The beauty of these latkes is that they’re all about the potato. We developed a technique of par cooking the potatoes in an oven in order to gelatinize the starch inside it. This makes the flesh of the potato incredibly sticky and allows you to forgo the use of flour, eggs, or other binders. Our favorite potato to use for these latkes is the Idaho® Russet. The Idaho® Russet has nice and sticky starches that hold this latke together and they also fry up to a stunning golden brown color.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Jeremy Umansky, Larder Delicatessen and Bakery in Cleveland, Ohio.
Ingredients
Potato Latkes
- 6 Large Idaho® Russet Potatoes
- 3 pts Schmaltz or Lard
- Salt to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Koji Cultured Cream
- 1 qt heavy cream
- 3 T Amazake
- 2 Prepared Idaho® Potato Latkes
- Koji Cultured Cream, as desired
- Prepared Caviar, as desired
- Chopped Scallion, as desired
- Pickled Red Onion, as desired
Instructions
Potato Latkes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Place potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool just enough to handle, about 15 minutes.
- While the potatoes are still warm but cool to the touch, grate them on a box grater or by using a food processor. Include the peels.
- Heat the schmaltz over medium heat to 350°F. Use a thermometer to ensure accuracy.
- Form the shredded potatoes into latkes roughly the size of your palm and no more than half an inch thick.
- Fry the latkes in the schmaltz until they are golden brown on both sides – about 3 to 4 minutes. If the latkes are not completely submerged in the schmaltz you will have to flip them.
- Remove the latkes from the oil once cooked, allow the oil to drain, and season them with salt and black pepper.
Koji Cultured Cream
- Gently stir the cream and Amazake. Be careful not to incorporate air and whip the cream.
- Place into a non-reactive vessel, cover with cheesecloth and leave out at room temperature for 24 hours or until you can stand a spoon in the cream.
- After the cream is cultured, store it cold for up to a month.
To Serve
- Drizzle the Koji Cultured Cream over 2-3 latkes, top with caviar, chopped scallion and pickled red onion.
Chef Tip
- The latkes will hold for up to one week in the refrigerator or can be frozen for up to six months. Always reheat them in the toaster or your regular oven at 350°F until they crisp back up.
- Trout or whitefish will work well. We more often than not use the eggs of steelhead or lake trout.
- The beauty of these latkes is that they’re all about the potato. We developed a technique of par cooking the potatoes in an oven in order to gelatinize the starch inside it. This makes the flesh of the potato incredibly sticky and allows you to forgo the use of flour, eggs, or other binders. Our favorite potato to use for these latkes is the IdahoⓇ Russet. The IdahoⓇ Russet has nice and sticky starches that hold this latke together and they also fry up to a stunning golden brown color.
