Lean Latkes

LEAN LATKES FOR HANUKKAH -- Enlightening the Tradition

from the American Institute for Cancer Research

written by Dana Jacobi, author of "The Best of Clay Pot Cooking" and
"The Natural Kitchen: SOY!"

At Hanukkah, presents are mostly given to children, but everyone gets to enjoy latkes. Crisp and carefully fried, they may be worth waiting all year for, but a stack of them can also contain more calories from fat than you wish to consume. And, if you are the one making the latkes, particularly for a crowd, grating the potatoes, wringing them out, and standing over the stove pressing and flipping these flat fritters may not be your favorite part of the Festival of Lights.

Inspired by Swiss roesti, this pan-roasted latke is a crisp-crusted, plate-sized pancake made from shredded potatoes. It serves four and is cooked in a heavy skillet simply greased with cooking spray.

Using oil celebrates the miracle central to Hanukkah, when olive oil that was just enough to light the sacred lamp in the ancient temple of Jerusalem for one day, burned for eight days and nights. If making latkes without oil rings of sacrilege, to satisfy the symbolic importance of cooking with olive oil on Hanukkah, you most certainly can add a tablespoon of it to the pan.

This lean latke also leaves more leeway to enjoy sour cream, which is associated with another story related to Hanukkah. Starting in the Middle Ages, dairy foods also became a tradition for this holiday. They remind us of Judith, who fed salty cheese to Holofernes, the enemy general. Arousing his thirst, the cheese made him drink so much wine that he fell into a drunken stupor. When his head lolled, Judith cut it off, thus saving her besieged city.

When making latkes, some cooks use onions while other do not. Some add flour or matzoh meal while others insist results are better without it. And at the table, there are those who eat latkes with sour cream and those who choose apple sauce. I add both onion and flour, and avoid arguments by serving both apple sauce and sour cream.

Pan Fried Potato Latke
4 servings -- 162 calories and less than 1 gram of fat per serving (not including applesauce or sour cream)

1 ½ pounds baking potatoes (Russet, Idaho)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon salt
Cooking Spray

Peel and grate potatoes, using the coarse holes on a hand grater. Squeeze most of the water from the grated potato, and place in a large bowl. With a fork, mix in the onion, flour and salt until well combined.

Coat a 12-inch cast iron or other heavy skillet generously with cooking spray and place it over medium high heat. Spread the potato mixture to cover the bottom of the skillet. Using a rubber spatula, press and smooth the potatoes firmly into a flat pancake. When the bottom of the latke has started to brown and holds together, gently work a spatula under the edges to keep it from sticking. Cook until the bottom of the latke is browned (about 7 - 8 minutes in total).

Hold a large flat plate over the skillet and flip it over releasing the latke onto the plate with the browned side up. Spray the skillet again with some cooking spray; then slide the latke back into the pan browned side up to cook the other side. Let latke brown another 4 to 5 minutes. Slide cooked latke onto a serving plate and cut into quarters. Serve immediately with applesauce and sour cream* if desired.

*Note from Ann Hall Every: In a strictly Kosher kitchen, if meats are being served with the Hanukkah dinner, dairy products are not served.