Celebrate Hanukkah with healthier latkes

The Hanukkah celebration revolves around oil, but that doesn't mean Hanukkah latkes have to.

Oil is part of the Hanukkah tradition because it symbolizes a miracle at the Temple of Jerusalem. The Jews had just a day's worth of consecrated oil for the temple's eternal flame, yet the flame burned for eight days.

To represent that miracle today, Jews often eat latkes (deep-fried potato pancakes) and jelly doughnuts (also traditionally deep-fried). But eight days of such goodies can leave you feeling a bit weighed down.

"For as long as we can remember, latkes have always been considered a high-fat food; the integral ingredient is oil," says Nechama Cohen, author of "Enlightened Kosher Cooking" (2006 Feldheim, $49.95). She says her cookbook, full of more than 250 recipes for latkes and then some, proves "we can eat traditional Jewish food and stay within healthy guidelines."

"It doesn't take anything away from the Hanukkah celebration to use cooking spray," she says.

Liza Schoenfein, editor of Jewish Living magazine, agrees that celebrants sometimes forget that it is the oil, not the deep-frying, that is symbolic of the holiday.

"There's no reason the oil has to be for frying," she says. "The tradition of incorporating oil into the meal can be made modern by drizzling a flavorful, beautiful olive oil onto steamed vegetables or fish."

But you can't make latkes without some oil, so the key is to understand oil and how to use it.

Understanding frying

Deep-frying works by immersing food in hot oil -- typically 350 degrees -- until the interior is cooked and the exterior is crispy but not burnt, says Harold McGee, author of "On Food and Cooking," a 2004 primer on the science of food.

He says many people are surprised to learn that when the oil is this hot, food does not absorb much. This is partly because oil and water don't mix well, and most foods are about 80 percent water.

"When the surface of the food gets up to the temperature of the oil, which happens quickly, the surface starts boiling off its water, and that means the surface begins to dry out, which is why you end up with a crust," McGee says.

It's when the food cools that the problem occurs. Food begins to absorb oil immediately, including oil left on the surface, when cooling begins, because the "water vapor inside the food begins to contract and sucks oil into nooks and crannies."

This is why blotting food after frying is a good idea.

Also key: Maintain oil at the proper temperature to minimize absorption during cooking.

Absorption control

Rebecca Hays, managing editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine, says her staff conducted an experiment a few years ago to determine how much fat was absorbed by chicken while frying.

They measured the oil before and after frying, and it turned out there was exactly as much oil in the pan after frying as before. Shocked, the staff repeated the experiment several times, always with the same results.

The trick, Hays says, is "to keep the oil at the proper temperature."

For latkes, that's also about 350 degrees.

While McGee says most oils work for deep frying, it's best to stick to those with high smoke points, which means the oil can handle higher temperatures before developing off or acrid tastes.

Canola oil is a healthy option for frying, as it has a moderately high smoke point and is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat. If you plan to fry for more than 15 minutes (even in batches), change the oil to avoid bad tastes.

Cooks should constantly gauge the oil temperature with a thermometer (ideally a digital instant-read one that can clip to the pot) and adjust the stove setting to ensure the oil stays hot but does not burn.

Also, using a heavy pan, such as cast iron, is helpful because it maintains temperatures better than other metals.

Schoenfein says the key is to not crowd the pot. Fry in small batches rather than all at once.

"As you add cold food to the pan, it brings down the temperature of the oil," she says. "You can really tell the difference when you have something that's crispy, crunchy, delicious and golden and it's been fried in the right temperature oil."

If you'd rather avoid the mess and trouble altogether, there are techniques for adapting recipes for deep-fried food.

Elaine Magee, a dietitian whose book "Fry Right, Fry Light" focuses on healthier frying techniques, says dishes such as potato latkes can be prepared with a light amount of oil in a nonstick skillet.

Others are first browned in a very hot nonstick skillet, then baked.

Another light-frying technique is to bake foods in the oven, but finish them under the broiler to quickly add color and crisp the exterior. Magee mostly uses olive oil and canola oil for this technique.

Loads of latkes

Depending on how much of the recipe you change, you might need to compensate for flavor.

Jessie Price, food editor of EatingWell magazine, says that when you take away taste enhancers such as shortening and butter, be sure to add herbs, spices, onions, citrus zest or even a small amount of sharp cheese to add flavor.

You might even think about changing up the main ingredients.

"The combination of oil and potatoes always was the accepted standard," Cohen says, "but there are so many ways to have delicious latkes."

Other vegetables and ingredients can be swapped in to change the nutrient profile. Those on low-carb diets can try her cabbage, cauliflower or zucchini latkes. Sweet potatoes are an easy substitution, adding color and additional vitamins to the dish.

