Author Archives: saltandserenity

Apple-Potato Latkes

I have been blogging since May 19 2009. This year will be the 13th Chanukah post I will be writing. If your family is anything like mine, they want the same classic potato latkes every year. Your idea of the ultimate latke very much depends on what you grew up with.

It’s beginning to smell and sound a lot like Chanukah around here as I test latke recipes. Check out the video.

My childhood memory of latkes is bittersweet. My mom made the most delicious latkes. Thin, lacy and very crispy at the edges, they were held together with the bare minimum of egg and matzoh meal. She served them with apple sauce and sour cream. That’s the sweet part of my childhood memory. The bitter part is related to my mom’s very keen sense of smell. She was offended by the lingering scent of frying oil. Almost immediately after making latkes, she would perform an exorcism to cleanse the house of the offending odour. She used her secret blend of cleaning agents, a potent, lethal combination of Joy and Ajax. Do not try this at home unless you are wearing a gas mask.

My husband, on the other hand, grew up with thick and creamy latkes. The potatoes were chopped quite fine and then fried, almost like a potato cake. They were served with ketchup. 😱 For a few years I made compromise latkes. Eventually, I won him over to the thin and lacy style. but he still eats them with ketchup.

As a blogger, I feel pressured to present something new and innovative every year. But the truth is, while my family smiled and nodded politely when I presented them with Sweet Potato and Brussels Sprouts Latkes one year, they just want traditional latkes.

A while ago, I came across a recipe for Apple-Potato Latkes with Cinnamon Sour Cream, from Melissa Clarke. I was intrigued with the addition of apples. We always eat latkes with applesauce, so adding apples to the batter wasn’t such a radical idea. While they were delicious, they strayed too far from my ideal latke. She added 3 eggs and 2/3 cup of flour to the batter. They held together beautifully, but they were too eggy and cake-like for me.

I played around with the ratios and came up with a more traditional latke. The apple remained as a subtle hum in the background, but the predominant flavour is potato. The key to making latkes is muscle power. You need to rid the potatoes, and apples in this case, of all their excess moisture. About 80% of a potato is water. Apples contain 85% water. After shredding, gather up the mixture into a tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Save the liquid that the apples and potatoes give up. After sitting for a few minutes, all the starch from the potato liquid will settle to the bottom of the bowl. Drain off the liquid, and scrape that potato starch into the shredded mixture. It really helps keep the latkes together.

These latkes offer a slight variation on the classic latke, that even the die-hard traditionalists in your house will approve.

Pro tip: for pretty pink applesauce, don’t peel your apples. Just quarter them and put them in a pot with a little water. Cover and cook over low heat until tender. Use a food mill to get rid of the skins and core. Flavour with a pinch of cinnamon if desired.

Click here to print recipe for Apple-Potato-Latkes Download

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

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When I was growing up, we made grilled cheese sandwiches on challah, with Kraft Single slices. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I think we can do better now that we’re adults. An aged cheddar or gruyere has amazing flavour, but the problem is, they don’t melt well. They separate and become a bit greasy when melted.

The genius folks at America’s Test Kitchen figured out how to solve that problem by combining the gruyere with a nice melting cheese, like brie. The cheeses along with a touch of white wine are combined in the food processor to make a smooth paste.

The America’s test kitchen version of this recipe took a savoury turn and added some mustard and chives. I approached it from the opposite end and added a sweet twist. I think that one of the most beautiful flavour pairings is Brie and figs. I doubled up on the fig flavour by using fig jam as well as fresh sliced figs. Fresh basil leaves added a welcome herbal note. For the bread, I used sourdough, but any nice hearty bread would work well here. Make sure you butter the outside of the bread, so that the sandwich browns evenly all over.

A non-stick skillet is ideal for this. Don’t rush things. Keep the heat nice and low, to allow time for the cheese inside to melt and for the outside to get golden brown and crispy, and not burned. Your patience will be rewarded with a beautiful cheese pull.

