Subject: In search of the best latke recipe/method
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:28:39 -0700
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Heya folks,
I am thinking of fixing a pot roast of some sort this weekend, and I want to have latkes along side of it.
I have never made them before...but somehow they seem like they would be a natural with the pot roast. And it is the season....
So, I am searching for the best way to make them...recipe, method, etc...... I know there have been discussions here before about making them...and I probably should just google for them...but I am feeling lazy today....
So...what do you folks think is the best way to make them?
From: Terry Pulliam Burd (ntpulliam at meatloaf.net)
Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 19:47:19 -0800
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Christine, my ol' pal, you have indeed come to the right place. I found the *perfect* potato latkes recipe about 8 years ago and it is a never-fail crowd pleaser. Don't let the length of the recipe throw you (as I know it won't), as it's a lot easier than the length telegraphs. It's also always delicious, crisp and gorgeous:
Potato Latkes
4 medium potatoes; peeled
2 large yellow onions
4 large eggs; lightly beaten
1/3 cup matzo meal
2 teaspoons salt
pepper; to taste
3/4 cup peanut oil
Using medium shredding blade of food processor, grate the potatoes, laying them horizontally in the feed tube to maximize the strand length. Grate the onions on top of the potatoes. The onions will turn to mush and their juices will help keep the potatoes from turning brown.
Lay a clean dishtowel inside a large bowl and transfer the grated mixture into the towel. Roll the towel lengthwise and wring out as much liquid as possible (you can do this over the bowl, discarding the liquid, or right over the sink). Depending on the size of the towel, you may have to do this in batches.
Transfer the grated mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, matzo meal, salt and pepper; mix well.
In a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet, pour about 1/8" of oil and heat on medium high. The oil is hot enough when a piece of potato sizzles when added. Form a trial latke with a tablespoon of the mixture. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Taste and, if needed, add salt and pepper to the potato mixture.
To form the latkes, scoop up about 1/2 C. of the mixture with your hands and loosely pat it into a pancake about 1/2" thick, leaving a few straggly strands along the edge. (As you work, liquid will accumulate in the bowl. Squeeze out the excess. The last couple of latkes may need a really firm squeeze.) after shaping each latke, slip it into the hot oil and flatten it gently with the back of a spatula. Fry until deep golden brown, at least 5 mins. on each side to be sure the center is fully cooked. If the edges darken very quickly, lower the heat. To prevent excess oil absorption, flip each latke only once. Add oil between batches as needed, making sure the oil heats up again before frying more latkes. Drain on paper towels or a clean brown paper bag. Serve immediately.
May be rejeated in a 300° F oven. Set the latkes directly on the oven rack and back 8 - 10 mins.
Contributor: Fine Cooking Magazine
Yield: 8 servings
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:54:17 -0700
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Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
>Christine, my ol' pal, you have indeed come to the right place. I
>found the *perfect* potato latkes recipe about 8 years ago and it is a
>never-fail crowd pleaser.
>
>Potato Latkes
>4 medium potatoes; peeled
Thanks Terry!!
Now..which kind of potatoes do you use? Russett types? Or another kind?
From: Pennyaline (candyapple at caramel.corn)
Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:43:21 -0700
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Christine Dabney wrote:
> Now..which kind of potatoes do you use? Russett types? Or another
> kind?
Chiming in...
I use yukon gold potatoes for this. They seem to hold up better and give the dish a nice feel. They also have a great flavor that works well with onion without disappearing into it. Last time I made it, the water content from the grated potatoes and onions was minimal. There was hardly anything to drain off. Combined with an egg and matzo binder they fried up crisp and tasty. They were a great and unfussy success!
From: hahabogus (invalid at null.null)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:34:06 GMT
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Christine Dabney wrote:
> Now..which kind of potatoes do you use? Russett types? Or another
> kind?
I use red waxy tatters, but I ain't jewish and I dislike the way those white tatters taste.
From: hahabogus (invalid at null.null)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:32:09 GMT
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Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
> Christine, my ol' pal, you have indeed come to the right place. I
> found the *perfect* potato latkes recipe about 8 years ago and it is a
> never-fail crowd pleaser.
I would soak in salted cold water for an hour then dry the shredded tatter to remove excess starch instead of using the towel method, but that's just me.
From: Sheldon (PENMART01 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 18:29:23 -0800 (PST)
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Terry Pulliam Bur wrote:
> Potato Latkes
>
> 4 medium potatoes; peeled
> 2 large yellow onions
Not gonna peel the onions...?
