Recipe: Honey-Ginger Carrot Parsnip Latkes with Crème Fraîche

the appetizer:

Eat locally AND seasonally with Eat Feed Autumn Winter by Anne Bramley, including recipes like Honey-Ginger Carrot Parsnip Latkes with Crème Fraîche; Parsnip Soufflés; and Venison with Cranberry-Port Relish.

Cookbook

Honey-Ginger Carrot Parsnip Latkes
with Crème Fraîche

Makes 22-24 latkes

In the tradition of reviving the old as new, these latkes trade in the old New World tuber—the potato—for the new Old World tuber—the parsnip.

1 pound carrots
1 pound parsnips
2 eggs
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon honey
Vegetable oil for frying
Crème fraîche

Grate the carrots and parsnips on a box grater or in a food processor. Put in a dish towel and squeeze to remove water.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, salt, and ginger. Stir in the grated vegetables. Drizzle with the honey and stir to combine.

Pour oil to depth of 1/8 inch in a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Drop the vegetable mixture by serving-spoonfuls (about 3 tablespoons) into 3-1/2-inch discs. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve with dollops of crème fraîche on top.

The Great Fry-Up

As with every holiday, the story of Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is a cultural tale with far more details and complexity than is usually told and I always hesitate to truncate it again. The key element for culinarians today is the oil and the tradition of fried foods that follows from it. In a nutshell, the 8-day holiday celebrates the Maccabees' victory over the Syrians when the temple was rededicated. Though only enough oil remained to burn for one night, the supply miraculously lasted 8 nights. Hence the tradition of the menorah and of fried foods.