Latkes: Friend or Foe?

I have kind of a love hate relationship with latkes.  I really love to eat them.  They're delicious and at no other time of the year can eating fried food be as justified as it is on Hanukkah.  The problem is that they're a mess to make, and the house smells for days afterward.  Some of my friends make sweet potato latkes or zucchini latkes, but I'm kind of a purist when it comes to my potato pancakes.  Russet potatoes and onions.  No fancy latkes for me.

Latkes are a lot like Pittsburgh.  There's no one right way to get to your destination.  In Pittsburgh, you never actually can make a wrong turn.  There's always another way to get where you're going that probably won't add more than a minute or two to your commute time.  Latkes are the same in that there are a million variations on the theme, and all of them will produce a tasty pancake.

The truth is, I think it's the frying that makes the latkes as delicious as they are.  The real key to success is making sure your oil is very hot when you start and keeping it that way as you fry.  I use my very well seasoned cast iron frying pan to fry up the latkes.  Let's face it, there's just nothing like cast iron for browning.   I also think the latkes taste best right out of the frying pan, but I realize that's sometimes difficult to achieve if you're cooking for a crowd.   If I have to cook ahead, I fry them all up and then reheat the latkes in a 400 oven until they are crisp again.  I find the low temperature oven that is favored by so many people can actually make the latkes soggy, which is definitely not the result you want.

So, despite the greasy mess I will have to clean up, I will be making latkes for my family again this year.  And although I will only be making them for the four of us, it will be a lot like cooking for a crowd.  Charlie is home from college on his winter break, and he can eat like a crowd.  There's nothing like a son with a big appetite to make the  clean up worth it.

Potato Latkes

Ingredients:

5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 eggs, beaten
2 onions, grated
1/2 cup matzoh meal or flour
salt and pepper
vegetable or grapeseed oil for frying

Note:  My grandmother always grated the potatoes and onions by hand and my mother used the Manischewitz mix.  I split the difference and use the Cuisinart to grate the potatoes and onions.

Grate the potatoes and onions.  Place the grated potatoes and onions in a dish cloth or cheesecloth and squeeze out all the excess water.  The dryer you can get the potatoes and onions, the better your latkes will stay together in the frying pan.  Add the eggs and matzoh meal or flour.  If the mixture still seems a little loose, add a little more matzoh meal or flour.  Combine well.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a cast iron frying pan, over medium high heat, heat enough oil to cover the bottom.  When the oil is simmering, add potato mixture in dollops, depending on the size you want to make your pancakes.  I usually make them about 1 rounded tablespoon each.  Let them fry, without moving them for about 2 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.  Turn the pancakes and let them fry for about 1 minute more, until they are golden.  Remove pancakes from pan and place on paper towel lined racks to drain.  Repeat process with remaining potato mixture, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.

To reheat:  Place pancakes on a baking sheet and reheat in a 400 degree oven until they are crispy, about 5 minutes.

Serve hot with applesauce and sour cream.

Oh Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel

I must admit, Hanukkah has kind of snuck up on me this year.  I guess had I consulted my calendar sooner, I would have realized that it begins on Wednesday.  But I didn't, so our latkes are going to have to wait a couple of days so that I can get it together and buy some gifts.  Had I been more on top of it, I could have done some shopping for others while we were in New York over Thanksgiving.  Instead I bought myself shoes.  Live and learn.

Having said all that, to me nothing says Jewish holiday like a brisket.  It was my mother's "go to" Jewish meal and it's stuck.  I have to say, I love a good brisket and there are a million different variations so it never actually seems like you're eating the same thing over and over.  My current favorite take on brisket is one that my friend Mona passed along several years ago.  I've played with it a little so I guess this version belongs to me.  My family loves it.

The thing with brisket is that I think it really benefits from being cooked ahead.  Like a day or two ahead.  I just stick the whole pot in the refrigerator overnight.   This way I can easily skim the fat from the liquid.  Cooling the brisket makes it much easier to slice attractively as well.  I make the same recipe regardless of the size brisket I'm using.  If it's a smaller brisket I just have a little more sauce.

The really great thing about brisket is that you don't even need a Jewish holiday to enjoy it.  It's a great cold weather meal.  It's also great smoked in the summer, which is one of Ted's specialties.

So, in an effort to get this holiday up and running, I did pick up a brisket today when I was at the butcher.  I'm going to make it tomorrow and who knows, it may inspire me to get out and do some holiday shopping.  I hope.

My Favorite Brisket

Ingredients:

1 4-5 pound brisket
3 large onions cut in half and sliced
4 tablespoons ketchup
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups red wine
beef stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
6 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced thickly
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
garlic powder

Preheat oven to 325.

