Latkes have come a long way, thanks to innovative preparations like this one from One Market Restaurant chef-partner Mark Dommen. Dommen and business partner Michael Dellar are the brains behind Mark ‘n Mike’s, a New York-style deli they pivoted to in November 2020 to serve the takeout crowd and help bring employees back to work.
Today, it remains downtown San Francisco’s epicenter for traditional and modern Jewish food, including potato latkes loaded with everything from brisket to Bodega Bay smoked salmon. This one, a nod to Dommen’s Swiss heritage, is a showstopper for any Hanukkah parties. And his nifty technique of par-baking on a sheet pan, using a round cutter and finishing the latkes in the fryer means less oil, less cleanup and perfect crispy circles that will wow your guests.
Make the recipe this way and you’ll end up with 12 perfectly round latkes — and scraps that come out deliciously crisp in the fryer.
Mark ‘n Mike’s Swiss Latkes with Raclette Cheese
Makes 12 latkes, plus extras
INGREDIENTS
5 pounds russet potatoes
8 ounces onions
1 ounce salt
2 ounces potato starch
1 egg
2 to 3 cups grapeseed oil (for frying)
1 pound raclette cheese
4 ounces thinly sliced bresaola
Cornichons
DIRECTIONS
Peel the potatoes and submerge them in water until ready to use.
Heat convection oven to 325 degrees. Line a 1/2-sheet pan (a rimmed 13 by 18-inch baking pan) with parchment paper.
Drain the water and run the potatoes through the shredder attachment on a food processor. The shredder blade should be 3 mm or 1/8-inch. If you don’t have a food processor, a box grater works fine, and the potatoes can be grated by hand. Once they’re shredded, squeeze out as much liquid from the potatoes as possible.
Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and discard the liquid. Grate the onions on the same grater. Combine the onions with the potatoes and add the salt, potato starch and egg. Mix well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake them for 30 minutes on a low fan until the potatoes have just set. Don’t allow them to gain any color in the oven. Allow to cool.
Using a round 3½-inch cutter, cut out the latkes. (Leftover scraps? They’ll emerge from the fryer deliciously crispy.)
Just before serving, heat oil to 350 degrees in a straight-sided pan, making sure the oil is deep enough to submerge the latkes. Carefully add the latkes to the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Turn them once while frying so that you get a nice even color. With a perforated spoon or slotted spatula, remove the latkes from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Season the latkes with salt.
Meanwhile, turn on the broiler. Cut the raclette into 3/16-inch slices and place them on a heatproof dish. When the latkes are nearly done, place the raclette under the broiler and broil until the cheese melts and starts to brown.
Place the latkes on serving plates and spoon the melted raclette over the top. Serve with some very thinly sliced bresaola and cornichons. Enjoy while the raclette is hot.
— Courtesy Chef Mark Dommen, One Market Mark ‘N Mike’s
