Every year my kids look forward to our Hanukkah meal. We light the candles, say a prayer, open little gifts and then sit down together for our traditional meal. I roast free range chicken, and I make homemade sweet potato + yukon potato latkes with homemade applesauce. I also usually toss together a sweet and savory salad with a balsamic vinaigrette. It's a meal that incorporates all the flavors while bringing back warm memories from the years we've enjoyed this celebration of light together.If you're celebrating Hanukkah this year, give my yellow and gold latkes recipe a try, and don't skip the apple sauce. It might be the best part.
Yellow and Gold Latkes
serves 4 to 6
You will need:
- 3 medium size sweet potatoes- 3 medium size yukon gold potatoes- 2 eggs- 1/4 cup matzo meal- 1 small yellow onion diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup olive oil
To prepare:
Prepare a paper towel lined cookie sheet for finished latkes.
Hand grate potatoes, so they are shredded. Add salt and set aside for 10 minutes.By hand, squeeze liquid out of the potatoes, transfer to another mixing bowl.Add eggs, matzo meal and diced onion and mix.Note: if the potatoes still have some water, it's fine to add 1 more egg and more matzo meal to bind.In a large skillet put 1/4 cup oil and heat. Drop in latke mix with a spoon forming small pancakes.Fry in the oil until golden and crispy.Place cooked latke pancakes on the towels to drain oil, and continue to fry the latkes and drain. You will need to continue to add oil to the skillet as you continue to fry the latkes. Place the cooked, and drained latkes in the oven on low until guests arrive.Serve with homemade applesauce and sour cream, or non fat plain greek yogurt.
Homemade Applesauce
You will need:
- 3 to 4 lbs of peeled, cored, and quartered apples
- 4 strips of lemon peel - use a vegetable peeler to strip 4 lengths- Juice of one lemon, about 3-4 Tbsp- 3 inches of cinnamon stick
- 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar- Up to 1/4 cup of white sugar- 1 cup of water- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
To prepare:Put all ingredients into a large pot. Cover. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove cinnamon sticks and lemon peels. Mash with potato masher. Place in the fridge. It should last for 2 weeks in the fridge.