Heat  2 tablespoons of oil in a large dutch oven.  Add the onions and saute until they are very dark brown.  Add ketchup and cook together with the onions for 2 minutes. Remove onions from pot.  Generously season the brisket with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the dutch oven.  Sear the meat on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot.  Add the wine and deglaze the pot, using a wooden spoon the scrape up the browned bits from the pot.

Return the meat and onion mixture to the pot and add the carrots and herbs.  Season with a little more salt and pepper.  Add enough beef stock so that the liquid comes up about 3/4 of the way over the meat and vegetables.  Bring to a boil.

Cover and place in the oven for about 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender.

Cool and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning,  remove the meat from the pot and skim the fat from the surface of the braising liquid.  Slice the meat against the grain and return to the pot with the braising liquid.

In a separate skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and saute the mushrooms until they are soft.  Add to the pot with the meat and braising liquid.

Reheat over low heat until hot.

It's All in the Technique

I have never been much of a risotto person.  It's not that I don't like it, because I do.  It's just that I don't like all the stirring.  I mean, who has that kind of time?  Risotto is delicious but also ranks a ten on the effort scale. So, I've either ordered it in restaurants or let someone else do the stirring.

But my moratorium on risotto making has come to an end.  The other week I picked up Ina Garten's new cookbook called How Easy is That?, and she has this incredible method for making risotto which involves just two or three minutes of actual stirring. That's right.  Just two or three minutes of stirring and then you have risotto.  It's magic.  I have to admit, but for my love of Ina, I might have dismissed this "quick risotto" out of hand.  But I thought I'd give it a try and see if it was all that.

There was only one problem.  I don't really like peas and the original recipe called for peas and parmesan as the main ingredients besides the rice.  What to do?  I started thinking about what I like in risotto and what I really like are wild mushrooms. And so I put together my own recipe and, if I do say so myself, the end result was pretty impressive.

I don't often tell you that you have to try something, but you really have to give this a try.  It will take risotto from being a rare entry on your dinner menu to something you can whip up just like that. And, once you have the technique down, which honestly will be no problem, you can add all sorts of other interesting things to it.  I know I'm going to.

Quick Risotto with Wild Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
4 cups simmering chicken stock (preferably homemade) divided
2/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup dry white wine
1- ounce dried morel mushrooms
1/2 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced thickly
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350.

Place the dried morels in a bowl and pour two cups boiling water over them.  Set aside for 30 minutes.  Scoop the morels from the water, reserving 1 cup of the liquid.  Strain the liquid through a paper towel  and discard the gritty solids.  If some of the mushrooms are large, cut into 2 pieces,  Set aside the mushrooms and the strained liquid.

In a large Dutch oven, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter and saute the pancetta or bacon and shallots over medium high heat for 5 minutes.  Add the morels and cremini mushrooms and saute for another five minutes.  Add the rice and 3 cups of chicken stock, and the mushroom liquid to the pot.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.  Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, 3 tablespoons of butter, salt and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy.  Serve hot.

Thanksgiving Postscript: The Thanksgiving Sandwich

We all eat things that we are not particularly proud of.  For some, it's indulging in an entire pint of ice cream while standing at the kitchen sink.  For others, it's eating the frosting off of the leftover birthday cake (also done standing at the kitchen sink).  For me, it's the Thanksgiving sandwich.   This is something I have been making and consuming since I was a kid.  I'm sure lots of people make Thanksgiving sandwiches but to my knowledge no one has ever actually admitted to eating one.  Well, here I am.

My husband thinks the Thanksgiving sandwich is disgusting, but what does he know?  In fact, as far as I'm concerned, the Thanksgiving sandwich one of the major reasons to cook Thanksgiving in the first place.  In short, it's heaven in sandwich form.

There is no real recipe for the Thanksgiving sandwich.   It's actually something that evolves from year to year.  It really depends on how much and what you have left over after you've already had leftovers on Friday night.  Having said all that, here is what my ideal Thanksgiving sandwich would include, complete with building instructions.

Thanksgiving Sandwich

Ingredients:

Turkey
Stuffing
Yams
Gravy
Bread
Cranberry Relish
Vegetables (optional)
Pie

Building Instructions:

Layer one:
A nice slice of whatever bread you served at Thanksgiving

Layer two:
Turkey

Layer Three:
A little stuffing

Layer Four:
Another slice of bread soaked in gravy.  I call this the "super soaker."  Heat the gravy up before you start construction.

Layer Five:
Yams or whatever type of potatoes you served.