> 4 large eggs; lightly beaten
*Large* onions with *medium* potatoes, must be onion latkes... but with four eggs it's onion omelets... this is beyond sad, it's pathetic
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:52:21 -0700
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Sheldon wrote:
>*Large* onions with *medium* potatoes, must be onion latkes... but
>with four eggs it's onion omelets... this is beyond sad, it's pathetic
So....what's your recipe/method?
From: Sheldon (PENMART01 at aol.com)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 10:38:00 -0800 (PST)
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Christine Dabney wrote:
> So....what's your recipe/method? ?
I've posted a few diferent recipes/methods over the years... just search <penmart01 and latkes>
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.food.cooking/penmart01$20latkes%7Csort:date
From: cathy (cwells21 at NOSPAMhotmail.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:24:51 GMT
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Sheldon wrote:
>*Large* onions with *medium* potatoes, must be onion latkes... but
>with four eggs it's onion omelets... this is beyond sad, it's pathetic
I'm with Sheldon - thats WAY too much onion.
For three pounds of potatoes I'll use one medium-large onion, of which only about 2/3 gets used because of the grater - it's impossible to grate the entire onion, it falls apart.
one to two eggs, and several tablespoons of flour. I don't know proportions, I learned by feel. I know by looking and stirring how many eggs are needed and how much flour. And lots of salt and pepper.
The most crucial thing is what you grate the potatoes and onions with. It MUST be the sort of mesh grater that has been referred to ^^ in this thread. I've always heard it referred to as a safety grater - it looks like a rectangular tennis racquet. It creates exactly the right sort of shred you need for latkes. A box grater makes the shred too thick and a food processor (the horror!!) makes mush,
And never use a non-stick pan. The latkes won't brown right. Cast iron is best, followed by any heavy aluminum/stainless steel pan.
Latkes isn't about the recipe, it's all about the technique. Practice, practice, practice.
From: Sheldon (PENMART01 at aol.com)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 11:03:14 -0800 (PST)
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cathy wrote:
> The most crucial thing is what you grate the potatoes and onions with.
> It MUST be the sort of mesh grater that has been referred to ^^ in
> this thread. I've always heard it referred to as a safety grater - it
> looks like a rectangular tennis racquet. It creates exactly the right
> sort of shred you need for latkes. A box grater makes the shred too
> thick and a food processor (the horror!!) makes mush,
The safety grater works, um, great. But when I need more than a few potatoes (like 3-5 pounds) I send them through my meat grinder and into a fine mesh sieve... press a bit and let drain a minute, then dump into a bowl. Then grind the onion into the potatoes (one medium-small onion is plenty for 3-5 lbs spuds - supposed to taste potato, onion is only a flavoring), then grind in a couple three sheets of matzo, add a couple eggs, salt, pepper, and stir... spoon into hot oil... for latkes I like corn oil. Have the pint of sour cream out at room temperature... that's the entire menu for two, nothing else needed.
The only real labor is peeling the potatoes, fressing, and pushing Oy away from the table.
The correct beverage is a kosher concord grape spritzer.
From: Janet Wilder (kelliepoodle at yahoo.com)
Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:06:10 -0600
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Christine Dabney wrote:
> So...what do you folks think is the best way to make them?
I've been doing them this way for over 20 years. Saves knuckles. I use an electric skillet for frying as it is easier to keep the temperature even. It is critical to only use peanut oil. Anything else doesn't taste right.
Potato Latkes
Recipe By: Janet Wilder
Serving Size: 10 Preparation Time :0:30
Categories: Vegetables
3 lb baking potatoes
1 large yellow onion
2 eggs
1 c matzo meal
salt and pepper
peanut oil
Peel potatoes, placing each one into a large bowl of cold water. Slice each potato in half, length-wise. In a food processor with shredder disk inserted, shred potatoes in batches until all are finished. As each batch is complete, place in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration.
Cut onion into eight pieces. Place metal blade in processor. Put a piece of onion in and pulse until chopped. Squeeze two handfuls of potato shreds dry and place in processor bowl. Pulse three or four times until it looks like fine shreds. Empty into a bowl and repeat until all shreds are chopped. Stir in eggs and matzo meal. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let mixture sit for at least 30 minutes. Stir and add more matzo meal if necessary. Mixture should be a little stiff.
Heat one inch of peanut oil in a large skillet. Drop large spoons full of potato mixture into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning once after four minutes. Makes a lot.
Cuisine: Jewish
NOTES : Serve with applesauce and sour cream.
From: sf
Date: Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:58:11 -0800
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Christine Dabney wrote:
>So...what do you folks think is the best way to make them?
I've made them and they are delicious... but I don't think they are something that would go with pot roast. Be prepared for a real stinky oil smell too. Not sure why they produce more odor than hash browns, but they do.
