A Slice of Life
Slice of Life Overcoming the Fear of rFying By Guest Chef Levana Kirschenbaum
A becoming soggy, do not despair, help is on the way! I am happy to provide a few guidelines about frying occasional treats safely and efficiently: •Keep it dry. Moisture is the biggest enemy of frying. It will cause the oil to splatter. Too much moisture will simply mix with the oil, steaming the food instead of frying it, yielding a mediocre fritter. Be sure to dry your cutlet or your fillet thoroughly with paper towels. Or with latkas, extract as much liquid as you possibly can before frying. Fortunately, you won’t have to do that with my recipe: the potatoes are coarsely grated in the food processor, as are all other vegetables, and what little moisture is released, if any, is absorbed by just a little flour. Keep it thick. As a result of having a firm — not runny— batter, you will be able to form thicker patties, which will absorb much less oil than thinner ones. Remember, the item to fry is small and cooks quickly, so the Levana Kirschenbaum is co-owner of outside will be crunchy and the center will be tender, yet cooked through and the OU glatt kosher Manhattan restau through. rant, Levana’s and directed her own Keep it hot. A less-than-hot oil catering service,Table Classics, for will seep into your food, making it many years. Presently she devotes her inedibly greasy. Have you added oil to time to instructing gourmet cooking your pan several times during frying? classes. Her own kosher cooking school , Chances are, your oil was not hot Levana’s Place, is located at Lincoln Square Synagogue in Manhattan. For a enough and went into your latkas or current schedule of upcoming classes, call whatever it was you were frying. When the oil is good and hot, you (212) 874-6100 or 874-6105.
s Chanukah draws near, culinary conversation turns to latkas — and frying. Getting burned long ago while fishing out a schnitzel from the frying pan — which defiantly jumped back into the pan, splattering my hand and turning it into a human dumpling — didn’t help endear this method of cooking to me. Nevertheless, my love for latkas has not suffered at all. Once anyone enters a house where the heavenly fragrance of fried food wafts through the kitchen, even a very spartan dieter will sheepishly watch his or her noble resolution "not to get near it” turn to dust. Technically speaking, frying is a very exacting way of cooking: it cannot be left unattended; it grounds you to your spot until you have completed it. Although fried food is best eaten immediately and must be cooked directly before the meal to avoid
.
.
JEWISH ACTION Winter 5761/2000
need add very little, if any, to finish frying your batch. The impact of the hot oil on the batter forms an instant crust, lovely and crunchy and dry. How hot should it be? Drop a smidgen of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and comes right up to the surface, it is hot and ready for frying. •Keep it steady. Do not crowd the pan. First of all, crowding will make the handling harder and will bring down the temperature of the oil. Dropping the items at steady intervals will insure that between each addition the oil goes back to the desired temperature. •Keep it lean. I have my mother to thank for this advice (and much else). Rather than work with spatulas or slotted spoons, work with two forks. Immobilize the fried item with a fork on each side, and hold it vertically for a second or two over the frying pan: you will be surprised to see how much oil will drip off of it, which you will not have caught any other way. Immediately place the items on a plate lined with several layers of paper towels to absorb any remaining unwanted grease. •Keep it white. This applies only to potato latkas. Peeled potatoes will easily oxidize when exposed to air, and turn an unappealing gray color. So when making latkas (or a potato kugel), get everything else ready and do the potatoes last, grating them
JEWISH ACTION Winter 5761/2000
rapidly and adding them immediately to the ready batter, not giving them any time to remain exposed. Finally, a word about freezing and reheating. If you are entertaining a large group, it won’t be enormous fun spending hours frying while everyone is having a good time. If you must fry in advance: follow all above guidelines; cook the item 90%, no more; store it in a shallow pan in one layer (remember, no piling!). You can also place the latkas in the pan vertically, like a deck of cards; you will be able to fit quite a few in a pan in this position (again, one layer). Cover tightly. Refrigerate or freeze, depending on how long in advance you are preparing the dish. Reheat uncovered at about 350o for about 10 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes if frozen. And now: my favorite latka recipes. They are tried and true. In my catering years, I must have made thousands upon thousands of them, and always watched them disappear at a flatteringly alarming pace. This Moroccan cook cannot resist including the Sephardi fritter, a decadent deep fried yeast doughnut called Sfenj. (This one does not reheat well, so enjoy it right off the frying pan).
the hot oil, or drop them in by the tablespoon. Fry till golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Take out and drain on paper towels. Serve with applesauce, yogurt or sour cream.
Vegetable Latkas This is a nice variation of your standard potato latka. Follow the same recipe listed above, replacing the potatoes with a mixture of zucchini, carrots, parsnips and any other vegetables and seasonings of your choice. I recommend adding oregano, garlic, and basil for flavor.
