Every Hanukkah, Evan Bloom, founder of Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen, dresses up his classic potato latke with everything from pickled red onions to leftover brisket. The deli’s recipe, featured in Bloom’s cookbook, “Eat Something: A Wise Sons Cookbook for Jews Who Like Food and Food Lovers Who Like Jews (Chronicle Books, $30), co-written by Rachel Levin, uses potato starch instead of flour for an ultra-crisp outside and velvety inside. Did we mention they’re also gluten-free?
You can also order the freshly-made latkes at the Oakland deli or one of the Wise Sons December pop ups. Just click on “view menu” to see the list of locations.
Latkes for All Eight Nights
Makes about 10 latkes
Ingredients
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and trimmed, with root end intact
1 pound unpeeled russet potatoes, scrubbed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup potato starch
¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
1 bunch fresh chives, thinly sliced, for garnish
Directions
Heat your oven to 200 degrees, so you can keep the latkes warm until they’re all cooked,
In a medium bowl, grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater and set aside.
Use the same grater (and holes) to shred the potatoes into a separate bowl. Wrap the grated potatoes in a clean kitchen towel or use your bare hands to squeeze out the water over a bowl or sink and discard the excess moisture. Make sure to squeeze out all of the water, so the potatoes brown well and don’t steam too much in the pan; this will also reduce splattering. Work quickly once the potatoes have been grated to avoid discoloration. Transfer the potatoes to the bowl with the onion and fold together with a large spoon or spatula. Add the eggs, potato starch, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Set a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet and line the rack with paper towels or paper bags.
Heat a medium cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of ¼ inch. When the oil is hot (about 360 degrees on a candy or deep-fat thermometer), spoon about two tablespoons of batter per latke into the skillet, lightly spreading the batter into an evenly thick round. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown and crisp on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes.
Carefully flip with a wide spatula and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. You’ll need to watch the temperature of the oil, being careful not to burn your latkes or, alternatively, end up with soggy and greasy clumps of potato if the oil is too cold.
Transfer the latkes to the paper towel–lined rack to drain, and season with another pinch of kosher salt. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
Garnish with chives and eat them hot, or keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest of the latkes. Latkes freeze particularly well in a resealable plastic bag. Reheat at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.
— From “Eat Something” by Evan Bloom and Rachel Levin (Chronicle Books, $30)