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:20:26 -0700
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sf wrote:
>I've made them and they are delicious... but I don't think they are
>something that would go with pot roast.
Why don't you think they would go with pot roast? I would think they would be a marvelous accompaniment... At least in my mind, I think I would love the contrasts....
And looking through books, etc...they do seem to be a traditional partner to things like brisket, especially those that are pot roasted.
From: Mitch Scherer (mitch at dont.reply)
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 01:56:19 -0800
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Christine Dabney wrote:
> And looking through books, etc...they do seem to be a traditional
> partner to things like brisket, especially those that are pot roasted.
I like them best with Polish Sausage but they would probably go with anything that any other potato dish would go with. I first had these when my great grandmother made them for us almost 50 years ago with the manual crank grinder. I like them with ketchup or sour cream. Terry's recipe sounds standard. It's a simple and tasty dish.
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:59:39 -0700
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Christine Dabney wrote:
> And looking through books, etc...they do seem to be a traditional
> partner to things like brisket, especially those that are pot roasted.
You eat what you want. With the egg content and the oil from frying, have never considered latkes an accompaniment to anything. We eat them on their own, with choice of applesauce or sour cream.
My method is to take whatever potatoes we have in the house, which are usually any all-purpose potato. They are shredded by hand (we have a special shredder for that) or cut up in the food processor, but not too finely. Rinsed off, mixed with beaten egg, grated onion (to taste) and a little salt. Then flour (usually) or finely-ground matzo meal added until the mix holds together when fried. Let it rest a bit before adding more flour. In our dry climate, probably a little less than most recipes
state. Should be thicker than the average American pancake batter, but still flows somewhat. Spoon it into shallow oil (flatten slightly if needed) and fry on both sides until brown and crisp. Stir the batter between frying sessions. Drain and eat while very hot. No other adjustments needed for the altitude.
From: sf
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:13:04 -0800
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Arri London wrote:
>They are shredded by hand (we have a special shredder for that)
By "special", do you mean it's a dedicated shredder or is there something different about it? TIA
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:17:02 -0700
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sf wrote:
> By "special", do you mean it's a dedicated shredder or is there
> something different about it? TIA
Apparently it was designed to shred potatoes 'correctly' for latkes and dumplings. It's more like a wire mesh than the sharp pointy bits a grater typically has. We brought it with us from Holland and it was quite old back then :) My mother said it would work for apples too but I haven't tried it for that. We don't have any dedicated shredders/graters for anything except maybe the Japanese ginger grater a neighbour gave me.
(I'm not a 'dedicated' cook LOL)
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:55:33 -0700
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Arri London wrote:
> Apparently it was designed to shred potatoes 'correctly' for latkes and
> dumplings. It's more like a wire mesh than the sharp pointy bits a
> grater typically has. We brought it with us from Holland and it was
> quite old back then :) My mother said it would work for apples too but I
> haven't tried it for that. We don't have any dedicated shredders/graters
> for anything except maybe the Japanese ginger grater a neighbour gave me.
Here is a picture of one:
Kuchenprofi-10-2008-28-Potato-Grater-Shredder
From: sf
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:15:09 -0800
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Arri London wrote:
>Here is a picture of one:
Kuchenprofi-10-2008-28-Potato-Grater-Shredder
AHA! I should have read this post before I posted. Looks exactly like what I found too. I think I'll buy one when I see it.
TY :)
From: sf
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:13:36 -0800
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Arri London wrote:
>Apparently it was designed to shred potatoes 'correctly' for latkes and
>dumplings. It's more like a wire mesh than the sharp pointy bits a
>grater typically has. We brought it with us from Holland and it was
>quite old back then :) My mother said it would work for apples too but I
>haven't tried it for that.
Like this?
http://fantes.com/images/98102graters.jpg [archive.org] I'm still unclear how it could shred a potato, but dough is a different matter.
Thanks!
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:05:43 -0700
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sf wrote:
> Like this?
http://fantes.com/images/98102graters.jpg [archive.org] I'm still
> unclear how it could shred a potato, but dough is a different matter.
That's the sort. There is a German company that makes them too: Kuchenprofi. The one pictured in your link comes from China.
From: sf
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:14:13 -0800
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Christine Dabney wrote:
>And looking through books, etc...they do seem to be a traditional
>partner to things like brisket, especially those that are pot roasted.
Ask yourself if you'd like hash browns with that? Same difference. I wouldn't want hash browns with brisket.
Ari's post was right on. They are delicious all on their own, served with some applesauce or sour cream.
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:19:13 -0700
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Just checked the latke-making supplies: got potatoes, onions, eggs, flour, oil and applesauce. Need to get sour cream.
