Health & Fitness

Latkes, Israeli-Style!

FOOD

Annabel Cohen

Special to the Jewish News

A

A Healthy Holiday

You can celebrate Chanukah in moderation.

Annabel Cohen
Special to the Jewish News

I

t's no secret that Chanukah food
is all about the oil. Symbolically, it
refers to the miracle of the temple
candelabrum and how the lamp's oil
— enough for one day — endured for
eight days, until purified olive oil could
be made for the rededication of the
ancient temple in Jerusalem.
While some oils are good for us —
think olive and fish — fat is still fat and
too much of it, even for low-carb dieters,
is just not a good idea. As always, mod-
eration is called for.
Many people don't realize that olive
oil can be used for frying — especially
in the oven (even baked foods, cooked
on an oiled baking sheet, fry some-
what). The difference between cooking
in olive oil and "other oils" is one of
temperature. Yes, olive oil can't take the
high heat of deep frying; yet lower tem-
peratures, like medium-high, do the job
just fine.
Here, some popular Chanukah foods
get a mini makeover. We've cut the oil
way down and nixed a lot of the sugar
as well. Some of the following recipes
are oil free altogether. With these recipes
(and a few full-of-fat sufganiyot — for
religious purposes only), you're still
keeping in the spirit of season, without
the guilty feelings afterward. Another
Chanukah miracle.
The first night of Chanukah this year
is Dec. 21.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN
BREASTS
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 /4 cup olive oil
1 v2 cups plain or panko bread
crumbs
3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 /4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 1/2 pounds small boneless and skin-
less chicken breasts (if using large
breasts, cut in half and pound to a
uniform thickness
Preheat oven to 350E Spray a baking
sheet with sides with nonstick cooking
spray. Set aside.
Combine olive oil and garlic in a
small bowl. In another shallow bowl
mix together the bread crumbs, parsley,
salt and pepper. Use a pastry brush to
brush the chicken with the oil mixture

C12

December 18 Q 2008

and then dredge in crumb mixture.
Drizzle any remaining oil over the
chicken and cook for 30 minutes, until
the chicken is golden, turning once
or twice if desired (do not overcook).
Makes 8 servings.

OVEN-FRIED LATKES
2 pounds russet or Idaho potatoes,
unpeeled
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/4 cup flour or matzah meal
3 egg whites, beaten with a fork
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil, for baking
Preheat oven to 425F. Place a large cookie
sheet with sides in the oven while pre-
heating.
Grate the potatoes using a box grater
or cut into chunks and shred the pota-
toes in a food processor. Transfer the
potatoes to a colander and use your
hands to wring out excess moisture.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir
well or mix with your clean hands until
uniform.
Remove the pan from the oven and
spray quickly and well with nonstick
cooking spray and drizzle the oil in the
pan. Place the pan back in the oven
while you quickly form about 3-inch
potato patties and transfer them to the
hot cookie sheet.
Return cookie sheet to oven and cook
about 7 minutes. Turn the latkes over
and cook another 7-8 minutes until
golden. Serve immediately. Makes about
18 lathes, or about 6 servings.

ZUCCHINI CARROT LATKES
These are fried in just a touch of oil and
don't have the "starchiness" of potato
lathes.
2 pounds unpeeled zucchini
1 /2 pound scrubbed, unpeeled carrots
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp. salt
1 /2 tsp. pepper
1 /3 cup whole wheat flour
4 egg whites
1 /4 cup olive oil for frying
Grate the zucchini and carrots using a
box grater or cut into chunks and shred
the potatoes finely in a food processor.
Transfer the vegetables to a colander
and use your hands to wring out excess

ccording to Carole Master of
Huntington Woods, big name chefs
and even your bubbie have noth-
ing on her son-in-law, Coby Goutkovitch,
when it comes to latkes.
From Afula, Israel, Goutkovitch, 49,
owner of Coby's Judaica at the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield,
knows his way around the frying pan.
"When he married my daughter seven
years ago, I got to taste the best latkes in
town," said Master. "Until then, I used to
make the best."
In fact, Goutkovitch is the fifth genera-
tion to make his famous latkes. He learned
from his mother, and so on (his family emi-
grated from Russia to Israel in 1860, to a
town called Zichron Yaakov, now of Carmel
Wine fame).
Master discovered Goutkovitch's talent
quickly. "It was Chanukah; I was getting
ready to make latkes and he said, 'That's
not how, Seta, — said Master.
Then he started rattling off the recipe.
Master does have a caveat. This is not a
low-fat recipe. "Your house smells like oil
when you make them," she said. "Even your
clothes smell — you have to put on a shma-
tah (old clothing). But they're delicious."
Goutkovitch advises that the latkes be
eaten right away. "Go from the pan to the
table," he said.
Of his reputation as the best latke maker
in town, he has his comeback memorized,
"If I do the best, then God does the rest."

moisture. Add the remaining ingredi-
ents and stir well or mix with your clean
hands until uniform.
Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat oil in a
large nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat. Quickly form about 3-inch patties
and place and add them to the skillet,
frying until golden. Tranfer the pan-
cakes to a baking sheet with sides (do
not overlap the latkes) and keep warm
in the oven until all the pancakes are
cooked. Serve warm or hot. Makes about
8 servings.

FAT-FREE CREAMY
COLESLAW
Salad:
8 cups shredded green cabbage (or a
combination)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped scallions
1 /2 cup fresh chopped dill
Dressing:
1 /2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 /2 tsp. poppy seeds
Combine salad ingredients in a large
bowl and toss well.
Combine dressing ingredients in a
medium bowl and whisk well.
Add the dressing to the slaw and toss
well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Serves about 8.

APPLE APRICOT SAUCE
Use any apple you prefer for this sauce.
The sweeter the apple, the sweeter
the sauce. For tart, chunky sauce, use
Granny Smith apples. Don't worry about
the small amount of liquid in this reci-
pe. The apples will give off more liquid
as they cook.
4 pounds cored apples, cut into 2-
inch chunks
1 /2 cup water
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 /2 cup apricot preserves
Combine apples, water and cinnamon
in a large pot over medium-high heat
and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to sim-
mer, cover and cook until the apples are
very tender, stirring occasionally, about
15-25 minutes, depending on the apple
variety. Remove from heat. Mix in the
apricot preserves. Remove from heat
and cool to warm before mashing the
apples to a chunky puree. Serve warm
or cold. Makes 4-5 cups of sauce.

❑

COBY'S LATKES
4 russet potatoes, the size of a large fist,

peeled (large potatoes)
1 onion, the size of a large fist (large onion)
3 large eggs, beaten
3 /4 cup- self-rising flour
1 tsp. salt
1 /4 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Plus:

Vegetable oil for frying

Grate the potatoes using the larger grat-
ing holes of a hand box grater. Transfer the
potatoes to a colander. Grate the onion
using the small grating hole of the grater.
Transfer the onions to the same colander.
Important: Remove excess water from
the potatoes; use your hands to squeeze as
much water out the potatoes and onions as
possible. Transfer the potatoes and onions
to a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredi-
ents and mix well with a tablespoon.
Add 1-inch of oil to a large skillet and
heat over high heat until very hot. Reduce
heat slightly. Scoop one tablespoon of
latke batter and gently lay it in the hot oil.
When the edges become golden brown,
take two forks and flip the latke (don't
stab the latke with the fork). Cook on the
other side until golden brown. Transfer the
latkes to a pan lined with paper towels.
Eat immediately. Makes 8 servings. ❑