Latkes!

Tomorrow is the last day of Hanukkah. We made latkes today! This recipe is for a small batch, because then they all cook before the oil burns. This amount made 10 small latkes (about the size of coasters).

We used:

3 potatoes
1 onion
1 egg
1 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt
a dash of black pepper

enough canola oil to put 3/4 inch in the bottom of a deep skillet/frying pan

Shred the potatoes and onions. You can use a food processor, as I did, or a potato peeler, which takes hours and hours.

Put the shredded potatoes and onions into a clean tea towel and squeeze as much liquid as possible out of them. The best latkes start with the driest potato and onion shreds. Don't skip this step like I did a couple years ago; it will make the whole process easier, safer, and tastier.

Put your drier potato and onion shreds into a mixing bowl. Stir in the egg, flour, salt, and pepper. Mix it well.

Heat your skillet. Pour canola oil in to a level of about 3/4 inch. Turn the burner to about the lowest possible on a gas stove, or maybe a low medium on an electric stove. Wait a couple minutes for the oil to get hot.

Use about a handful of the mixture to form each flattish, roundish latke. Use a metal or wooden slotted spoon to carefully lower each latke into the pan. You can put a few latkes in at once, as long as there is room between them. Let them cook in the oil for a couple of minutes until the bottoms are brown. Carefully flip each latke over to cook the other side. When both sides are cooked, carefully remove the latke from the oil and set to cool on butcher paper (or a brown paper bag, or newspaper, whatever you have).

Let the latkes cool for at least 5 minutes, but then eat them pretty soon because they are best fresh. Eat them plain or serve with applesauce, sour cream, or jam.

Happy Hannukah!

Tonights Dinner

Potato Bacon Cassarole

1 1/2 large onions
1 tbs olive oil
3 cups water
chicken bouillon
Some cornstarch
12 slices precooked bacon
5 large potatoes
Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Dice onions. Cook onions in skillet with oil until soft and starting to brown. Meanwhile, boil water and bouillon. Mix cornstarch with a little cold water and add to boiling chicken broth while stirring. Reduce heat and add caramelized onions. Simmer until thickened. Slice potatoes nice and thin. Spread a thin layer of the chicken/onion gravy on the bottom of a retangular baking dish. Put a layer of potatoes in the pan. Spread another layer of gravy on the potatoes. Tear a few slices of bacon into pieces and spread evenly. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over it. Repeat this process a few times until it is at the desired thickness. Last layer of potatoes, sprinkle Parmesan directly on top. Cover with foil and bake @350F for 45 min. Remove foil and bake another 15 min. Let sit a few minutes and then serve.

I've got kind of mixed feelings about this meal. Jana really liked it, as did Erika. I thought it was ok. Kendra doesn't like potatoes, so this was a no go for her. Beckra said it was so-so (in spanish, no less). If I do it again, I'd like to make some changes. The potatoes would be better peeled, I think, but that adds prep time. I'd like to make it creamier without added a lot of calories. Maybe use a skim-milk-based sauce instead of the basic gravy. If anyone has ideas, I'd be happy to hear it. :)