We do have a tiny menorah (the 8-candle candlestick) someone gave us. Some years I do light it some years not.
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:09:09 GMT
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Oh pshaw, sf meant to say...
> I've made them and they are delicious... but I don't think they are
> something that would go with pot roast. Be prepared for a real stinky
> oil smell too. Not sure why they produce more odor than hash browns,
> but they do.
Lots of pople serve latkes with pot roast. I like them together.
As to the "real stinky oil smell", I never fry anything indoors, but always outdoors in an electric skillet or the side burner of my gas grill. I don't like the accumulation of grease vapor being deposited on everything in the kitchen.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 11:01:15 -0600
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sf wrote:
> I've made them and they are delicious... but I don't think they are
> something that would go with pot roast.
I wouldn't think of them with pot roast, either. Brisket is a different story. Or with some sort of sausage.
From: Janet Wilder (kelliepoodle at yahoo.com)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:38:12 -0600
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Jill wrote:
> I wouldn't think of them with pot roast, either. Brisket is a different
> story. Or with some sort of sausage.
Brisket and potato latkes are a long-standing deli menu item. There was a famous diner in Montclair, NJ called the Clairmont Diner. They made a sandwich of brisket between two large potato pancakes.
Brisket and latkes will be tomorrow night's dinner here. Will be trying out the new slow-cooker with the brisket. Threw the Rival in the garbage along with the baked beans it burnt up. This one's a Hamilton Beach. It has 3 temp methods including a probe.
From: maxine in ri (weedfam at gmail.com)
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 09:23:18 -0800 (PST)
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sf wrote:
> I've made them and they are delicious... but I don't think they are
> something that would go with pot roast. Be prepared for a real stinky
> oil smell too. Not sure why they produce more odor than hash browns,
> but they do.
One of the traditional Hanukkah meals is brisket and latkes, but then you need to serve them with applesauce.
The other traditional Hanukkah menu is latkes with applesauce or sour cream.
maxine, making veggie soup and no latkes tonight
From: Goomba38 (Goomba38 at comcast.net)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:42:29 -0500
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maxine in ri wrote:
> One of the traditional Hanukkah meals is brisket and latkes, but then
> you need to serve them with applesauce.
>
> The other traditional Hanukkah menu is latkes with applesauce or sour
> cream.
LOL... one of my early cooking faux pas (well, not cooking per se since it was a salad, but I digress...) was when I was invited to friends to share their Rosh Hashanah meal and I offered to bring the salad for dinner. She made a brisket I seem to recall? Well, not knowing a lot about Jewish dietary customs (even if only observed casually on holidays as my friends did) I made that "make ahead" 7 layered salad with the mayonnaise layer topped by the... parmesan cheese!! Gawd do I now feel like an idiot! I didn't realize my mistake for a long while.
From: Goomba38 (Goomba38 at comcast.net)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:02:08 -0500
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Goomba38 wrote:
> LOL... one of my early cooking faux pas (well, not cooking per se since
> it was a salad, but I digress...) was when I was invited to friends to
> share their Rosh Hashanah meal and I offered to bring the salad for
> dinner. She made a brisket I seem to recall? Well, not knowing a lot
> about Jewish dietary customs (even if only observed casually on holidays
> as my friends did) I made that "make ahead" 7 layered salad with the
> mayonnaise layer topped by the... parmesan cheese!! Gawd do I now feel
> like an idiot! I didn't realize my mistake for a long while.
Oops..following up my own post. It wasn't for Rosh Hashanah, it was Passover! How did I forget that?? (slaps own head) I recall now she taught me about cleaning out all the leavened products from her kitchen, even to cleaning out the crumb tray on the toaster! She mentioned that some folks "sell" or give the bread and other leavened products away to neighbors and then later "buy" them back again (is that correct?)
From: Janet Wilder (kelliepoodle at yahoo.com)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:40:47 -0600
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Goomba38 wrote:
> She mentioned that some folks "sell" or give the bread and other
> leavened products away to neighbors and then later "buy" them back again
> (is that correct?)
Correct. The products could thereby remain in your house but were not in your possession. Of course they had to be stored away from the passover goods.
Brings back memories.
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:36:59 GMT
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Oh pshaw, sf meant to say...
> I've made them and they are delicious... but I don't think they are
> something that would go with pot roast. Be prepared for a real stinky
> oil smell too. Not sure why they produce more odor than hash browns,
> but they do.
Lots of pople serve latkes with pot roast. I like them together.
