Chanukah Recipes

[retroeva]

This is the first year that I will be celebrating Chanukah and Ive been searching hi and low for some recipies. Looks like the traditional meal is all fried in oil for religious purposes (to commerate the miracle) which Im sure is yummy, but my back side wont be happy! Here is what Ive got so far, if youve got any more post them here!



Potato Latkes


Ingredients:
1 pound - Potatoes, peeled and grated
1 small - Onion, grated
2-1/2 Tbs. - Flour
1 - Egg
1/2 tsp. - Salt
1/8 tsp. - White pepper
1/4 cup - Olive oil

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine first 6 ingredients until blended. Heat oil in fry pan. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of latke batter into oil. Continually turn latke over until they are brown on both sides and potatoes are cooked. Remove latkes from pan and place on dish. Repeat with remaining latkes until all the batter is used. Top with sour cream.

Makes 14 latkes.
 



Jelly Doughnuts - Sufganiot
Source: "The Israeli Cookbook", Molly Lyons Bar-David



Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup - Flour
2 cupr - Hot milk
2 pkg. dry yeast
1/4 cup - Lukewarm milk
6 - Egg yolks
2/3 cup - Sugar
1 tsp. - Vanilla
Rind of 1 lemon or orange
1/2 cup - Butter
Jam - for filling
Oil - for frying
icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Directions:

Sift one cup of flour into the hot milk and beat until smooth, then allow to cool. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk, add to the flour mixture, and set aside for about half an hour. Mix the egg yolks and sugar with the vanilla and rind, and add to the dough. Add the remaining flour and the butter and knead. Allow to rise until double in bulk (about 45 minutes). Roll out on a floured board to a thickness of 1/2 inch, and cut into rounds. Put a teaspoon of jam in the center of one round, and cover it with another round. Press the edges together and allow to rise again in a warm place. Fry in hot oil, drain, and dust with icing sugar
 

[Luckie_Strike]

Latkes in every veggie imaginable...a friend of mine made a different kind of latke each night. Sweet potato, leek, carrot, spinach, zucchini, potato, and corn. 
Last year this same friend made dreidel cookies (sugar cookies), sufganiyot, and homemade gelt.  The gelt she made by dipping small chocolate chip cookies (I don't remember if they were homemade or not) in melted chocolate and letting them cool.
She's veggie, so she didn't have the traditional centerpieces of either brisket or chicken.  Depending on which generation of her family, they also use duck or goose. 
Maybe honey cake?  I know that's traditional for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (for breaking the fast).

[Polkaroo]

This will be my second Chanukah (sort of). The Boy is Jewish, so we do our best to combine the two traditions into a giant mish-mash of food.

We made last year's latkes with half regular potato and half sweet potato, and added a dash of curry to the seasoning.  They ain't bubbie's latkes, but they're damn tasty!

I'm not too fond of deep-fried everything, so we served the latkes with a roasted chicken.  If you're going with traditional Ashkenazi dishes, you usually can't go wrong with a nice brisket or sweet and sour meatballs.  I can't remember the last time I went to a Chanukah, Passover or Rosh Hashana dinner that didn't involve both of those.

I'm thinking of giving these a try for this year's festivities, since I've become very interested in North African and Sephardic cooking lately: http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/holiday/hanukkah/recipes/233359

[EmilyFlew]

One of my favorite memories from college is the year that we made latkes every night of chanukah...most delicious week ever. To punch the latkes up a little, homemade apple sauce or apple butter is easy and delicious!

[Oops Creations]

a ha... the thread I'm looking for....

Just "volunteered" to host 1st night of Chanukah party for my boyfriend's parents/ cousin etc.

The decor and tableware is set, but I don't know about menu.

I was thinking of doing a olive/ cheese board.  attempting to make challah (or at least rustic bread ala the "no knead recipe"), Latkes (of course), Roast chicken is the entree and two veggie side dishes. And dessert will be an assortment of holiday cookies/tartlets

I borrowed several vintage jewish cookbooks to get my recipes straight but can't bring my self to frying anything --- so I guess the question is....

CAN YOU BAKE LATKES?   Or fry quickly to crisp the edges then bake to cook thru.?

Thought

thanks

[EmilyFlew]

What might work better would be to make knishes or something instead, something that's meant to be baked. Though maybe you could bake them, then fry lightly to crisp them. Frying is most of the point of latkes though, and they're so tasty!

[Polkaroo]

I borrowed several vintage jewish cookbooks to get my recipes straight but can't bring my self to frying anything --- so I guess the question is....

CAN YOU BAKE LATKES?   Or fry quickly to crisp the edges then bake to cook thru.?

Thought

thanks

I've never had a latke that wasn't fried, though I generally pan-fry mine using a bit of butter or oil and a non-stick pan (rather than the 2" of oil I've seen some people use.. *shudder*)

I did find one recipe on Cooking Light that makes one giant potato and veggie latke, which is lightly coated in oil and then oven baked.  Maybe it's worth a try? (http://food.cookinglight.com/cooking/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=833366) Mind you, even on Cooking Light the majority of latke recipes involve pan frying with a small amount of oil.

Tell 'em a shiksa said it was okay.

[retroeva]

If you cant make the challah for some reason, I know that the Panera Bread in my neighborhood carries it this time of year. It is such a pretty bread!

[Luckie_Strike]

CAN YOU BAKE LATKES?   Or fry quickly to crisp the edges then bake to cook thru.?

Well...
This is from 1000 Jewish Recipes by Faye Levy (note, I have not tried this recipe)

BAKED POTATO LATKES
makes 4-6 servings

2 T+ 3/4 t vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 t dried thyme
1 1/4 t paprika, plus more for sprinkling
1 3/4 lbs baking potatoes
2 large eggs
1 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 c applesauce (optional), for serving

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).  Heat 1 T plus 3/4 t oil in a heavy nonstick skillet.  Add onions and saute over medium-low heat until softened, about 10 minutes;  if pan becomes dry during sauteing, add 1/2 T water.  Add thyme and 1 1/4 t paprika and saute 30 seconds, stirring.  Let cool.

2) Peel and coarsely grate the potatoes on the large holes of grater or using a food processor fitted with a coarse grating disk.  Transfer grated potatoes to a colander and squeeze out excess liquid.  Put potatoes in a bowl.  Add sauteed onions, eggs, salt and pepper.

3) Grease a 12-cup nonstick muffin pan, making sure to grease bases well, especially at the point where the base meets the sides.  Add scant 1/3 cup potato mixture to each muffin tin.  Smooth tops lightly.  Spoon 1/4 t oil over each, then shake a little paprika on top.  Bake about 45 minutes or until brown at edges and firm.

4) Remove from oven and run a small sturdy rubber spatula around edges of latke to release them.  You can then leave them in the pan 15-30 minutes to keep hot.  Serve latkes hot, accompanied by applesauce, if using.

 

[Oops Creations]

Thanks for the suggestion.  I'll post a wrap up of the party menu after the fact.  i think I'm going to go with the cooking light veggie one (link a few posts up)

mazel-tov : )