Click here to print recipe for Grown-Up-Grilled-Cheese-Sandwiches Download

Croffles (Croissant-Waffles)

Millionaire’s Rice Krispie Bars

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These bars are a riff on Millionaire’s Shortbread, which got their name, presumably because they are so rich and decadent. For my version of this triple layered treat, I replaced the bottom shortbread layer with Rice Krispie treats. Now, what I’m about to reveal may blow your mind. There are no marshmallows in the Rice Krispie base. Mars Bars (called Milky Way Bars in the USA) were used as the “glue” to hold together the Rice Krispies.

We have been making Rice Krispie Squares this way in our family for years. Not sure who to give credit to for this brilliant adaptation, as I can’t remember where the recipe came from.

Sandwiched between the bittersweet chocolate layer and the chewy bottom Mars Bars Rice Krispie layer is a ribbon of creamy caramel. Pure bliss.

Check out the video to see how it all comes together.

As usual, when testing this recipe, I had to make several batches to get it just right. My neighbours, chiropractor, HVAC serviceman, and UPS delivery guy were all very grateful that I shared. May I suggest you make a batch this weekend and spread the love.

Click here to print recipe for Millionaire’s-Rice-Krispie-Bars Download

Squash, Pear and Ginger Soup

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Recipe development is a process of trial and error, as my husband will attest to. He is required to eat all the mistakes. This soup came about because I had an abundance of pears. When pears come into season, I can’t help but buy all the varieties, and arrange them in bowls and platters on my kitchen counter, like a still-life arrangement. I don’t actually like the taste or texture of pears, I just love to look at them, because of their beautiful shape. The way the light hits and hugs their curves is mesmerizing to me.

I had a friend in junior high school, whose mom would buy a bunch of bananas every week, and arrange them in a bowl in the centre of their kitchen table. No one in the family liked bananas, but she loved the way they looked, so at the end of the week she would just throw them out and buy a new bunch. Determined to not be wasteful with my pears, I created this soup.

I thought that delicate floral flavour of pears would work well with butternut squash. The first time I made it, I simply sautéed a mirepoix (carrots, onions and celery) and added peeled diced squash and pears. I tipped in a few cups of vegetable stock and simmered until soft and then pureed it. When I tasted, I was so disappointed. It was bland and reminded me of the jarred baby food I used to buy when my kids were tiny.

For the second round, I roasted the squash and pears first. The benefit of this, aside from a more concentrated flavour from the caramelization process, was that there was no need to peel the squash. I just cut it in half, scooped out the seeds and roasted it cut side down, until tender. This version was better but still a bit bland. I was looking for a punch of flavour, something to warm me from the inside.

For round three, I ditched the carrots and celery, so that the squash and pears would be the dominant flavours. I added some freshly grated ginger and Aleppo pepper to the sautéed shallots. The ginger added a hum of spice and the Aleppo pepper added a second subtle note of heat. If you have never tried Aleppo pepper, you must. My little sister introduced me to it many years ago and I have become a convert. I almost never use red pepper flakes anymore. Aleppo has a bright fruity quality that tempers the moderate heat. I love to sprinkle it on mashed avocado on toast and top it with a fried egg.

I topped the soup with a drizzle of thinned out yogurt and sprinkled on some pumpkin seeds for crunch. In the first image of this post, I got extra fancy and added a pear chip. They are simple to make, and I have included the instructions in the recipe if fancy is how you roll. Fresh pear slices also make a pretty garnish. The soup freezes beautifully, so tuck away any leftovers in the freezer for another day.

Click here to print recipe for Squash-Pear-and-Ginger-Soup Download

Halloumi and Fig Salad

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When a recipe appears in your social media feed three times in the same week, all from different sources, it’s a sign from the universe that it must be made. This halloumi and fig salad is the creation of cookbook author Yasmin Khan from her book, Ripe Figs: Recipes and Stories from Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus.

If you’ve never had Halloumi cheese before you must seek it out. It’s a traditional cheese from Cyprus, an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Ususally made from a mixture of goat and sheep milk, Halloumi can be fried until brown without melting due to its higher-than-normal melting point. The resistance to melting comes from the fresh curd being heated before being shaped and placed in brine. When sliced and fried in a bit of olive oil, Halloumi is a wonderful treat. It goes all crispy on the outside and soft and slightly chewy on the inside. It makes a great squeak when you chew it, sort of like fresh cheese curds.