As to the "real stinky oil smell", I never fry anything indoors, but always outdoors in an electric skillet or the side burner of my gas grill. I don't like the accumulation of grease vapor being deposited on everything in the kitchen.
From: Boron Elgar (boron_elgar at hotmail.com)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:46:46 -0500
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Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>Lots of pople serve latkes with pot roast. I like them together.
I love them (but don't eat them anymore, sigh) with home made pear sauce and sour cream.
>As to the "real stinky oil smell", I never fry anything indoors, but always
>outdoors in an electric skillet or the side burner of my gas grill. I
>don't like the accumulation of grease vapor being deposited on everything
>in the kitchen.
You have the advantage of Arizona in the winter. I will only make latkes at Chanukah because I think it is a mess, too. I cover the kitchen table and have an electric skillet going.
I couldn't use my grill, because it is on a deck. I can just imagine what the deck would look like after a session of latkes. Freckle-deck.
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 00:59:46 GMT
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Oh pshaw, Boron Elgar meant to say...
> I love them (but don't eat them anymore, sigh) with home made pear
> sauce and sour cream.
I've never had pear sauce. It sounds good! I'm assuming, but do you make it the same way one would make applesauce?
> You have the advantage of Arizona in the winter. I will only make
> latkes at Chanukah because I think it is a mess, too. I cover the
> kitchen table and have an electric skillet going.
Only one of the many reasons we moved to Arizona. :-)
> I couldn't use my grill, because it is on a deck. I can just imagine
> what the deck would look like after a session of latkes. Freckle-deck.
Oh, yes, the spatters. That would really mess up a deck. Our grill sits out in a bed of granite. We just re-rake it and you can't see anything.
From: Boron Elgar (boron_elgar at hotmail.com)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 20:27:59 -0500
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Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>I've never had pear sauce. It sounds good! I'm assuming, but do you make
>it the same way one would make applesauce?
Yes. In fact, I wing it based on watching someone make it at a cooking demo 20 or so years ago. Wash the pears well, cut in quarters, add some water and sugar - this depends on the type and ripeness of the pears - and cook until they fall apart. Put through a food mill to remove the skin and seeds.
>Only one of the many reasons we moved to Arizona. :-)
How I went from Michigan to NY to NJ, I'll never know. I do love it here in NJ, though. I am in the foothills of the Ramapos and it is quite lovely.
>Oh, yes, the spatters. That would really mess up a deck. Our grill sits
>out in a bed of granite. We just re-rake it and you can't see anything.
Xericulture!
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:41:17 GMT
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Oh pshaw, Boron Elgar meant to say...
> Yes. In fact, I wing it based on watching someone make it at a cooking
> demo 20 or so years ago. Wash the pears well, cut in quarters, add
> some water and sugar - this depends on the type and ripeness of the
> pears - and cook until they fall apart. Put through a food mill to
> remove the skin and seeds.
I must try this! Thanks!
> How I went from Michigan to NY to NJ, I'll never know. I do love it
> here in NJ, though. I am in the foothills of the Ramapos and it is
> quite lovely.
I used to travel in NJ years ago. That is a lovely area. Lucky you!
> Xericulture!
Yes, we have nothing but cactus, succulents, and desert trees. Very natural looking and very low maintenance.
From: Lou Decruss (Me at notvalid.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:48:07 GMT
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Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>Oh, yes, the spatters. That would really mess up a deck. Our grill sits
>out in a bed of granite. We just re-rake it and you can't see anything.
I've seen that setup in gardening and decorating magazines. I like it. We have concrete here. <sigh>
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 02:04:26 GMT
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Oh pshaw, Lou Decruss meant to say...
> I've seen that setup in gardening and decorating magazines. I like
> it. We have concrete here. <sigh>
Crushed granite is very common here, and it does note have nice look. When we lived in Ohio, concrete was the norm.
From: blake murphy (blakepm at verizon.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:44:18 GMT
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Boron Elgar wrote:
>You have the advantage of Arizona in the winter. I will only make
>latkes at Chanukah because I think it is a mess, too. I cover the
>kitchen table and have an electric skillet going.
what temperature do you set your skillet at?
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:34:38 GMT
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Oh pshaw, blake murphy meant to say...
> what temperature do you set your skillet at?
375°F.
From: Janet Wilder (kelliepoodle at yahoo.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:38:27 -0600
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> 375°F.
Same here
From: blake murphy (blakepm at verizon.net)
Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:52:25 GMT
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Janet Wilder wrote:
>Same here
thank you, wayne, boron and janet. my previous attempt was only semi-successful using a conventional skillet. i think i'll try again using the electric.
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:23:03 GMT
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Oh pshaw, blake murphy meant to say...