"Play around with a few variations; you can use all different kinds of vegetables," she says.

Five secrets for achieving traditional latke perfection

It's easy to recognize a perfect latke. It's not so easy to make one.

"An excellent latke will be soft in the middle and crunchy around the edges," says Hunter Walker, assistant editor at Gridskipper.com, which offers a "Latkes of New York" guide to the city's best potato pancakes.

Walker says "the crisp factor" is the key to superb latkes. But there are many potential pitfalls on the road to latke greatness. Your potatoes could turn black. The latkes might fall apart while frying. They could come out greasy or soggy.

Fortunately it is possible to prevent most latke disasters. You even could aspire to latke perfection. Here are five tips for getting there.

Avoid discoloration: This is one dish where doing the prep work the night before can ruin the meal. When peeled potatoes are exposed to air, "oxidation turns the potatoes gray," says Don Odiorne, vice president of food service at the Idaho Potato Commission.

So get everything else ready (line up your equipment and prep your other ingredients) before you start peeling, slicing and shredding the potatoes.

Onions can help block oxidation by coating some of the potato cells, Odiorne said. That's why some cooks alternate adding potatoes and onion to the mixture rather than doing all the potatoes first.

Get the water out: "Potatoes are typically 80 percent water and 20 percent solids or starch," according to Odiorne.

To avoid soggy latkes, take the potato-onion mixture a handful at a time and literally squeeze the water out, the way you would wring out a wet washcloth. Sure, you could get fancy with a strainer and a cheesecloth. But squeezing them in your fist works just fine.

Then add the eggs, flour and salt.

Shape your patties right: To shape the latkes and keep them from falling apart, use a large, long-handled oval metal spoon to shape your patties, cupping each patty with the top of your hand. They will have a slightly rounded dome.

Then gently slide the patty off the spoon into the pan of sizzling oil, and gently pat down with the back of the spoon to flatten the oval pancakes into circles. Each latke will be about the size of your palm.

Don't crowd them. This cools the oil (resulting in oily latkes) and makes it hard to get the spatula in the pan.

Go golden, not greasy: There's nothing more disgusting than a grease sponge pretending to be a latke. But if you cook them right, latkes come out golden-brown without being oily.

Before you put the patties in the pan, the oil should be hot enough so that a drop of water bounces or a shred of potato sizzles. If the oil is smoking, it's too hot.

Cooks differ on how much oil to use. Some say a few tablespoons; others say the oil should be three-quarters of an inch deep in the pan. If you use too little oil, the latkes will stick. Use too much and the latkes will soak up the oil.

Bottom line: There should be enough oil to reach the halfway point up the side of each latke -- between a quarter inch and one-third inch deep in the pan.

Opinions also vary on the type of oil. Odiorne says canola is a popular choice because of its heart-healthy properties. It also is less expensive than peanut or olive oil, and can handle higher temperatures than olive.

Know when to flip: Latkes need about four minutes per side (sometimes less on the second side). You'll see them browning at the edges and when the bottom crust is formed, the spatula should slide under them easily. If you peek and they're not golden, leave them another minute or two before flipping.

But keeping latkes crispy also depends on what happens after they leave the pan.

Of course you'll set them on paper towels to drain the oil. But if you put a layer of newspaper underneath the paper towels, the oil has somewhere to go when it seeps through the paper towel.

And if you're expecting a crowd for your Hanukkah party, you may not want to serve the latkes until you have a dozen or two ready, or until most of the guests arrive. But how do you make sure the early batches don't get cold and soggy?

Easy. After blotting the latkes on paper towels for a minute or two, transfer them to baking sheets in a 300-degree oven. The oven time will crisp the edges even more while keeping the insides soft and hot. And that's the ultimate in latke perfection.

Oven-Crisped Potato Latkes

1½ pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed and shredded (about 2 potatoes)

1 medium white onion, shredded

2 medium shallots, minced (about ¼ cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 pieces whole-wheat matzo (6 by 6 inches), broken into pieces

½ teaspoon white pepper

3 tablespoons peanut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, divided

In a medium bow, toss together the shredded potato, onion, shallots and salt. Transfer the mixture to a mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Let drain for about 15 minutes.

Squeeze the potato mixture, a handful at a time, over the bowl to release excess moisture (don't oversqueeze, as some moisture should remain). Transfer the squeezed potato to another large bowl.

Carefully pour off the liquid in the first bowl, leaving behind the pasty white sediment (potato starch). Add the starch to the potato mixture, then stir in the egg.

