Potato and Parsnip Cakes with Two Sauces
With her own special touches, Rach prepares potato pancakes, or latkes, a favorite Eastern European dish especially enjoyed at Passover.
Ingredients
For the horseradish sauce:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 round tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 3 tablespoons chives, chopped
- Salt and pepper
For the applesauce:
- 6 small to medium apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cloudy apple cider
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 round tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
For the pancakes:
- 3 large potatoes (2-2 1/4 pounds), peeled
- Salt
- 2 parsnips, peeled and shredded
- 1 medium onion, grated (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup grated onion and juice)
- 1 large organic egg, lightly beaten
- 3-4 tablespoons flour or matzo meal
- Pepper
- Vegetable or olive oil, for shallow frying
Preparation
Combine the ingredients for horseradish sauce in small bowl and chill.
Combine the ingredients for the applesauce in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the apples break down into a thick sauce, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.
Grate the potatoes and salt them; place in a strainer and drain for 20-30 minutes. Press out all the excess liquid and add to a mixing bowl. Combine with the parsnips, onion, egg, flour or matzo meal and pepper.
Heat a quarter-inch of oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the potato mixture in 3-4-inch mounds. Gently press down and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side to deeply golden. Keep warm on a rack set over a baking sheet in warm 275ºF oven.
Serve the potato pancakes with the sauces alongside.
