Recipe Of The Day: Root Vegetable Latkes With Beet Applesauce
Latkes are a staple during Hanukkah, and there's nothing wrong with deep-fried shredded potatoes topped with sour cream or applesauce. While the shredded potato pancakes seasoned simply with garlic and onion are the traditional way to make them, mix it up this year and make these root vegetable latkes with beet applesauce.
Root veggies are popular during the winter, you can roast them, saute them and more. But you've likely never had them like this before. This recipe is great if you're serving a small crowd this holiday season and is ready in just over an hour. The blend of potatoes, rutabaga, parnsips and celery roots give a beautiful color to the latkes, which are complemented with a homemade beet applesauce for extra earthy flavor.
Take your everyday applesauce to the next level by infusing it with beets. To do so, start by heating your oven to 425 degrees. Bake the beets in water for about an hour. Once the beets are cool, rub off the skin and finely chop them. Then mix the chopped beets in a bowl with applesauce.
Hoping for a happy Hanukkah? When you're done serving these root veggie latkes, cook up more classic Hanukkah foods, from levivot to sufganiyot.
Root Vegetable Latkes with Beet Applesauce
Ingredients:
For the root vegetable latkes:
1 1/2 cup peeled, shredded boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
1 cup peeled, shredded rutabaga, about ½ pound
1 cup peeled, shredded parsnips, about 4 parsnips
1 cup peeled, shredded celery root, about medium 1 bulb
1 cup shredded onion, about 1 medium onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
4 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Flaky salt
For the beet applsauce:
1 beet, about 6 ounces, scrubbed, stem trimmed to ½ inch
1 1/2 cup jarred applesauce
Directions:
For the root vegetable latkes:
Stir together potatoes, rutabaga, parsnips, celery root and onion in a large bowl.
Add eggs, flour and salt; mix well until thoroughly combined.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Form patties by lightly packing the mixture into a ¼ cup measure; drop 4 to 5 mounds of the mixture into the hot oil.
Flatten them into 3-inch rounds with a spatula.
Cook until the bottoms are deeply browned, 5 to 6 minutes.
Flip and cook on the other side, about 4 minutes or until browned.
Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
If you're serving immediately, keep your first batch warm in a single layer in a 200-degree oven while you cook the rest.
Remove any veggie shreds from oil left in skillet.
If skillet is dry, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of oil, and when hot, continue making latkes.
(Latkes may be refrigerated overnight or frozen. Reheat in a single layer at 425 until sizzling and crisp, 6 to 10 minutes.)
Before serving, sprinkle with the flaky salt.
Serve with the beet applesauce.
For the beet applsauce:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Put beet in a shallow baking dish with ½ inch of water; cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
Bake until a paring knife easily pierces the center, 30-60 minutes.
You may need to add a little more water toward the end.
Do not let the pan become dry.
Remove from the oven, uncover and allow to cool.
When cooled, cut the top and tail off of the beet.
Rub under running water to slip off the skin. Or hold beet in a paper towel and use it to remove the skin.
Finely chop the beet; mix in a bowl with the applesauce.
This recipe by Marlene Sorosky Gray and adapted by Peggy Wolff appeared in the Chicago Tribune.