Alayne Zatulovs Giant Vegetable Latkes Food

GIANT LATKE SKILLET

Steps:

• For the latke: Drape a clean dish towel (or cheesecloth) over a colander. Grate the potatoes and onion in food processor or by hand with a box grater and place inside the towel-lined colander. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss around and let drain in the sink for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the potato-onion mixture. Combine with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, matzo meal and 2 to 3 turns of black pepper in a medium bowl and mix to form a pasty mixture. Fold the dill into the mix. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on medium heat and allow to heat for 5 minutes. Also, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add 4 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Flick a little piece of the potato-onion mixture into the oil; if it's hot enough, it will sizzle lightly.
• Roll the potato-onion mixture into a ball and place it in the middle of the pan. Gently press with spatula to flatten the mixture so it evenly covers the bottom of the pan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes. By this time, the latke should be firm enough to flip without falling apart. Transfer the pan to the stove. Place a plate over the pan and carefully invert to flip the latke. Slide it back into the pan and bake for another 10 minutes.
• For the topping: To assemble, place the latke on a plate. Spread some creme fraiche over the latke, then lay the salmon slices on top in an even layer. Top with the eggs, a dash of hot sauce, a few more dollops of the creme fraiche, the dill and chopped scallions, a few turns of black pepper and a pinch of salt. Slice into wedges to serve.

ALAYNE ZATULOV'S GIANT VEGETABLE LATKES

Steps:

• Combine shredded potatoes, carrots, onion, celery root and apple in a bowl. Stir in eggs, parsley, flour and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat half the oil until very hot in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Spread vegetable mixture into the skillet in an even layer, covering the entire surface.
• Fry vegetable mixture undisturbed until edges begin to show color, 5 to 8 minutes. If it sticks to the pan, gently release it with a thin spatula.
• When the underside is golden, slide the pancake onto a large plate. Invert another plate over it, and flip it over. Add remaining oil to the skillet, and when it is hot, slide the pancake back into the skillet to brown the other side. Fry until crisp.

ROOT VEGETABLE LATKES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and shred them in a food processer fitted with the shredding blade. Transfer to a large mixing bowl as the food processor bowl fills up. Repeat the process with the parsnips, beets, carrots and onions. Toss the vegetables together with your hands to break up and evenly disperse. Add the flour, eggs, baking powder, thyme and stir to combine. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Fill a large skillet with 1/2 inch of oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is very hot but not smoking. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a teaspoon of the vegetable mixture in the oil; if it sizzles steadily, the oil is ready.
• Working in batches, scoop the vegetable mixture by 1/4 cupfuls and add it carefully to the skillet, flattening each mound slightly with a spatula. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Be sure to return the oil to temperature between batches or lower the heat it the latkes are browning too quickly on the first side. Drain on the prepared baking sheet.
• Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200-degree F oven. Serve with the sour cream.

POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and grate them on a box grater. Wrap the grated potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine the potatoes in a bowl with the egg, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Melt the clarified butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Place a tablespoon of the potato mixture into the sizzling butter and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and golden brown. Serve the pancakes hot from the skillet.

GARDEN VEGETABLE LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place baking sheet in oven. Using food processor fitted with medium grating disk, shred potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Place towel on work surface. Spread vegetables over. Roll up towel; squeeze tightly to absorb moisture from vegetables. Blend flour, dill, onions, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add vegetables; toss to coat. Mix in eggs.
• Heat 6 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop 2 heaping tablespoons batter per pancake into hot oil. Using spoon, spread to 4-inch rounds. Cook until brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet by tablespoonfuls as necessary. Serve hot.

VEGETABLE LATKES

Steps:

• 1. In a colander, rinse the parsnip and potatoes under cold water. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels; transfer to a mixing bowl.
• 2. Stir in the carrots, leeks (or onion), flour, baking powder, eggs, salt, and pepper.
• 3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 4. Drop in large spoonfuls of the batter, flattening each with the back of the spoon. Cook, turning once, until brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet in a 200°F oven until serving.

