During this year’s Festival of Lights, we invite you to try the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts (CKCA) Alum (Spring ’09) Elizabeth Kratz’s recipe for sweet potato and leek latkes. Liz is a Teaneck resident and regular contributor to Jewish Link.
This savory pancake is fantastically delicious and is sure to brighten up your Chanukah table this year and every year to follow. Sweet potatoes are a nice departure from regular white potatoes, so after you have made classic latkes for a few nights, you might enjoy this gourmet twist on a well-loved favorite.
Ingredients:
6-7 large sweet potatoes, peeled and grated, or chopped fine in food processor
6 leeks, white and very light green parts only, washed carefully and chopped fine in food processor
3 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste, 2 tsp. makes a very savory latke)
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
vegetable oil for frying
Preparation:
Let grated or chopped sweet potatoes drain in a colander or squeeze dry with a clean towel. Combine with other ingredients. If mixture is too moist, add slightly more flour. Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a wide bottomed pan until very hot, and fry latkes approximately 3 minutes on each side until brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a 300° oven to keep warm until ready to serve. Do not keep latkes in oven longer than half an hour, otherwise they will get soggy. To make in advance, cool latkes immediately after frying, store in refrigerator or freezer and heat in oven a half hour prior to service.
Serve latkes hot, with applesauce, smoked salmon or sour cream. Yields 12 large or 24 small latkes.
Happy Cooking and Happy Chanukah!
About CKCA
The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts is the only kosher cooking school in the U.S. to offer career training in culinary and pastry arts. These intensive courses are taught by highly experienced professionals who have been working in the culinary field and teaching others how to work in the culinary field for many years. CKCA also offers fun, recreational hands-on cooking, baking, and cake decorating classes for men, women, children and teens of all ages and experience levels. Classes are taught by experienced chef instructors and offered during the day, in the evenings, motzei Shabbos and on Sundays. CKCA chefs are available for on-site demonstrations, private cooking classes, small catered affairs, and personal chef work!! Bring the expertise of a trained kosher chef in to your home or synagogue and impress your friends and neighbors! The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts – 1407 Coney Island Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11230 – www.kosherculinaryarts.com / 718.758.1339 / info_kosherculinaryarts.com
By Jesse Blonder
