I love fried foods and one of my favorite fried foods are latkes. I mean who doesn’t love fried stuff- it’s crispy and has that crunch factor and texture. What’s not to love?
Okay, seriously let’s go back to latkes, what the heck is a latke? A latke is simply a fried grated potato pancake that is all yummy goodness. I remember growing up, one of my Jewish friends had invited me over to have a dinner with her family and they served these not so perfectly shaped crispy fried things and I knew I had to have it. I didn’t even know what it was, but I wanted it, it was the epitome of everything that is yummy goodness. I remember asking her parents what it was, and they told me that they were latkes and said they are served during special occasions, Hanukkah, and other holidays. They said a latke was all about the oil and went into the story of the Maccabees and the miracle of the oil. I went into a quick lesson of the importance of fried foods during Hanukkah that dinner and learned quite a bit.
Potatoes, a common staple throughout the world, are inexpensive and can last for a while. I call it one of my poor man’s staples, along with other foods such as legumes. Who hasn’t had to struggle in their life and live on a very tight budget, I certainly have. I remember as a child trying to come up with something new to make from potatoes, or beans, or whatever staple we had around the house. It is what you make with the basic staple of food that can leave you craving it or hating it. Thank goodness for the beautiful people that created the latkes, I mean it is pure genius, just grated potatoes with a little egg and flour deep fried in oil or schmaltz. What’s not to love? It beats the traditional baked potato or mashers by a long shot. I have yet to find one person that doesn’t love latkes. Madison and Lexie are always asking me to make them and my husband eats them once I put them in the draining plate- he can’t even wait. They are so yummy.
So, what makes my version of latkes better than the rest? Well other than the fact that they are made with love, they have my husband’s and children’s favorite side- lemon. As they say you could never add too much lemon. My version takes the classic latke and adds a twist with lemon and scallions and is served with a side of lemon zest sour cream . If you must make a potato dish I ask that you make this one- it is everything!
Buen Provecho!
Lemon Scallion Latkes
Printable Version
Yield: Makes 25-30 Total Time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
-6 Idaho Potatoes
-6 Green Onions (Scallions)
-2 Large Eggs
-3 Tablespoons of Flour
-1 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
-6 Lemons
-1 Lb. (16 ounces) of Sour Cream
-1 Quart of Corn Oil or Vegetable Oil
Equipment Needed:
-Large Pot
-Grater
-Zester
-Measuring Cup
-Cutting Board
-2 Large Glass Bowl
-Serving Dish
-Large Tongs
-Spatula
-Spoon
-Paper Towels
-Saran Wrap
Prep:
– Peel 6 Idaho potatoes and rinse with cool water
– Grate the 6 peeled Idaho potatoes and set aside
– Rinse 6 lemons and zest the 6 lemons, set lemon zest aside
– Juice 6 lemons and remove the seeds, set lemon juice aside (use same lemons from
lemon zest)
– Rinse 6 green onions (also known as scallions) and cut off the white bulbs at the end and discard the bulbs
– Finely chop the rinsed 6 green onions (scallions) and set aside
– Get a large glass bowl and pour 3 tablespoons of flour and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and mix
– Pour the grated potatoes, half of the lemon juice, green onions (scallions), and 2 large eggs into the glass bowl
with the flour and salt, and mix all ingredients with your hands (if potatoes are large add another egg and another
tablespoon of flour)
– Get a large glass bowl and pour 1 lb., (16 ounces) of sour cream into the bowl
– Pour all of the lemon zest into the sour cream and mix well and then cover with saran wrap and refrigerate (this
will be used as a dip for the latkes at the end)
Directions:
– Place a large pot on the stove and turn the gas/electric knob to a medium setting and add a quart of corn oil or
vegetable oil and let the oil get hot (make sure to not boil the oil)
– Get a spoonful of the potato mixture (latkes) and pour into the hot oil in the pot, repeat this process until there
are 3-4 spoonful of latkes in the oil, make sure to space them apart
– Cook the latkes until golden and crispy, about 1-2 minutes, and then using tongs or a spatula flip over each latke
to cook the other side until golden and crispy
– After each latke is golden and crispy on both sides gently remove with tongs onto a paper towel covered plate and
let the excess oil drain
– After the latkes are drained then place onto your serving dish and repeat the process until the potato mixture
(latkes) is finished, should yield 25-30 latkes (depending on the size of the potato)
– Drizzle the remainder of the lemon juice over the 25-30 cooked and drained latkes and let rest for 2-3 minutes
– Remove the bowl of lemon zest sour cream from the refrigerator and place alongside the latkes (the sour cream
zest is a dip for the latkes)
– Serve
*****Adjust the ingredients to your liking. *****