Caesar Salad Latkes
Lettuce romaine calm, Caesar Salad Latkes are here!
Hello! Shalom! This has been a rough season, and I think we all could use some fried food and joy this Hanukkah. After making latkes on the internet for 12+ years, it is hard to come up with new ideas. I was shocked no one had made Fried Pickle Latkes before (one of my faves) and this year I was inspired by my husband’s favorite salad!
At first, I was going to make latkes croutons on a Caesar salad, and maybe stuff the whole thing in a wrap (which seems to be a food trend with the kiddos these days). But I love serving latkes as an appetizer or at parties, and these little perfect salad bites are just too cute and I love how they are just a but colorful in a sea of Hanukkah brown latkes and sufganiyot! The latke acts like a giant crouton! Cool.
It’s my classic latkes recipes with lots of Parmesan cheese, topped with a classic Caesar salad with an anchovy. Salads for Hanukkah? What will they think of next! If you aren’t a huge anchovy fan, try topping with fried garlic instead for more fried goodness.
The salad adds some freshness to the latke, which I love, and even more texture. You can prep the lettuce and dressing earlier in the day, and then just put it all together when it’s party time.
And by party time, I mean latke time in front of the TV which catching up on Golden Bachelor. Don’t say I don’t know how to party!
Caesar Salad Latkes
Ingredients
Parmesan Latkes
- 2 pounds russet potatoes (approximately), washed (to get 5 cups shredded)
- Ice water
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or matzo meal
- 1 tablespoon potato starch (optional)
- ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup canola oil (or other oil for frying like grapeseed)
Caesar Salad
- 15 anchovies (3 for dressing, the rest of garnish)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided into two
- ⅓ cup walnut oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
Instructions
- First, make the dressing. In a food processor, blend together 3 anchovies, lemon juice, egg yolk, garlic, mustard and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Drizzle in walnut oil and blend until it emulsifies. Then add in olive oil and blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Now, the latkes! Start by peeling your potatoes one at a time and shredding them with the large holes of a box grater into a bowl of ice water. You should have about 5 cups of potatoes. Grate the onions into there too. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove potatoes, squeezing out the moisture into the water. Dry potatoes very well with towels or cheesecloth and keep covered. Let the water sit for 5-10 minutes for starch to accumulate on the bottom. Carefully drain water, reserving the white starch on the bottom. This part is optional, but helps make crispier latkes with soft insides. You can also add potato starch to the potato mixer directly, but why do that when you already have it in the potatoes?!
- Place potato mixture in a large bowl, dry again very well. Then add in the eggs, flour and cheese and reserved dried off starch and combine.
- Set up a cooling rack over paper towels.
- Meanwhile, heat up about 1/4 inch of canola oil in a large (cast iron) saute pan. Pro tip- add a little piece of peeled carrot to the oil to soak up the brown bits that flake off so they don't get in your latkes!
- Scoop heaping 1/4 cup spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the oil (they should sizzle!) and flatten slightly and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Don't worry about your latkes being perfectly round. Those fly away pieces get extra crispy and delicious! Then flip and fry the other side another 2 minutes or so. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- Repeat with remaining latke batter, drying it again if liquid starts to accumulate. Drain on a rack over paper towels. I didn't sprinkle salt on these as the Parmesan was salty enough, but you do you.
- When ready to serve, toss the washed, chopped lettuce with the dressing (you may not need it all) and the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Place a scoop of salad on each latke and garnish with an anchovy. Serve right away!
