Potato Latkes

Not only did I get a yummy dish, but an educational one. Did you know latkes date back to the Maccabees and are entrenched in Jewish history?  

Latke means "little oily thing."  They are a part of Hannakah cuisine which dates back to 171 BC. The Maccabees derived the affinity for eating things cooked in oil after winning the battle over the Syrian-Greeks. When they reclaimed and cleansed the Jewish Temple they rid it of the idols. Then, using a golden menorah,  they lit it inside the temple with a little purified olive oil. According to tradition, the oil lasted for eight days, a miracle, and which is exactly the time it took to press fresh oil. And thus, the commemoration continues to this day. 

Are potatoes the only thing we can fry up to be latke-like? According to Ms. Glazer:

In fact, nowhere does it say that you can't forgo the potatoes altogether and make your latkes out of zucchini, beets, carrots or other vegetables. Because when all is said and done, it is not the potato per se that should take center stage on Hanukkah. What facilitated the Miracle of the Oil was not the pancake but the little olive, whose oil played an integral part in various ceremonies in the Temple, including anointing royal personages. Indeed, the word "Messiah" is derived from the Hebrew word Mashiach -- "anointed one." 

Fascinating. 

Finally, Glazer rounds off the history lesson with the health knowledge of the ages: 

"In biblical times, pure olive oil also enjoyed widespread use as a remedy for wounds, sores, chills and aching throats, ears and muscles. Long before we knew that it contained healthful monounsaturated oils and helped lower cholesterol, olive oil softened the cracked hands of the shepherd and the shoemaker, protected the tender skin of babes and relieved the tired traveler -- and, no doubt, the Maccabees as well."  (Glazer, "The Little Pancake with a Big History." Los Angeles Times, 2008)

Now that you know all this, there's no need to feel guilty about eating fried anything anymore, right?  

Well . . . let's just say that a little oil, as the Maccabees realized, goes a long way. Enjoy. 

Vegan Potato Latkes

 Ingredients

4 large unpeeled russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, and grated.

1/2 large white onion, grated

1/4 cup organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

High-heat oil such as safflower or grapeseed oil (OR OLIVE OIL), as needed.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the grated potatoes, onion, flour, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.  Toss the mixture gently with your hands until all the ingredients are well incorporated. 

Heat a large nonstick saute pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle about 2 tablespoons of oil into it. 

While the oil is heating, shape about a 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into a small disk. Carefully place the potato cake into the pan and fry until crispy on the one side.  Work in batches and fry as many cakes as you can per batch without crowding the pan. 

Gently press down on each cake while it is cooking.  Flip the latkes only when one side of each is sufficiently crisp and dark brown, about 5 minutes.  

When the latkes are done, season them again with salt and pepper and place them on a paper towel-lines baking sheet to drain excess oil.  

Top with any number of things: Sour Cream, Applesauce, diced tomatoes, etc.  

Recipe courtesy of Roberto Martin, Vegan Cooking for Carnivores, p. 54

Just a side note: I only used 2 medium sized red potatoes, and made my latkes a lot bigger than what the recipe called for. It was fine for the three of us, whereas the recipes states it will yield 30 latkes. 

That's a latta latkes!