Hungarian Porcini Potato Latkes Food

HUNGARIAN PLACKI (POTATO PANCAKES WITH SPICY TOMATO-BEEF SAUCE)

Steps:

• For the Hungarian-style tomato-beef sauce: Place the ground beef in a large skillet. Brown the ground beef and put on the side. In a different saute pan, add the vegetable oil and heat. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the green and red bell peppers and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, paprika, crushed red pepper, garlic, cayenne and the browned ground beef. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Please note that the sauce can be made in advance.
• For the potato pancakes (placki):Combine the potatoes, onion, eggs and flour in a large bowl and mix well. Add salt and pepper. The mixture will be on the thicker side. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil, and flatten down gently with a spoon. Turn the heat to medium. Cook until the are golden brown on each side.
• To serve, place 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of 2-4 pancakes and garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream and parsley.

HUNGARIAN PORCINI-POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Place porcini in small bowl. Add 3/4 cup hot water and let stand 45 minutes. Strain through fine sieve, reserving soaking liquid. Coarsely chop porcini.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped porcini and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add reserved porcini soaking liquid and paprika; cook until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool. (Mushroom mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Finely grate potatoes by hand or in processor fitted with grating disk. Transfer potatoes to large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover; let stand 5 minutes. Drain potatoes. Wrap in dry kitchen towel; twist ends to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place potatoes in large bowl. Mix in egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir in mushroom mixture.
• Heat 6 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, drop potato mixture by 1/4 cupfuls into hot oil, spacing apart. Using spatula, flatten each into 4-inch round and cook until crisp and brown, about 4 minutes per side. Using slotted spatula, transfer latkes to paper towels to drain. Add more oil to skillet as necessary and allow oil to get hot before adding more potato mixture. Transfer to plates and serve.
• *Available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and many supermarkets.

PORCINI MUSHROOM LATKES WITH MUSHROOM SALAD AND CHIVE "CREAM"

Steps:

• For latkes:
• Combine porcini and boiling water in bowl. Soak until soft, about 30 minutes. Strain, pressing out all liquid. Chop porcini.
• Blend potatoes and 1/2 cup onions in processor until finely ground and some liquid forms. Turn mixture out onto kitchen towel. Gather towel around and squeeze mixture very dry. Scrape into large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups onions and next 4 ingredients. Stir until batter becomes moist. Add porcini.
• Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to coat bottom; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop potato mixture into skillet by scant 1/4 cupfuls. Flatten into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to large baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 400°F oven until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
• For salad and chive cream:
• Stir nondairy sour cream, chives, and 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar in small bowl to blend.
• Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and all mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons vinegar; toss. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.
• Overlap latkes on plates. Mound greens alongside; top with mushrooms. Serve with chive cream.
• What to drink:
• Try a full-bodied kosher white wine, like the BARON HERZOG 2007 CENTRAL COAST CHARDONNAY (California $13).

CLASSIC POTATO LATKES

Steps:

• Coarsley grate the potatoes and onion into a large bowl, or use a food processor with a coarse grating blade. Leave the mixture to rest for about 15 mins so the liquid releases from the onions and potatoes. Carefully drain off the liquid for about 30 mins until the mixture is dry, then put in a cheese cloth and squeeze out the remaining liquid.
• Add the eggs, flour, 1 tsp sea salt and pepper, and mix well. Pour the oil into the pan so that it is 2-3cm deep. Set over a medium heat for a few minutes until it ripples.
• Carefully spoon in the mixture to the size you want - 2 tbsp for large latkes or 1 tbsp for small. Fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, and cook on each side until browned for 2 mins. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper, then season with a sprinkling of salt. Serve with the soured cream and smoked salmon, finished with a sprinkling of chives, or just apple sauce - both are traditional.

HUNGARIAN POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Shred the raw potatoes into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until thick and lemon coloured. Blend the potatoes, flour salt and oil into the eggs and mix until combined. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan then drop batter by spoonfuls onto the hot pan, flattening the batter (batter will be thick) to even out the pancake. Cook, turning once until golden brown.
• Note: If you spray the shredder with non-sticking cooking spray prior to shredding the potatoes, they will not stick.
• Delicious served with creamed spinach.