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December is one of my favorite months for many reasons, not least of which is its rich tapestry of holidays, each with its unique traditions and, notably, diverse culinary delights. Food, of course, is one of the few things in life that has the power to bring us together, fostering unity and shared experiences, and while I don't adhere to any specific religious practices, I am a big fan of celebrating even the smallest things, especially when there is food involved.
Kicking off the festive season this month is Hanukkah, a celebration of communal spirit and the belief in the concept of light overcoming the dark. While there are a number of foods traditionally eaten during Hanukkah, my personal favorite is the Potato Latke, that perfectly crispy mouthful of fried shredded potato and onion topped with a dollop of sour cream or apple sauce. I mean, is your mouth not watering at just the mention of it? Mine sure is.
There is, of course, no shortage of latke recipes across the internet, some more traditional, some less. And while I'm not here to completely reinvent the wheel, I couldn't resist putting a little A Bite of Good spin on one of my favorite latke recipes from New York Times Cooking using - what else? - my Ultimate Everything Bagel blend.
So Happy Hanukkah, friends. May the light of this holiday help to dispel darkness around the world.
Ultimate Everything Bagel Potato Latkes
Ingredients:
2 large Russet potatoes (about 1 pound each), scrubbed and quartered
1 large onion (about 1 pound), peeled and quartered
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup matzo meal or dry breadcrumbs
3 teaspoons Ultimate Everything Bagel blend, divided, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions:
Use the coarse grating disc of a food processor or a box grater to grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer mixture to a clean dish towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a large bowl and add eggs, matzo meal (or breadcrumbs), and 2 teaspoons Ultimate Everything Bagel blend, and mix to combine.
Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet (I like cast iron for even heating) over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, slide a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into the oil. Flatten with a spatula and fry about 5 minutes, until the edges are brown and crispy. Flip and cook the second side until deeply browned. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining batter.
Mix remaining Ultimate Everything Bagel blend into the sour cream (or yogurt) and serve alongside hot latkes. Sprinkle latkes with a bit more Ultimate Everything Bagel blend just before serving.
Make ahead: Fry your latkes only until they are a light golden brown (because you're going to reheat them later, which will darken them further). Place a metal cooling rack on a baking sheet, and arrange fried latkes in a single layer on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Bake in a 425F oven for 15-20 minutes (until crisp and dark golden brown) when ready to serve.