Oil for frying (about 1/3" deep in a heavy frying pan) 1 cup flour 4 eggs 1 large onion, grated in the food processor Salt and pepper to taste Pinch of nutmeg 8 large potatoes, coarsely grated in the food processor Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan until very hot. Combine all ingredients, except for the potatoes, in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the potatoes last and mix again. It is important to work very quickly so the potatoes do not have time to become discolored. Form small patties and put them into
flour golden raisins 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon lemon zest Dash of salt 1 teaspoon baking po wder Combine all ingredients to prepare the mixture. For frying, follow the instructions given in the above potato latka recipe. 1/4 cup
Sfenj — Moroccan Yeast Donuts Yields about 2 dozen
Sweet Potato Latkas Yields about 2 dozen
4 eggs 6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and agrted 1 medium onion, grated fine 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3 tablespoons brown sugar Salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients to prepare the batter. For frying, follow the instructions given in the above potato latka recipe.
Potato Latkas Yields about 21/2 dozen
1/2 cup
Apple Latkas Yields About 2 dozen
2 eggs 1 cup flour, or a little more if needed 8 large Macintosh apples, coarsely grated 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon lemon ezst Pinch of nutmeg Combine all ingredients to prepare the mixture. For frying, follow the instructions given in the above potato latka recipe. Serve hot. These are delicious alone or topped with vanilla ice cream, or maple syrup.
Cheese Latkas (dairy)
Yields about 11/2 dozen 3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
JEWISH ACTION Winter 5761/2000
11/2 tablespoons dry yeast 11/4 cups warm water 2 tablespoons sugar 3 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt Enough oil to fill a heavy deep frying pan (about 2 inches). A metal skewer Powdered sugar (Optional) Mix first three ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup. Let it rest about 5 minutes. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of your mixer and add the flour and the salt. Knead for about 3 minutes, till dough is smooth. It will be looser than bread dough. (If you are kneading the dough by hand, knead it for about 15 minutes). Let the dough rest, covered with a towel, in a warm draft-free place for about 1 1/2 hours. Smear a little oil on your hands, then take some dough and form a small ball. When the oil in the pan is very hot, flatten the ball with your hands and drop it into the oil. Immediately insert the skewer into the center of the ball and form a hole about 1 inch wide. The doughnut will swell. When ready, it will turn golden brown and come up to the surface of the oil. Repeat with all remaining dough. Transfer doughnuts to a plate lined with several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve immediately. JA
A becoming soggy, do not despair, help is on the way! I am happy to provide a few guidelines about frying occasional treats safely and efficiently: •Keep it dry. Moisture is the biggest enemy of frying. It will cause the oil to splatter. Too much moisture will simply mix with the oil, steaming the food instead of frying it, yielding a mediocre fritter. Be sure to dry your cutlet or your fillet thoroughly with paper towels. Or with latkas, extract as much liquid as you possibly can before frying. Fortunately, you won’t have to do that with my recipe: the potatoes are coarsely grated in the food processor, as are all other vegetables, and what little moisture is released, if any, is absorbed by just a little flour. Keep it thick. As a result of having a firm — not runny— batter, you will be able to form thicker patties, which will absorb much less oil than thinner ones. Remember, the item to fry is small and cooks quickly, so the Levana Kirschenbaum is co-owner of outside will be crunchy and the center will be tender, yet cooked through and the OU glatt kosher Manhattan restau through. rant, Levana’s and directed her own Keep it hot. A less-than-hot oil catering service,Table Classics, for will seep into your food, making it many years. Presently she devotes her inedibly greasy. Have you added oil to time to instructing gourmet cooking your pan several times during frying? classes. Her own kosher cooking school , Chances are, your oil was not hot Levana’s Place, is located at Lincoln Square Synagogue in Manhattan. For a enough and went into your latkas or current schedule of upcoming classes, call whatever it was you were frying. When the oil is good and hot, you (212) 874-6100 or 874-6105.
s Chanukah draws near, culinary conversation turns to latkas — and frying. Getting burned long ago while fishing out a schnitzel from the frying pan — which defiantly jumped back into the pan, splattering my hand and turning it into a human dumpling — didn’t help endear this method of cooking to me. Nevertheless, my love for latkas has not suffered at all. Once anyone enters a house where the heavenly fragrance of fried food wafts through the kitchen, even a very spartan dieter will sheepishly watch his or her noble resolution "not to get near it” turn to dust. Technically speaking, frying is a very exacting way of cooking: it cannot be left unattended; it grounds you to your spot until you have completed it. Although fried food is best eaten immediately and must be cooked directly before the meal to avoid
.
.