Put the matzo in a zip-close plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush into coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs and pepper over the potato mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until the matzo is soft, 20-30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon oil.

Stir the potato mixture. Scoop ¼ cup of the potato mixture into the pan, pressing with the back of a spatula to flatten into a 3½-inch cake. Repeat to cook a total of four latkes at a time.

Cook until crispy and golden, about 1½-3 minutes per side. Transfer the latkes to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients, adding 1 tablespoon of oil each batch, until all latkes have been fried. Reduce the heat as needed to prevent scorching the oil. You should get 12-14 latkes. Once all the latkes are on the baking sheet, bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Serves 12-14.

Cook's note: Using a food processor (rather than a box grater) to shred the potatoes and onions speeds up this recipe.

Nutrition values per latke: 108 calories; 4 g fat (1 g saturated) 16 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein, 18 mg cholesterol, 204 mg sodium.

www.EatingWell.com

Cabbage Latkes

2 cups cabbage, finely grated

1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites

1 scallion, chopped

2 tablespoons soy or whole wheat flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Nonstick cooking spray or 1 tablespoon canola oil

Place the cabbage in a 4-cup bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix in the eggs and scallion. Add flour and season to taste. Using wet hands, form latkes.

Wipe a nonstick frying pan with a paper towel dipped in oil and spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put on medium-high heat, wait until hot and drop batter by tablespoonfuls into pan. Brown on both sides. Between batches, spray or wipe pan with oil.

Serves 10 to 12.

Nutrition values per serving: 46 calories, 2.5 g fat ( .4 g saturated), 2.5 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 1.6 g protein, 50 mg cholesterol, 28 mg sodium.

"Enlightened Kosher Cooking" by Nechama Cohen (2006 Feldheim Publishers, $34.76)

Cauliflower Latkes

2 eggs plus 2 egg whites

1 small onion, peeled

1 package (2-pound) of frozen cauliflower or 1 fresh head, steamed and drained

2 tablespoons soy or whole-wheat flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Nonstick cooking spray or 2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying

Let frozen cauliflower thaw. Put in colander and squeeze out the liquid. Process eggs and onion in food processor and add cauliflower, soy or regular flour and seasonings until finely chopped; do not over-process.

Wipe a nonstick frying pan with a paper towel dipped in oil and spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put on low heat, wait until hot and drop batter by tablespoonfuls into pan. Brown on both sides. Between batches, spray or wipe pan with oil, as needed.

Serves 16.

Nutrition values per serving: 37 calories, 1.8 g fat ( .3 g saturated), 2.5 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 2.8 g protein, 21 mg cholesterol, 72 mg sodium.

"Enlightened Kosher Cooking" by Nechama Cohen (2006 Feldheim Publishers, $34.76)

Zucchini Latkes

3 large zucchini, peeled

1 medium potato, peeled

1 egg plus 2 egg whites, beaten

2 tablespoons soy or whole wheat flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons canola oil for frying

Grate zucchini and potato, either by hand or in a food processor. Drain well in colander. Remove any additional liquid by wrapping the grated vegetables in a clean dish towel and squeezing well. By hand, mix in the egg, flour and seasonings. Form latkes.

Wipe a nonstick frying pan with a paper towel dipped in oil and spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put on medium-high heat, wait until hot. Brown on both sides. Between batches, spray or wipe pan with oil if needed.

Serves 12.

Nutrition values per serving: 40 calories, 2 g fat (trace amount saturated), 4 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, 27 mg cholesterol, 16 mg sodium.

"Enlightened Kosher Cooking" by Nechama Cohen (2006 Feldheim Publishers, $39.95)

Apple-cinnamon Pancakes

Garnish

1 tablespoon cinnamon

½ cup sugar

Pancakes

2 large eggs

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup orange juice

¾ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chopped peeled tart apples

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

For the garnish: In a small bowl, mix together the 1 tablespoon cinnamon and ½ cup sugar. Set aside.

For the pancakes: In a large bowl use an electric mixer to beat the eggs on high speed until light and lemon-colored, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-high and add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and vanilla.

Beat in the orange juice, then add the flour and beat until just blended. Stir in the chopped apples.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat the skillet over medium-high. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter per pancake into the pan. Don't crowd the pan; cook two or three pancakes at a time.

Fry until golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another minute. Transfer the pancake to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying the pan with cooking spray between batches.

Lightly mist the tops of the pancakes with cooking spray, then bake for 5 minutes, or until just crisp.

To serve, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Makes 24.

Adapted from "Cooking Jewish" by Judy Bart Kancigor (2007 Workman $19.95)