> thank you, wayne, boron and janet. my previous attempt was only
> semi-successful using a conventional skillet. i think i'll try again
> using the electric.
You're certainly welcome from all of us, I'm sure. I've been a devotee of electric skillets for many years,if only for the fact that they are temperature controlled.
Best of luck with your next batch!
From: sf
Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:11:11 -0800
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Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>You're certainly welcome from all of us, I'm sure. I've been a devotee of
>electric skillets for many years,if only for the fact that they are
>temperature controlled.
You're so old fashioned, Wayne. LOL!
I haven't used one in decades.
From: Dee.Dee (deedovey at shentel.net)
Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 09:07:24 -0500
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sf wrote:
> You're so old fashioned, Wayne. LOL!
> I haven't used one in decades.
How did this happen, your entry into modernity?
Wanting to get into the groove, baby. ;-))
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:12:28 GMT
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Oh pshaw, Dee.Dee meant to say...
> How did this happen, your entry into modernity?
> Wanting to get into the groove, baby. ;-))
Remember "Thoroughly Modern Millie"?
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:11:52 GMT
--------
Oh pshaw, sf meant to say...
> You're so old fashioned, Wayne. LOL!
> I haven't used one in decades.
The primary reason I use it is that I will not fry anything on the range top, or in the kitchen for that matter. I take it outside for frying. I just don't want to deal with grease vapor pervading the area.
From: blake murphy (blakepm at verizon.net)
Date: Sat, 08 Dec 2007 23:19:04 GMT
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>The primary reason I use it is that I will not fry anything on the range
>top, or in the kitchen for that matter. I take it outside for frying. I
>just don't want to deal with grease vapor pervading the area.
grease vapor is good. it coats your lungs to protect them from cigarette smoke.
your pal,
philip
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:53:39 GMT
--------
Oh pshaw, blake murphy meant to say...
> grease vapor is good. it coats your lungs to protect them from
> cigarette smoke.
In the lungs is one thing. Having to scrub it off of cabinets, walls, and appliances is another thing altogether. I prefer not to.
From: blake murphy (blakepm at verizon.net)
Date: Fri, 07 Dec 2007 18:50:18 GMT
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>You're certainly welcome from all of us, I'm sure. I've been a devotee of
>electric skillets for many years,if only for the fact that they are
>temperature controlled.
i bought the damn thing thinking it would make frying chicken easier, but still didn't end up using it much.
From: Boron Elgar (boron_elgar at hotmail.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:47:48 -0500
--------
blake murphy wrote:
>what temperature do you set your skillet at?
Between 350 and 400.
The skillet heats unevenly and has one short "foot," too. PITA to use. I have to move things around to get them all to cook evenly.
Now...you may ask why I don't just junk it and get another one...I use it only once or twice a year and it is the devil I know.
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 18:55:31 -0000
--------
Boron Elgar wrote:
> The skillet heats unevenly and has one short "foot," too. PITA to use.
> I have to move things around to get them all to cook evenly.
>
> Now...you may ask why I don't just junk it and get another one...I use
> it only once or twice a year and it is the devil I know.
LOL I love the bit about one short foot:) If you did treat yourself to a new one, you might use it more.
From: Boron Elgar (boron_elgar at hotmail.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:00:34 -0500
--------
Ophelia wrote:
>LOL I love the bit about one short foot:) If you did treat yourself to a
>new one, you might use it more>
This is the second one I have had in a decade, as the previous one had its flaws, too (it wasn't non-stick and it surely lived up to that).
I don't really fry enough to bother with it. I have an electric griddle for pancakes and we do use that a lot, though.
From: Dee.Dee (deedovey at shentel.net)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 14:11:19 -0500
--------
Ophelia wrote:
> LOL I love the bit about one short foot:) If you did treat yourself to a
> new one, you might use it more>
I treated myself to a new one -- I was worried about tipping.
This new (semi-new, now) one holds more and allows me to fry in larger batches for freezing. It is heavier and sturdy.
But, I think it is the nature of the beasts to have uneven heating on the sides (which, of course, can be used to advantage, as you know.)
(I like it for pancakes, too).
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:14:23 GMT
--------
Oh pshaw, Dee.Dee meant to say...
> I treated myself to a new one -- I was worried about tipping.
I think you should be more worried about tippling, Dee Dee! :-)
From: Dee.Dee (deedovey at shentel.net)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 15:43:20 -0500
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> I think you should be more worried about tippling, Dee Dee! :-)
That could be so -- aren't I always 'in my cups'?
;-))
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:58:16 GMT
--------
Oh pshaw, Dee.Dee meant to say...
> That could be so -- aren't I always 'in my cups'?
