Top This Latke

For children, lighting the candles each night during Hanukkah is a special part of the holiday. My brother and I always took turns selecting our favorite colors of candles, arranging them in the menorah (the Hanukkah candelabrum) and helping our father light them. Of course, like other kids, we liked what came just after the lighting of the candles--getting a gift from our parents, along with one or two chocolate coins, known as Hanukkah gelt (Hanukkah money).

We also looked forward to my mother’s delicious potato pancakes. In many people’s minds, Hanukkah is the Festival of Potato Pancakes, or latkes as they are called in Yiddish.

Potato pancakes are usually served with sour cream and applesauce. But you can turn them into an amusing and easy-to-serve party dish by preparing a variety of toppings and serving them buffet-style in two sections--one for sweet toppings, one for savory. In each section, be sure to have bowls of sour cream and yogurt. For the sweet toppings, set out containers of applesauce, pear compote, chopped nuts and a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Savory accompaniments can include bowls of mushroom ragout, spicy cooked peppers, dill-sour cream topping, yogurt-mint topping or fresh salsa, as well as an assortment of colorful vegetables, including chopped green onions, diced tomatoes and diced cucumbers. If you like, you can follow the lead of some restaurant chefs and accompany the pancakes with goat cheese, smoked salmon or caviar.

And don’t forget the chocolate coins!

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Lacy potato pancakes are easy to make; just grate the potatoes and the onions in a food processor. To make serving convenient at a party, I find it best to saute the pancakes ahead, refrigerate them and reheat in a single layer on baking sheets at 450 degrees for a few minutes. This also enables any excess oil to escape and the pancakes become crisper.

POTATO PANCAKES

4 large potatoes, peeled

1 medium onion, optional

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup oil, about

Sour cream, yogurt, applesauce, cinnamon-sugar or other toppings, optional

Grate potatoes and onion, using grating disk of food processor or large holes of grater. Transfer to colander. Squeeze mixture to press out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to bowl. Mix in egg, salt, white pepper, flour and baking powder.

Heat 1/2 cup oil in deep, heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet. For each pancake, drop about 2 tablespoons potato mixture into pan. Flatten with back of spoon so each cake is about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. Fry over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Turn very carefully so oil doesn’t splatter. Drain on paper towels. Stir batter before frying each new batch. Add more oil to pan if necessary.

Serve pancakes hot, accompanied by sour cream, yogurt, applesauce, cinnamon mixed with sugar or other toppings. Makes about 15 pancakes.

Each latke contains about:

50 calories; 178 mg sodium; 14 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.25 gram fiber.

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This richly flavored ragout, accented with cumin and thyme, makes a wonderful topping or accompaniment for potato pancakes.

ISRAELI MUSHROOM RAGOUT

1/4 cup olive oil or butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound small mushrooms, quartered

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute about 7 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, thyme, paprika and cumin.

Saute, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are well coated with spices and until liquid that accumulated in pan has evaporated. Reduce heat toward end of cooking time if necessary. Add cayenne to taste. Adjust seasonings. Add parsley and serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings as topping.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

109 calories; 54 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.81 gram fiber.

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This stew makes a colorful, flavorful topping for potato pancakes. If you have any left the next day, serve over rice or scramble with eggs.

SPICY STEWED PEPPERS WITH TOMATOES AND ONIONS

3 to 4 tablespoons oil

2 large onions, chopped

4 to 6 large green or sweet red peppers, cored and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

3 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, drained and chopped

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in large, wide casserole over low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until tender but not brown. Add peppers and garlic and cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring often, 30 to 40 minutes or until stew is thick. Adjust seasonings. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 6 servings contains about:

329 calories; 1,993 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 58 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 5.99 grams fiber.

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Salsa makes a fresh topping for potato pancakes and has the advantage of having no fat or dairy products. This spicy mixture is a popular dipping sauce in Israel.

SEPHARDIC HOT SALSA

2 to 3 medium jalapeno chiles

1/4 cup garlic cloves

1 to 2 tablespoons water, optional

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 pound tomatoes, cut up

Remove stems from chiles, wearing gloves for protection from stinging heat if desired. Discard chile seeds and ribs, if less spicy salsa is desired. Puree garlic and chiles in food processor until finely chopped and well blended. If necessary, add water, just enough to enable food processor to chop mixture.

Add cilantro and process until blended. Add salt, pepper to taste and cumin. Remove from food processor and set aside.

Place tomatoes in processor and puree. Stir in reserved jalapeno mixture. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Each 1-tablespoon serving contains about:

7 calories; 27 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.22 gram fiber.

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Whether served hot or cold, this compote is a delectable topping for potato pancakes. If you don’t have pear brandy, you can flavor it with Grand Marnier.

PEAR COMPOTE WITH PEAR BRANDY

2 pounds ripe pears

1/4 cup butter

6 to 7 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup pear brandy

Peel pears. Halve, core and slice.

Heat butter in very large skillet. Add pears and turn slices over so both sides are coated with butter. Cook, uncovered, over low heat, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and some of pears have fallen apart. Continue cooking over medium heat to evaporate some of liquid.

Add 6 tablespoons sugar and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until mixture is thick and dry. Remove compote from heat and stir in brandy. Taste and add more sugar, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 4 servings contains about:

340 calories; 117 mg sodium; 31 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 3.17 grams fiber.

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Many people serve applesauce from a jar with their Potato Pancakes, but it can’t compete with this luscious homemade version. Serve it hot or cold.

CHUNKY CINNAMON APPLESAUCE

2 pounds sweet or tart cooking apples

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 to 6 tablespoons sugar

Peel, halve and core apples. Cut into thin wedges or slices.

Heat butter in large, heavy, deep skillet or heat-proof casserole. Add apples and saute over medium-high heat, turning pieces over from time to time, 2 minutes or until they are coated with butter. Add lemon juice. Cover tightly and cook over low heat, stirring often, about 20 minutes or until apples are very tender.

Stir in cinnamon and 4 tablespoons sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until mixture is thick and nearly all liquid in pan evaporates. Taste and add more sugar, if desired. Heat briefly to dissolve sugar. Serve warm or cold. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 4 servings contains about:

280 calories; 117 mg sodium; 31 mg cholesterol; 12 grams fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 1.23 grams fiber.

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This adds a Mediterranean touch to potato pancakes.

YOGURT-MINT TOPPING

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 small clove garlic, finely minced

Salt

White pepper

Cayenne pepper

Mix yogurt with mint and garlic. Season to taste with salt, white pepper and cayenne. Serve at room temperature. Makes 1 cup.

Each 1-tablespoon serving contains about:

9 calories; 22 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 0 fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.01 gram fiber.