogurt
6-8 oz. container of Greek or plain yogurt
2 tsp dill
1 Tbsp olive oil
Mix yogurt, dill, and olive oil together.
Salsa
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped, with some seeds remaining
½ Tbsp crushed red pepper
½ lemon, juiced
½ lime, juiced
1 Tbsp cilantro
½ tsp black pepper
Salt
Combine all ingredients, except salt and pepper, in a saucepan. Bring just to a simmer on medium-high heat. Lower heat and continue to simmer until vegetables are tender. Add pepper and salt. Remove from heat and let cool before serving.
Tip: You can use your favorite salsa from a jar, as well.
Guacamole
5 ripe avocados, cut in large chunks
1 large tomato, diced
1 large red onion, diced
1 lemon, juiced
½ tsp fresh minced garlic
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
In a large bowl, combine avocado, tomato, onion, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Using your hands or a potato masher, mix the ingredients together, slightly mashing the avocado as you mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Creamed Spinach
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups frozen chopped spinach
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and spinach, stir, and cover pan. Let cook for about 10 minutes or until fully wilted. Uncover and add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Let cream come to a boil, then lower heat and cover pan again. Let mixture simmer for another few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Goat Cheese Crumble
1 loaf goat cheese
Salt and pepper
Cut goat cheese into ¼-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.
Pesto
2 bunches fresh basil leaves, checked and washed
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 Tbsp pine nuts
½ tsp kosher salt
¾ cup olive oil
Wash basil, discard stems, and dry thoroughly. Place garlic, pine nuts, and salt in a blender and process for 15 seconds on high. Add basil leaves. Using the pulse setting, shred the basil. Then, with the machine on, drizzle in the olive oil until well combined and creamy.