> ;-))
Always, Dee Dee, always... :-)
From: Ophelia (O at nix.co.uk)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 21:46:23 -0000
--------
Dee.Dee wrote:
> That could be so -- aren't I always 'in my cups'?
woman after my own heart <G>
From: Dee.Dee (deedovey at shentel.net)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 19:28:45 -0500
--------
Ophelia wrote:
> woman after my own heart <G>
xxoo
:-))
DD
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:43:18 GMT
--------
Oh pshaw, Ophelia meant to say...
> woman after my own heart <G>
And both of you lovlies!!!
From: Dave Bugg (davebugg2 at yahoo.com)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 11:22:41 -0800
--------
Boron Elgar wrote:
> Now...you may ask why I don't just junk it and get another one...I use
> it only once or twice a year and it is the devil I know.
Which will doom you to the perpetual hell it creates. :-)
From: Boron Elgar (boron_elgar at hotmail.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:37:29 -0500
--------
Dave Bugg wrote:
>Which will doom you to the perpetual hell it creates. :-)
I have had maybe 4-5 electric skillets over the past 40 years and not one has ever performed as well as a good skillet on a stove. The only advantage they offer is portability.
From: Dee.Dee (deedovey at shentel.net)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 14:41:01 -0500
--------
Boron Elgar wrote:
> I have had maybe 4-5 electric skillets over the past 40 years and not
> one has ever performed as well as a good skillet on a stove. The only
> advantage they offer is portability.
I totally agree, Boron. I've had my share of electric skillets, too. Everytime I say that I'm not going to get another one ==
I do like the ability to get 'close to the temperature I'm aiming for,' without using a thermometer, particularly when you are wanting to get it up-to-temp again for the next batch of ...
I'm wondering, have you ever used an electric skillet to make donuts? Or has anyone? It seems like it might be an ideal thing to use as the oil isn't deep and one can do a number of them at a time.
From: Boron Elgar (boron_elgar at hotmail.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:15:03 -0500
--------
Dee.Dee wrote:
>I'm wondering, have you ever used an electric skillet to make donuts? Or
>has anyone? It seems like it might be an ideal thing to use as the oil
>isn't deep and one can do a number of them at a time.
I've only used a dutch oven or a deep fryer for donuts.
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:16:10 GMT
--------
Oh pshaw, Dee.Dee meant to say...
> I'm wondering, have you ever used an electric skillet to make donuts? Or
> has anyone? It seems like it might be an ideal thing to use as the oil
> isn't deep and one can do a number of them at a time.
It works well for doughnuts, and also for fritters if they're a bit on the flat side.
From: Dee.Dee (deedovey at shentel.net)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 15:46:04 -0500
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> It works well for doughnuts, and also for fritters if they're a bit on the
> flat side.
Ah, thanks, so much. I had to remind myself what signifies a 'fritter.'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritter
From: Wayne Boatwright (wayneboatwright at cox.net)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:00:22 GMT
--------
Oh pshaw, Dee.Dee meant to say...
> Ah, thanks, so much. I had to remind myself what signifies a 'fritter.'
I particularly like corn fritters. When I was growing up we'd sometimes have them for breakfast with maple syrup.
From: Janet Wilder (kelliepoodle at yahoo.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:42:20 -0600
--------
Dee.Dee wrote:
> I'm wondering, have you ever used an electric skillet to make donuts? Or
> has anyone? It seems like it might be an ideal thing to use as the oil
> isn't deep and one can do a number of them at a time.
We used electric skillets to make donuts with the nursery school kids. We used packaged biscuits, cut a hole in them with a small pill bottle and fried them. Topped with powdered sugar. I haven't thought of that for years.
The kids that were in nursery school then are parents now.
Janet, listening to XM "Radio Chanukah" on channel 108 as she types.
From: Goomba38 (Goomba38 at comcast.net)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:44:16 -0500
--------
Janet Wilder wrote:
> Correct. The products could thereby remain in your house but were not in
> your possession. Of course they had to be stored away from the passover
> goods.
>
> Brings back memories.
I seem to have the memory of her saying they were physically out of the house. I don't recall if she herself subscribed to this little deception or just told me about others doing it?
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:31:27 -0700
--------
Goomba38 wrote:
> I seem to have the memory of her saying they were physically out of the
> house. I don't recall if she herself subscribed to this little deception
> or just told me about others doing it?
Lots of people do that at Passover. A friend of mine who keeps kosher (sort of) used to do that with another friend. It really should be removed from the house but that was too much trouble for her, so she put all the chometz (fermented grain products) into one cupboard, sold it to the mutual friend of ours and then taped the cupboard shut for the duration. The friend who bought the chometz asked me what would happen if he didn't sell it back to her after the holiday. Told him that nothing would happen in the religious sense but she'd be awfully mad at him for a long time.
