Sweet Potato Latkes + Ginger-Apple Chutney & Lemon-Sumac Crema

Happy Zot Hanukkah!

Taking a little break from my “12 Days of Christmas” recipes to celebrate the last day of Hanukkah. To do so, I wanted to make a Jewish classic - Latkes with applesauce and sour cream. I remember falling in love with Jewish food when I tried it for the first time in 3rd grade. I went to a Catholic elementary school and that year we celebrated the Passover with traditional Jewish food. From the challah bread to the latkes to the brisket, I was obsessed with it all. Matzo ball soup, which my mom makes fairly often, has been my favorite soup since I was a little girl. Since that day in 3rd grade, Jewish food has been one of my favorite types of cuisine. Kugel, pastrami, Reubens, gravlax, latkes, babka - all some of the best food to graze this earth, in my opinion. Some of these Jewish classics even intertwine with some of my favorite Lebanese classics - kibbeh, shakshuka, and falafel to name a few.

I also remember the first Jewish deli I went to on my first trip to New York City. Besides my dad making a scene that we now hold over his head whenever necessary (that’s a story for another time), it was probably one of my fondest memories of that trip.

I’ve never tried my hand at latkes before — that is until this recipe. I intended to make regular latkes with russet potatoes, but we only had sweet potatoes on hand. I’m not mad about it though, the sweet potato ones turned out delicious and almost tasted like an onion ring with the natural sweetness from the potato. To spice up the typical dipping sauces - apple sauce and sour cream - but still keep it somewhat traditional, I paired the latkes with a Ginger-Apple Chutney and a Lemon-Sumac Crema to bring in some of my favorite flavors from my Lebanese side.

Latkes + Spiced Apple Chutney & Lemon-Sumac Crema

For the Latkes:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed but NOT peeled

• 1/2 medium sweet onion, peeled and quartered

• 2 large eggs

• 1/3 cup matzo meal or breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

• canola oil, for frying

For the Apple Chutney:

• 3 red apples, peeled and cubed

• 1 small sweet onion, peeled and finely diced

• 1 inch knob fresh ginger, grated

• 2 tbs. maple syrup

• 2 tbs. brown sugar

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

• 1/8 tsp. ground turmeric

For the Crema:

• 1/2 cup sour cream - I used my grandmother’s labneh

• 2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp. sumac*

• 2 tbs. lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp. white sugar

* Omit the sumac if you don’t have any!

Make the apple chutney:

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil on high and add the apples and onions. Season with salt and simmer until slightly golden and caramelized. Add the rest of the chutney ingredients, bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down to low. Let simmer for about 30 minutes with a lid on, or until tender and jelly-like. Remove the lid and turn the heat back on high to let any excess liquid evaporate. Let cool completely and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Make the crema:

Mix all of the ingredients together and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Make the latkes:

Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels. Set aside.

Grate the potatoes and onion using a grater, or the grater attachment of a food processor.

 Transfer the grated potato and onion onto a large triple layer of cheesecloth or a thin kitchen towel. Twist the ends of the cloth to make a bundle and then twist and squeeze the potatoes and onion over a bowl. Twist as hard as you can until no more liquid comes out of the bundle.

Pour out the liquid and add the shredded potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal or breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix together with your fingers to ensure that everything is combined and coated. Set the batter aside for 10 minutes while you heat your oil.

 Pour the canola oil in a large skillet (preferably cast-iron) - it should be 1/4 inch deep - and heat over high heat until a piece of the batter sizzles when it touches the oil.

Scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture onto a flat spatula, one latke at a time. Flatten with your fingers to create a patty about 1/2 inch thick.

Slide the patty into the oil and repeat until the skillet is full, but not crowded - about 4 at a time. Cook until golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if necessary.

Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 2 minutes. Immediately serve with the Ginger-Apple Chutney and Lemon-Sumac Crema.