JEWISH ACTION Winter 5761/2000
need add very little, if any, to finish frying your batch. The impact of the hot oil on the batter forms an instant crust, lovely and crunchy and dry. How hot should it be? Drop a smidgen of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and comes right up to the surface, it is hot and ready for frying. •Keep it steady. Do not crowd the pan. First of all, crowding will make the handling harder and will bring down the temperature of the oil. Dropping the items at steady intervals will insure that between each addition the oil goes back to the desired temperature. •Keep it lean. I have my mother to thank for this advice (and much else). Rather than work with spatulas or slotted spoons, work with two forks. Immobilize the fried item with a fork on each side, and hold it vertically for a second or two over the frying pan: you will be surprised to see how much oil will drip off of it, which you will not have caught any other way. Immediately place the items on a plate lined with several layers of paper towels to absorb any remaining unwanted grease. •Keep it white. This applies only to potato latkas. Peeled potatoes will easily oxidize when exposed to air, and turn an unappealing gray color. So when making latkas (or a potato kugel), get everything else ready and do the potatoes last, grating them
JEWISH ACTION Winter 5761/2000
rapidly and adding them immediately to the ready batter, not giving them any time to remain exposed. Finally, a word about freezing and reheating. If you are entertaining a large group, it won’t be enormous fun spending hours frying while everyone is having a good time. If you must fry in advance: follow all above guidelines; cook the item 90%, no more; store it in a shallow pan in one layer (remember, no piling!). You can also place the latkas in the pan vertically, like a deck of cards; you will be able to fit quite a few in a pan in this position (again, one layer). Cover tightly. Refrigerate or freeze, depending on how long in advance you are preparing the dish. Reheat uncovered at about 350o for about 10 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes if frozen. And now: my favorite latka recipes. They are tried and true. In my catering years, I must have made thousands upon thousands of them, and always watched them disappear at a flatteringly alarming pace. This Moroccan cook cannot resist including the Sephardi fritter, a decadent deep fried yeast doughnut called Sfenj. (This one does not reheat well, so enjoy it right off the frying pan).
the hot oil, or drop them in by the tablespoon. Fry till golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Take out and drain on paper towels. Serve with applesauce, yogurt or sour cream.
Vegetable Latkas This is a nice variation of your standard potato latka. Follow the same recipe listed above, replacing the potatoes with a mixture of zucchini, carrots, parsnips and any other vegetables and seasonings of your choice. I recommend adding oregano, garlic, and basil for flavor.
Oil for frying (about 1/3" deep in a heavy frying pan) 1 cup flour 4 eggs 1 large onion, grated in the food processor Salt and pepper to taste Pinch of nutmeg 8 large potatoes, coarsely grated in the food processor Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan until very hot. Combine all ingredients, except for the potatoes, in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the potatoes last and mix again. It is important to work very quickly so the potatoes do not have time to become discolored. Form small patties and put them into
flour golden raisins 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon lemon zest Dash of salt 1 teaspoon baking po wder Combine all ingredients to prepare the mixture. For frying, follow the instructions given in the above potato latka recipe. 1/4 cup
Sfenj — Moroccan Yeast Donuts Yields about 2 dozen
Sweet Potato Latkas Yields about 2 dozen
4 eggs 6 large sweet potatoes, peeled and agrted 1 medium onion, grated fine 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 3 tablespoons brown sugar Salt and pepper to taste Combine all ingredients to prepare the batter. For frying, follow the instructions given in the above potato latka recipe.
Potato Latkas Yields about 21/2 dozen
1/2 cup
Apple Latkas Yields About 2 dozen
2 eggs 1 cup flour, or a little more if needed 8 large Macintosh apples, coarsely grated 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon lemon ezst Pinch of nutmeg Combine all ingredients to prepare the mixture. For frying, follow the instructions given in the above potato latka recipe. Serve hot. These are delicious alone or topped with vanilla ice cream, or maple syrup.
Cheese Latkas (dairy)
Yields about 11/2 dozen 3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
JEWISH ACTION Winter 5761/2000
11/2 tablespoons dry yeast 11/4 cups warm water 2 tablespoons sugar 3 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt Enough oil to fill a heavy deep frying pan (about 2 inches). A metal skewer Powdered sugar (Optional) Mix first three ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup. Let it rest about 5 minutes. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of your mixer and add the flour and the salt. Knead for about 3 minutes, till dough is smooth. It will be looser than bread dough. (If you are kneading the dough by hand, knead it for about 15 minutes). Let the dough rest, covered with a towel, in a warm draft-free place for about 1 1/2 hours. Smear a little oil on your hands, then take some dough and form a small ball. When the oil in the pan is very hot, flatten the ball with your hands and drop it into the oil. Immediately insert the skewer into the center of the ball and form a hole about 1 inch wide. The doughnut will swell. When ready, it will turn golden brown and come up to the surface of the oil. Repeat with all remaining dough. Transfer doughnuts to a plate lined with several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve immediately. JA