Had her over for lunch one Saturday and served her perfectly kosher chicken soup (real meat) ...and toasted cheese sandwiches! Put the food on the table, there was a pause, we looked at each other and burst out laughing. I do know the rules quite well and just made a mistake. She ate the cheese sandwiches and had the soup for tea later in the afternoon.
From: Sarah Gray (anisaerah at yahoonot.com)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 06:36:36 GMT
--------
Arri London wrote:
> Had her over for lunch one Saturday and served her perfectly kosher
> chicken soup (real meat) ...and toasted cheese sandwiches! Put the
> food on the table, there was a pause, we looked at each other and
> burst out laughing. I do know the rules quite well and just made a
> mistake. She ate the cheese sandwiches and had the soup for tea later
> in the afternoon.
Some people are even more strict than that. My mother won't eat food cooked in non-kosher kitchens, for example, even if all the ingredients are kosher,
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:08:23 -0700
--------
Sarah Gray wrote:
> Some people are even more strict than that. My mother won't eat food
> cooked in non-kosher kitchens, for example, even if all the ingredients
> are kosher,
Most Orthodox won't either. For my Jewish friends I used paper plates and plastic cutlery. Pots and pans (that never had anything unkosher in them) were either koshered by boiling or lined with foil. LOL or else we ate fish and chips!
From: Sarah Gray (anisaerah at yahoonot.com)
Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 03:29:35 GMT
--------
Arri London wrote:
> Most Orthodox won't either. For my Jewish friends I used paper plates
> and plastic cutlery. Pots and pans (that never had anything unkosher in
> them) were either koshered by boiling or lined with foil. LOL or else we
> ate fish and chips!
My mom is Orthodox, I guess I should have specified :)
She is a convert, and when we are at her parent's or sisters' houses, we eat off paper and plastic (or glass, at my grandmother's, who has a set...glass is not considered "permeable" by halacha, so you don't need to kasher it in between.). I remember sneaking non-kosher cookies at their houses more than once when I was younger. It seemed exotic or something...
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:21:48 -0700
--------
Sarah Gray wrote:
> My mom is Orthodox, I guess I should have specified :)
LOL that was my assumption in any case. Although many people in all the other branches of Judaism do keep fairly strict kashrut.
> She is a convert, and when we are at her parent's or sisters' houses, we
> eat off paper and plastic (or glass, at my grandmother's, who has a
> set...glass is not considered "permeable" by halacha, so you don't need
> to kasher it in between.).
For some reason I didn't know that. I did have glass plates and bowls etc but they always had had pork etc in/on them, so weren't considered kosher by *me*.
> I remember sneaking non-kosher cookies at
> their houses more than once when I was younger. It seemed exotic or
> something...
LOL but of course it would! And did you enjoy them?
From: Sarah Gray (anisaerah at yahoonot.com)
Date: Fri, 07 Dec 2007 03:16:35 GMT
--------
Arri London wrote:
> LOL but of course it would! And did you enjoy them?
Yeah, but I felt guilty about it... at least at the time :)
From: azazello at koroviev.de (Victor Sack)
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 23:58:42 +0100
--------
Christine Dabney wrote:
> So...what do you folks think is the best way to make them?
What kind of latke? Potato (with or without meat or griebenes)? Some other vegetable? Cheese? Matzo meal? Apple? Rice?
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:17:05 -0700
--------
Victor Sack wrote:
>What kind of latke? Potato (with or without meat or griebenes)? Some
>other vegetable? Cheese? Matzo meal? Apple? Rice?
Potato.
From: azazello at koroviev.de (Victor Sack)
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 23:57:24 +0100
--------
Christine Dabney wrote:
> Potato.
1/2 kg (1.1 pounds) potatoes
1 egg
salt
1-2 tablespoons flour or matzo meal
1 small onion (optional)
100 g (3.5 ounces, about 1/2 cup) finely chopped griebenes (cracklings made with goose, duck, or chicken skin (optional)
oil, butter, or poultry fat for frying (if it is a Hanukkah dish, it should be oil)
Grate or grind potatoes not too finely and drain. Optionally, grate or grind the onion. Combine potatoes, onion, egg, flour or matzo meal, salt and, optionally, griebenes. Mix well. The mixture should have a consistency of fairly thick sour cream. Heat a generous amount of fat in a pan and spoon in the latke "batter". Size and thickness of each latke is up to you. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Serve with sour cream and, optionally, with freshly melted butter.
