30
Potato Pancakes with
Smoked Sturgeon
Makes 4 servings, 12 to 14 latkes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound russet baking potatoes,
1 small onion, peeled
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
METHOD
1
Using the large holes of reversible shredding disc in your food
processor shred the potatoes. Change to the grating disc and grate
the onion.
2
Line a large bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Transfer the mixture to
the towel-lined bowl, twist the towel around it and squeeze out as
much liquid as you can (alternatively you can pick the mixture up by
handfuls and squeeze dry). Transfer to another bowl. Add the egg,
flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir with a fork until well
blended.
3
Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a large, heavy skillet or in an electric
fryer set at 350°F until it ripples and feels quite hot when you
hold your hand over it. With a metal tablespoon, carefully place a
spoonful of the mixture into the hot oil. Press down on the mixture
with an offset spatula to form an evenly thick pancake about
3 inches in diameter. Add more spoonfuls, taking care not to
overcrowd the skillet. Cook the pancakes until golden brown, 2 to 3
minutes per side, turning them over carefully with a slotted metal
spatula. Transfer to a tray or platter lined with paper towels to drain.
Continue with the remaining mixture. If not serving right away, allow
to cool completely. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and heat in the oven until crisp,
about 10 minutes.
4
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the crème fraiche or sour
cream and dill. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
5
To serve, transfer the hot potato pancakes to a platter. Spoon a small
dollop of the crème fraiche mixture onto each pancake and top with
flakes of sturgeon. Serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy, Rutledge Hill Press
(October, 2004)
Cooking oil, such as canola,
peanut, or safflower
1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
1 teaspoon minced fresh dill
Lemon juice
1/2 pound smoked sturgeon,
separated into large flakes, skin
and bones removed (you may
substitute smoked whitefish, trout,
or smoked salmon)
29
Homemade Potato Chips
Makes 12 - 16 servings
INGREDIENTS
4 pounds baking potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed clean
Peanut oil for deep frying
Kosher salt
Seasoning possibilities
Salt mixed with cayenne
Freshly grated Parmesan
Salt mixed with chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
Thinly sliced or slivered truffles
METHOD
1
If the potatoes have thick, gnarly skins, as older potatoes do, peel
them. Otherwise, just scrub. Using the adjustable slicing blade set at
2mm in your food processor slice the potatoes crosswise into very
thin slices and put them in a bowl of cold water.
Do not use excess
force with the food pusher as this will result in uneven slices.
Leave
them to soak for about 10 minutes, then drain and very carefully pat
the slices completely dry with separate layers of paper towels.
2
Put several inches of oil in an automatic deep fryer or a deep, heavy
pan or skillet. Set the deep fryer or bring the oil in the pan to 350°F.
3
In batches, deep-fry the potato slices, turning them with a wire
strainer if necessary to cook them evenly until they turn light golden
brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Lift out the basket or scoop out the potatoes
with a deep-fry skimmer and spread them onto paper towels to
drain. Sprinkle right away with salt and your choice of seasonings.
Bring the oil back up to 350°F before adding the next batch.
Arrange the chips attractively in one or more napkin-lined baskets
and serve.
Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy, Rutledge Hill Press
(October, 2004)
2006 900W FoodProc Manual 11/9/06 11:04 AM Page 31
