Latkes With Chive Sour Cream Food

CREAMY CRISPY LATKES WITH GARLIC CUMIN SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• For the garlic cumin sour cream: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the garlic horizontally, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in tin foil. Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove, cool and mash the cloves into a paste. While the garlic is cooking, get a small saute pan hot over medium-low heat and toast the cumin seeds for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Then either grind up the toasted cumin in a spice grinder or chop with a knife until fine. Mix the sour cream with the toasted cumin, parsley and the roasted garlic. Reserve.
• For the latkes: Fill a pot three-quarters of the way up with water and add the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil, and then turn down the heat to a low boil. Boil until the potatoes are completely cooked (a knife slides in very easily), 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the potatoes are boiling, heat up a pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Saute the leeks with the garlic until soft with no color. Season well with salt and pepper, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for another 3 minutes. Then take off the heat.
• Once the potatoes are ready, place in a large bowl and mix in the sauteed leek mixture, nutmeg, the remaining 5 tablespoons butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, and reserve.
• Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl or dish and set aside. Add the breadcrumbs and the flour to two separate plates. Season the flour well with salt and pepper.
• Roll a ball with the potato mixture that easily fits in the palms of your hands, about 2 tablespoons, and flatten slightly to make a patty. You don't want them too thick or too big. Dredge the potato patty with the flour, shaking off the excess. Dunk in the eggs and then coat with the breadcrumbs.
• Get a large pan hot over medium-high heat, add an inch of canola oil and fry when the temperature reaches 350 degrees F. Remove from oil when the latkes are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with the garlic cumin sour cream.

POTATO LATKES WITH CARAMELIZED ONION SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• For the caramelized onion sour cream: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Let cool.
• Mix together the onion mixture, sour cream, onion powder, a few turns of black pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the potato latkes: Meanwhile, using the shredding attachment on a food processor (or mandoline), shred the potatoes, onions and garlic. Line a colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth and set it over a bowl or in the sink. Add the shredded mixture to the cheesecloth and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Let sit for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth and use your hands to squeeze out any excess moisture.
• In a large bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, lemon juice, eggs, a few turns of black pepper and the potato mixture. Stir in the scallions.
• In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering; it's ready when a strand of potato added to the oil immediately starts to sizzle. Use a 1/2-cup ice cream scoop to add compact scoops of the mixture to the oil, spacing them out so as not to crowd the pan. Press the scoops down lightly with a spatula to get 1/2-inch-thick patties. Fry until golden brown on both sides, a few minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels and sprinkle with flaky or kosher salt. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding more oil to the pan as needed between batches.
• Sprinkle the caramelized onion sour cream with chopped scallions and serve with the warm latkes.

POTATO LATKES WITH SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• Place potatoes and onions, in small batches, in food processor container fitted with steel shredder; cover. Process using on/off action until potatoes are coarsely chopped. Spoon into large colander to drain. Let stand 10 to 15 min., stirring occasionally.
• Place potato mixture in large bowl; stir in eggs and crumbs.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large nonstick skillet. Spoon scant 1/4 cup potato mixture into hot oil, pressing lightly to flatten. Cook 3 to 4 min. on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Place on ovenproof platter; keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining oil and potato mixture, cooking a few at a time. Serve with sour cream.

SOUR CREAM AND CHIVE POTATO PANCAKES

Steps:

• Grate the potatoes coarsely; squeeze the excess moisture from the potatoes; combine the potato in a large bowl with the onion, garlic, chives, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper to taste, egg yolks flour and sour cream.
• Beat the egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until firm peaks o the potato mixture.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil with 20g of the butter in a non-stick pan; cook heaped tablespoons of the potato mixture, uncovered, until browned on both sides; drain the pancakes on absorbent kitchen paper and cover to keep warm; repeat with the same amounts of the remaining oil, butter and potato mixture.
• Notes: One Australian measuring cup holds approximately 250ml (8 fluid ounces), one Australian tablespoon holds 20ml and one Australian teaspoon holds 5ml. North America, New Zealand and the United Kingdom use a 15ml tablespoon. In this recipe, the addition of the rosemary and sage is really best guided by taste. I never measure herbs.

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).