Sweet and Salty Latkes Recipe

Pickled Red Onions

1. Before griddling anything: In a small pot, lightly sautée onions until softened. Add the rest of pickling ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer onions and liquid to jar and let cool.

Caramelized Apples & Bacon

1. Preheat griddle to medium heat.
2. Cook bacon on griddle on both sides until fat is fully rendered, about 5-7 mins per side (or until desired doneness). Remove from griddle to a paper towel to drain (Be sure to reserve bacon fat on griddle for cooking apples). Crumble bacon and set aside.
3. Using a knife or apple corer, remove the core from the apples and discard. Slice apples into 1/2″ cubes.
4. In a medium bowl, combine apple cubes with cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice, then toss to coat evenly.
5. Griddle the apple mixture until lightly browned and caramelized (about 5-7 mins). Remove from griddle and set aside.

Sweet and Salty Latkes

1. Using a box grater, alternate grating your potatoes and onion so that they mix together inside the grater. We had two large potatoes, so we grated 1/2 of 1 potato, then 1/4 of the onion, and repeated until everything was grated. Transfer grated potato mixture to a bowl and toss with hands to evenly distribute onion.
2. Lay out a tea towel or dish towel flat. Place potato/onion mixture on it, then wrap and twist the towel up in a bindle tightly (imagine Santa’s gift sack). Keeping the towel closed, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the potato/onion mixture—be sure to squeeze liquid into a bowl. Once you’re done squeezing, let the liquid in the bowl sit for a few minutes. The starch from the potatoes will separate from the liquid and settle on the bottom of the bowl. Carefully discard the liquid while retaining as much starch as possible. Set aside.
3. Transfer the squeezed potato/onion mixture to a large bowl. Add salt, nutmeg, cayenne, eggs, flour, and reserved potato starch. Mix until well-combined.
4. To form each latke: Tightly pack a tennis-ball sized ball in your hand, then place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet until ready to griddle. Cut another piece of parchment paper that’s about 8-10” long.
5. Working quickly and one latke at a time, pour ¼ cup oil on griddle, then place latke ball on top of oil. Using the 8-10” piece of parchment and a burger press (or your hand), smash down the latke to a 1/4″ or thinner on the griddle. Repeat with remaining latke (work in batches depending on your griddle size). Griddle latkes on medium heat for ~2 mins per side, or until golden brown.
6. To serve latkes: Place two latkes on a plate, then top with apple, bacon, sour cream, pickled red onions, and fresh parsley. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Enjoy!