Immediately following Thanksgiving is Hanukah, the festival of miracles and light. Try this riff on the classic potato latke, using parsnips and fennel. Then, drop the doughnuts. Instead, top off the celebration with olive oil cake, adapted from the beautiful whole-grain bakebook by Kim Boyce, Good to the Grain.
Un-potato Latkes
Makes 10-15 latkes
INgredients
3 medium-large parsnips
3/4 fennel bulb, with leaves
¼ cup spelt flour
pinch of sea salt
½ cup safflower or grape seed oil for frying
Clean parsnips by removing any white “hairs” and rinsing well. Rinse fennel.
Using a handheld grater, grate the parsnips using the side that will produce the chunkiest parsnip pieces.
Rinse the grater and then grate the fennel on the same size.
Place the grated parsnip and fennel in a glass or ceramic bowl. Optional: add one Tblspn chopped fennel leaves.
Add a large pinch of sea salt. Optional: add freshly ground pepper.
Sprinkle the spelt flour over the vegetables and toss the mixture together.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 4-5 Tablespoons of the oil, so it covers the bottom of the pan.
Form latkes by squeezing the mixture in your hands.
Place them in the pan (you can fry 3 or 4 latkes at once, depending on the size of your skillet.)
When the edges begin to brown (after 3-5 minutes), use a stainless steel spatula to flip the latke and flatten it into the pan (this will help keep it whole). Cook the second side for about the same amount of time.
Remove from pan and dredge on a brown paper bag.
Add oil to the skillet as needed. The latkes will cook faster and faster as the pan gets hotter.
Serve with fresh sliced pears or fresh applesauce (see my very simple recipe posted here last December: https://theingredients.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/potato-free-hanukah/).
Olive Oil Cake
Adapted from Kim Boyce
Serves 8
INgredients
Olive oil for pan
DRY
¾ cup spelt flour
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unrefined sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp coarse sea salt
WET
3 large eggs
1 cup olive oil
¾ cup whole milk
1 ½ Tblsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
5 oz bittersweet chocolate with no sugar added, cut into ½ inch pieces
Preheat oven to 350. Place rack in middle of oven.
Brush olive oil onto bottom and sides of a 9-½ inch fluted tart pan.
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk eggs.
Add olive oil, milk and rosemary. Whisk again.
Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, gently mixing until combined. Stir in chocolate pieces.
Pour batter into pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing top.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until top is domed, golden brown and
darker around the edges. A fork or toothpick should come out clean.
Cake can be eaten warm or cool.
Happy Hanukah!
-Nancy
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