Happy Chanukah, my little latkes! (2008 version)

[erika]

Happy Chanukah!

[Dan B]

Is it wrong that my mom made pork chops for the first night of Hanukkah?

I'm most looking forward to Night 7.  Yo La Tengo!

[erika]

Ah you're alright, pork-boy.

Probably healthier than the latkes I made.

[Sarah]

Fried in bacon fat, I hope.  (They're so good that way.)

[erika]

Hehe nah oil. On Chanukah you're supposed to eat as many foods fried in oil as possible. Here's my recipe. I have carpal tunnel/pre-arthritic hands so I buy pre-shredded potatoes...

1 lb shredded potatoes
2-3 eggs, beaten
salt
pepper
3 spoonfuls of flour
1/2 grated sweet onion

1 inch of veggie oil in a hot pan


Squeeze all the water out of the potatoes. Mix all the goodies. Let them sit for a little while in the fridge. Slip by large spoonfuls into the oil and flip after a few minutes. They'll look like little birds nests. Serve with sour cream and applesauce smeared on top.

[Martin]

Happy Hanukkah!

[Sarah]

Yup, that's more or less the way I make them, although I like a little garlic and parsley as well.  And I mostly use oil, too, really.

[erika]

Some day I'll grow a pair and actually use the chicken fat I skim off the top of my chicken stock (rendered from skin from the carcasses) and fry something shmaltzy-style. I hear it's almost as good as bacon fat for things like eggs or potatoes.

(thanks Martin)

[Sarah]

I think schmaltz fries a little better than bacon fat, too.  Gets things crispier.  I don't know this from experience, but I'm pretty sure that's the story.  I'll likely never find out for myself, though, since chicken fat is something I can't help finding disgusting, however unfairly.