Friday, September 24, 2010

A SPECIAL REQUEST - POTATO PANCAKES

Today would be a perfect day for potato pancakes.  After the torrential, warm rains of the previous 24 hours (I dumped out over 5" from our rain gauge last night) today is blustery, windy (we are talking windchills now), and obviously much colder.  Looking and feeling like a classic Minnesota fall!! A soothing and satisfying breakfast, lunch, or dinner option and a great way to use your CSA, farmer's market or from your own garden/farm potatoes, onions, eggs, and garlic is the following potato pancake recipe requested by my daughter.  I'm sure Bella, Amaya, and Noelia would love it if Tona served these with a side of thick bacon!!!  Enjoy!

POTATO PANCAKES
(taken from the vegetarian epicure by Anna Thomas and modified)
Serves 3 to 4
Yields about 12 3" pancakes

2 1/2 cups grated raw potatoes (about 3 large potatoes)
4 T onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
2 to 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
3 T cracker meal or fine, dry breadcrumbs or flour
fresh ground black pepper to taste
oil and butter
sour cream, applesauce, or cranberry jelly for garnish

Peel and grate 3 large potatoes and press the excess water out thoroughly.  Measure out 2 1/2 cups of the grated potatoes.  (Note - borrowing from other wise cooks---if you have a food processor, chunk the potatoes instead, insert your grating disk in the food processor, and send the potatoes down the chute.)

In a large bowl combine the grated potatoes, the finely chopped onion, the finely chopped garlic, the salt, the 2 slightly beaten eggs, and the cracker meal or breadcrumbs or flour.  If the batter is still too moist, add a little more of your dry ingredients.

Heat a large, heavy skillet and melt some butter in it and then add an equal amount of oil.  There should be almost 1/4 inch melted oil and butter in the skillet.  Drop the pancake batter in by heaping spoonfuls and flatten slightly with the back of the spoon.  Fry the pancakes until crisp and brown on both sides. 

Serve hot with sour cream, applesauce, or cranberry jelly!

TIP - To keep your potatoes from turning brown try this - peeled whole or cut potatoes keep in a bowl of water and covered until ready to use.  If the potatoes are shredded you can add a slight bit of ascorbic acid (which is nothing more than Vitamin C powder), but don't over due it!  Peeled potatoes that turn brown or dark are completely fine to eat it only means they oxidized or have been exposed to air.

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