ALAYNE ZATULOV'S SWEET HANUKKAH FRITTERS

Steps:

• Combine raisins and wine, and set aside.
• Proof the yeast by dissolving it with sugar and water in a large bowl. When it becomes foamy, after about 5 minutes, add flour, egg and anise seeds and mix well. Cover and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
• Add raisins and pine nuts, cover, and allow dough to rise 1 hour longer.
• Heat oil for deep frying in a skillet, wok or electric fryer. Oil should be maintained at 375 degrees.
• Using 2 teaspoons held together, drop dollops of the batter into the hot oil. Dipping teaspoons in cold water will facilitate this. Allow fritters to brown on one side, and then turn to brown other side. Do not crowd fritters in the pan. As they are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to absorbent paper.
• Serve fritters while they are still warm, with honey syrup spooned over or dusted with confectioners' sugar.

VITELLO GIARDINO(VEAL CUTLETS WITH SALAD)

Steps:

• Cut away and discard any tough bottom stems of the arugula leaves. Rinse and pat dry or use a spin-dryer. There should be about eight cups loosely packed. Cut away and discard the bottom ends of the endive. Separate the leaves. There should be about six cups loosely packed.
• Cut the tomatoes into one-inch cubes. There should be about four cups. Put the pieces in a bowl.
• Cut away the cores of the radicchio. Separate the leaves. There should be about six cups loosely packed. Put the radicchio in the bowl. Add the arugula and endive.
• Cut the onion slices in half. There should be about one and a third cups loosely packed. Add the onion to the bowl.
• Pour the olive oil and vinegar over the salad mixture. Toss to blend.
• Partially scrape away the meat from the chops but leave the meat attached at the largest portion of each bone. Place the meat, bones attached, between two sheets of clear plastic wrap. Use a flat mallet and pound the meat on one side. Turn the plastic-enclosed meat and pound on the other side. Take care not to pound holes in the meat. Ideally, you should have rounds of meat about eight to nine inches in diameter and about a quarter-inch thick.
• Dredge each chop on both sides in flour, pressing all over with the fingers to make the flour adhere. Shake off excess.
• Beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Dip the chops on all sides in the beaten egg. Dredge the chops on all sides in bread crumbs, pressing with the fingers to make the crumbs adhere.
• Heat three-quarters of a cup of oil in a heavy 10-inch skillet almost to the smoking point. Add one veal chop and cook about one and a half minutes or until golden brown on one side. Turn the chops and reduce the heat to medium. Cook on the second side about one minute or until golden brown. Drain each cooked chop on absorbent paper toweling and top with another layer of toweling. Press to extract excess oil. Continue cooking one chop at a time, adding a little more oil as necessary, until all the chops are cooked.
• Transfer each chop to an individual plate, top with an equal portion of the salad and serve immediately.

TRICOLOR VEGETABLE LATKES

Steps:

• Arrange grated zucchini and squash on a large baking pan; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
• Let vegetables rest 15 minutes.
• Drain well, pressing between paper towels, and set aside.
• Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a small sauté pan, and sauté leek 3 minutes or until soft; set aside.
• Grate potatoes, and press between paper towels to remove excess water.
• Place potatoes in a large bowl; add zucchini, squash, leek, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and stir gently.
• Add red onion and next 6 ingredients, stirring gently to combine.
• Heat 2 to 4 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Spoon heaping tablespoons of latke mixture, if you have one use a scoop, squeeze out extra liquid, and form into flat patties.
• Fry latkes, in batches, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden.
• Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels.
• Top each with a piece of smoked salmon, a dollop of sour cream, and caviar.
• Serve immediately.

VEGETABLE LATKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and place it on the center rack of the oven. Peel the carrots, parsnips, and potato, and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated vegetables on a clean kitchen towel, fold it around them, and squeeze tightly to remove all excess moisture. Transfer the grated vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced scallions, flour, and salt and pepper, and toss to combine well. Add the lightly beaten eggs, and mix well.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Make a few latkes at a time; for each, shape 2 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture and place in the skillet. Cook 2 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Transfer cooked latkes to prepared baking sheet in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and latke mixture.
• Serve the latkes warm with dollops of sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste.

POTATO LATKES I

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
• In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.
• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!