Layer Six:
Cranberry relish

Layer Seven: (Optional)
Vegetables.  I never include vegetables but if you're feeling health conscious, go for it.

Layer Eight:
Pie.  Pumpkin is best because it's actually a vegetable.

Layer Nine:
Another slice of bread.

I like to stick the whole thing in the microwave for a few seconds just to take the chill off.

I know what you're probably thinking, but don't knock it until you've tried it.  I promise you'll enjoy it (the sandwich and the couple of Alka Seltzers you'll take need afterward).

Next week we'll be back to the recipes you'll actually make.  Happy Black Friday and stay away from the mall!

Some Reasons to be Thankful

1.  I am thankful for Ted, Charlie and Kate.  And for Pebbles, our English bulldog.

2.  I am thankful for my family and for Ted's family.

3.  I am thankful for my lifelong friends and for all my friends I haven't known quite so long.

4.  I am thankful that at the ripe old age of 50 I am getting to reinvent myself as a blogger.  Who ever thought I could do this? Two months ago, all I could do on a computer was check my email and surf the tennis tournament schedule on USTA.com.  I still can't operate my iPhone, but I'm working on that.

5.  And, I am thankful to all of you for reading You Little Tarte.  By listening to me ramble you have made me feel very useful.  I hope to continue my commentary on all things food for a long time to come.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Is the Ultimate Really the Ultimate?

I am always worried when something is referred to as "the ultimate".  Does that mean that it's really the best? Things change.  Is it the ultimate forever or for just that moment in time.  I know, I know.  This is all a little deep for the day before Thanksgiving,  but I have to tell you something.  More than once I have proclaimed that I have purchased the ultimate shoes or handbag only to discover that there's a new ultimate the next season.  Need I say more?  (Ted says I should stop trying to buy the ultimate--there is no point.)

Having pondered all that, I have to say that I think these ginger cookies may be the ultimate and thus they are aptly named.  I don't even like ginger, and I love these cookies.  Kelly loves these cookies (although she did suggest chopping up the crystallized ginger a little more finely), and everyone who's tasted them loves these cookies.  They actually may be the ultimate ginger cookie.

I especially like these cookies at this time of the year.  They're not really a summer cookie.  They're more suited to the spicy, nutmeggy (is that a word?) autumn.  They taste spicy and warming all at the same time. They're delicious.

So, rather than going for the ultimate new shoes, save yourself some money and go for the ultimate in ginger cookies.  Your credit card will thank you.

Ultimate Ginger Cookies
(Barefoot Contessa Parties, 2006)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flout
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 extra large egg, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups finely chopped crystallized ginger (6 ounces)
Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line 2 sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and salt and then combine the mixture with your hands.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes.  Turn the mixer to low speed, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat for one minute more.  With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add the crystallized ginger and mix until combined.

Scoop the dough with 2 spoons or a small ice cream scoop.  With your hands, roll each cookie into a 1 3/4 inch ball and then flatten them lightly with your fingers.  Press both sides of each cookie in granulated sugar and place them on the cookie sheets.  Bake for exactly 13 minutes.  The cookies will be cracked on the top and soft inside.  Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to the wire racks to cool completely.

Off the Hook

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I'm thinking that this is not the week for macaroni and cheese.  What I am thinking is that maybe I should try and keep it lighter at dinner so I won't feel as guilty as I reach for a second serving of stuffing.  As such, this is a week for salmon.

I used to love salmon and then I didn't.  Now I'm back to liking it because it's kind of the chicken of the fish family.  You can do almost anything to it and it still tastes pretty good.  Plus, it's full of all those healthy omega 3's and that's good.  So, in order to justify reckless abandon on Thursday, tonight we're having salmon.

For a long time I made a broiled salmon dish that had a mustard glaze on top.  It was delicious but I started feeling like all that mustard was a little heavy.  I began playing with the recipe I was using and came up with my own version of broiled salmon with mustard, which I am sharing with you below.  The addition of lemon juice and lemon zest gives the fish just the right lightness. I like it better than the original.

If 50 is the new 40, can't salmon be the new chicken?

Broiled Salmon with Mustard, Lemon and Herbs

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each, with  or without skin
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
3/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
3/4 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
salt and pepper

Preheat broiler.  Spray a broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Sprinkle salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place on the broiler pan.  Broil the fish for 5 minutes.  In the meantime, combine the garlic, both mustards, rosemary, thyme, dill, wine, olive oil, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl.  Spoon the mustard mixture over the fish and continue broiling for another 5 minutes, until the top is golden brown and fish is cooked through.