Hurried/Healthy: Hash browns speed things up ... butternut slims things down

Buy Daily Chronicle Photos »

For faster latkes:

In this easy rethinking of the Hanukkah staple, you won’t need to break out the food processor or bloody your knuckles to grate the potatoes.

A bag of frozen hash browns allows you to skip that step.

If you’d rather not fry, you also could bake these latkes. Just scoop the mixture into pancakes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F. until crisp on the bottom. Flip and cook until evenly browned.

For a tasty sauce for these (or any) latkes, mix 1/2 cup of sour cream with some minced garlic, a splash of lemon juice and a bit of salt and pepper.

Easy Sautéed Mushroom and Onion Latkes
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 8 latkes

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cups frozen hash browns, thawed and gently squeezed to extract excess water
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Canola oil, for frying

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.

Add the mushrooms and onions, then sauté for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are well browned and the skillet is mostly dry.

Transfer to a large bowl.

Add the hash browns, egg, thyme, paprika and garlic powder, then mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium skillet over medium-high, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil.

When the oil is hot, add about 1/4 cup of the hash brown mixture. Use a spatula to flatten into a pancake. Cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding oil to the pan as needed.

For slimmer latkes:

It can be a pleasant surprise when a food with butter in its name turns out to be good for you, as in the case of butternut squash.

Butternut squash also is versatile in the kitchen. The high and dry heat of roasting is particularly good at enhancing its flavor of by caramelizing the natural sugars it contains.

Butternut squash also sometimes can take the place of potatoes, as in these butternut squash and sage latkes for Hanukkah.

Be sure to squeeze as much liquid out of the shredded onion as possible. Otherwise your latkes will be too wet and fall apart in the pan.

Latkes are a traditional part of the Hanukkah celebration because the oil they are fried in symbolizes the miracle of the small amount oil that burned for eight days when the temple was under siege.

This recipe honors that story by using a few teaspoons of olive oil to brown the latkes in the pan before they are crisped to perfection in a hot oven. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, applesauce or both.

Butternut Squash and Sage Latkes
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 12

1 medium onion, shredded (3/4 cup)
3 cups shredded butternut squash (1 small squash)
1/4 cup matzo meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 large egg, lightly beaten
6 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Spread the shredded onions between 2 sheets of paper towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Transfer the onions to a large bowl. Add the squash, matzo meal, salt, pepper and sage, then toss to coat. Add the egg and 2 teaspoons of the oil. Toss to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil. Working in batches, use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the squash mixture into the skillet, leaving several inches between each mound.

Use a spatula to flatten them into roughly 3-inch pancakes.

Cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the latkes to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until the latkes are crispy and hot, about 10 minutes.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 109 calories; 67 calories from fat; 7 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 249 mg sodium.

Comments