Latkes Topped with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraiche
Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep: 40 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Recipe Courtesy of: Amy Kritzer @whatjewwannaeat
Ingredients
Classic Latkes:- 2 lb russet potatoes (approximately), washed (to get 5 cups shredded)
- Ice water
- 2 tbsp white onion grated (optional, you can add more too for more onion flavor)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp potato starch (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup canola oil (or other oil for frying like grapeseed)
- 8 oz crème fraiche
- 4 oz hot smoked salmon
- 5 radishes, sliced very thin
- 1 bunch chives, minced
- Zest from 1 lemon
Preparation
For Classic Latkes:- Peel your potatoes one at a time and shred them with the large holes of a box grater into a bowl of ice water. You should have about 5 cups of potatoes. Then grate the onions into the bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove potato/onion mixture, squeezing out the moisture into the water. Dry potatoes very well with towels or cheesecloth and keep covered. Let the water sit for 5-10 minutes for the starch to accumulate on the bottom. Carefully drain water, reserving the white starch on the bottom. This part is optional, but it helps make crispier latkes with soft insides. The ideal latke! You can also add potato starch to the potato mixer directly to create a similar effect.
- Place potato/onion mixture in a large bowl, dry again very well. Then add in the eggs, flour and salt and reserved dried-off starch and combine.
- Set up a cooling rack over paper towels.
- Heat up about ¼ inch of canola oil in a large (cast iron) sauté pan. Pro tip- add a little piece of peeled carrot to the oil to soak up the brown bits that flake off so they don't get in your latkes!
- Scoop heaping ¼ cup spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the oil (they should sizzle!) and flatten slightly and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Then flip and fry the other side another 2 minutes. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- Repeat with remaining latke batter, drying it again if liquid starts to accumulate. Drain on a rack over paper towels and sprinkle with more salt.
- Top each latke with a dollop of crème fraiche, a few flaked pieces of hot smoked salmon, a few slices of radish, a sprinkle of chives and a bit of zest.
Take a look at our recommended pairing below.
Pairing Recommendation - Chard