Latke Double Down

Introducing the Latke Double Down:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound potatoes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 T flour or matzo meal (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper, grapeseed, olive or peanut oil
• lox or smoked salmon
• crème fraiche or sour cream
• chives or green onion, chopped
• chopped lettuce, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Peel potatoes and coarsely grate, directly into a large bowl of cold water.
3. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander.
4. Spread grated potatoes, garlic and onion on a kitchen towel, roll up and wring out as much liquid as possible.
5. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.  If it’s too runny add a little flour or matzo meal.  Too dry add a little bit more egg.
6. Heat a large skillet. Add enough oil to cover the bottom plus a bit more. Get the oil hot but not smoking. Use a spoon to potato mixture into skillet, spreading with the back of the spoon into 3 or 4-inch rounds.
7. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are very well browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are very well browned, about 5 minutes more.  You want walnut brown, not beige.
8. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed.
9. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.
10. To make the Double Down, spread crème fraiche on one side of a latke, pile on lox and onions, spread some crème fraiche on another latke, then make into a sandwich.

It took me all of 20 minutes to make the Double Down Latke Sandwich.  Grate, wring, fry, slather.  I could have done it faster, but you’ll notice I spent so much time in hair, makeup and wardrobe. 

Find out the origins of the Latke Double Down @ JewishJournal.com/foodaism