In this salad, the Halloumi slices are dipped in egg and then given a cornmeal crust before frying. This is one of the most popular ways to eat Halloumi in Cyprus. Typically it is served with figs and then drizzled with warm honey.

The sweetness of the figs and honey are balanced by the saltiness of the Halloumi and the bitterness of the arugula. The sweet-tart pomegranate seeds pop in your mouth, and are a beautiful contrast to the soft figs. This salad is in perfect harmony.

Click here to print recipe for Fig-and-Halloumi-Salad Download

Osso Buco Pasta Sauce

Fried Green Tomato Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

Rosh Hashanah Twisted Apple and Honey Challah

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The last time I made this challah was Rosh Hashanah 2019. We had 35 guests around the table celebrating the New Year. We won’t discuss 2020, except to note that there were only 3 of us at the table. But this year, most of our clan are double vaxxed, so we will be 16 strong around the table at the cottage in 10 days. It’s time to celebrate again.

It’s traditional to dip apples in honey, to symbolize our desire for a sweet year ahead. In my desire to be efficient and practical, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to bake my honey and apples right into the challah.

My starting point was my favourite challah dough, (Margo’s Challah) made with honey instead of sugar. On Rosh Hashanah, challah is round, a circle without an end, to symbolize our wish for a year in which life and blessings continue without end. I was inspired by cloudykitchen’s Mixed Nut and Dulce de Leche Brioche Knot. Her clever twisting method was perfect for Rosh Hashanah.

Adding apples to challah dough is tricky. Raw apples would leach too much moisture into the dough and make the challah soggy. Sautéing them first, solved that problem. To further boost the apple flavour, I spread some apple butter onto the dough.

See how it all comes together.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy and sweet new year.

Click here to print recipe for Rosh-Hashanah-Twisted-Apple-and-Honey-Challah-Download

Ombre Apple-Honey Galette

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If you were at the Smiths Falls YIG (Your Independent Grocer) last week, and saw a masked woman pawing through every apple bin, looking for perfect specimens in every colour of the rainbow, that was me. I apologize for getting my germs over every apple!

I realize that August is a bit early to start posting about fall apples, but Rosh Hashanah is in two weeks and we’ve got to get our ass in gear. I’m not a fan of traditional honey cake. I find it too cloyingly sweet. I wanted to find a way of incorporating both apples and honey into a dessert.

Apples and honey go together on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), like cookies and milk, every other day of the year! We dip apples in honey to symbolizes our wishes for a sweet year for family, friends and all the Jewish people. While this explanation makes sense, I have often wondered why specifically apples and honey? Why not figs dipped into date syrup?

In researching this question, the interpretation I discovered on the website torah.org, resonated quite strongly with me.Their insight regarding the apple part of the equation, is explained this way:
“On most fruit trees the leaves appear before the fruit, thus providing a protective cover for the young fruit. The apple, however, makes a preemptive move by appearing before the leaves. The Jewish people are compared to an apple because we are willing to live out our Jewish lives even if this seems to leave us unprotected. “

The choice of honey was brilliantly explained with this insight:
“A bee can inflict pain by its sting, yet it also produces delicious honey. Life has this same duality of potential. We pray that our choices will result in a sweet year.”

And so apples and honey it is again, this year on my holiday table.

You’ll need 5 different varieties of apples if you want to make the Rainbow/Ombre effect I produced here. You’ll need two of each kind of apple. Look for dark red apples, pink apples, red-orange apples, yellow apples and green apples. A very sharp paring knife and about 20 minutes of concentration and you will be ready to assemble.

I used my favourite galette dough as the base. Impossibly flaky and delicious it is a versatile dough. I mixed some ground almonds, honey, egg and flour to make a honey paste (frangipane) as the base for the apples. The dough is folded up around the apples in a very casual way. Nothing precious here. Sprinkle it all with some cinnamon sugar and then into a hot oven.