Ask A Boston Chef: 5 Traditional Chanukah Recipes

Holiday season is upon us, which means its time to gather with family and friends around a warm, delicious, home-cooked meal. To make Chanukah cooking a breeze this winter, three of the Boston area's best chefs are revealing their favorite recipes for the season — including some really unusual twists on the classic latke!

Jeremy Kean
Fazenda Cafe
3710 Washington St.
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
(617) 477-4519
www.fazendacoffee.comJeremy Kean is a chef and fermentation enthusiast. Coming from kitchens like no. 9 park and Rialto. Jeremy now owns and operates Fazenda cafe in Jamaica plain with chef Philip Kruta and GM Rebecca Kean. The cafe will soon serve supper and cocktails as their next project!

Duck Latke With Apple Butter And Mint

• 1 qt shredded white potato (blanched)
• 2 duck legs cured and cooked confit
• 2 shallots minced
• 2 eggs
• Ap flour
• 2 tb chives
• 10 fresh apples (peeled, diced and cooked covered on low heat until thick and sweet enough to your liking)
• 1 qt duck fat for frying
• 1 cup crem fraiche for garnish
• 1 bunch mint for garnish
• 1 apple fine diced for garnish
• Dehydrated and fried duck skins for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix potato, picked duck, eggs, shallots, salt TT (to taste) and chopped chives.
2. Mix in flour until latkes form pancakes without falling apart.
3. Heat duck fat in cast iron and fry palm sized pancakes until brown on both sides.
4. Garnish with ape butter, diced apple, mint , crispy duck skins and crem fraiche.
5. Enjoy yourself and change recipe based on preference!

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Kathy Sidell

Kathy Sidell is a well-loved Boston restauranteur. She is owner of the Met Group which oversees five restaurants in the Boston area, Nantucket, and Maryland. She is also the author of "When I MET Food." Her background is full of passion for cooking and eating. Gathering around food for holidays such as Chanukah has always been important to her and her family. In fact, her sister is also a restauranteur -- Stephanie of Stephanie's on Newbury!

Family Style Sweet Potato Latkes

•  4 large sweet potatoes peeled
• ½ stick melted butter
• 2 tbsp. of flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 egg · 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tbsp. of cinnamon & sugar
• pinch of cayenne
• ½ cup of crème fraiche
• ½ cup spicy applesauce (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Light boil whole peeled sweet potatoes in salted water 8 min
2. Remove from water and let stand at room temperature
3. Place cast iron pan on medium heat
4. Grate potatoes on the largest box grater onto a bowl lined with a paper towel
5. Season grated potatoes with salt and add flour and melted butter.
6. Add 1/4 of the oil to the cast iron and then add potatoes (with caution), form the potatoes while in the pan into a round cake.
7. Cook potatoes until they form a golden brown crust and release from bottom of pan. Drain excess oil and then, as you flip the potato cake, add the remaining oil. Cook opposite side until golden brown.
8. Place in a 400-degree, pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
9. Plate and then garnish with cinnamon, sugar, a pinch of cayenne mixture and Maldon Sea Salt.
10.  Serve with chilled spicy apple sauce and crème fraiche.

Spicy Applesauce

• 3lbs. Granny Smith apples
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups apple cider squeeze of lemon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¾ tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of clove
• Pinch of cayenne
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Take 3 lbs of granny smith apples, peel, core & cut.
2. Put in a sauce pan, add 1 cup of brown sugar, add ¾ cups of apple cider, squeeze of lemon
3. cook for about 1 hour on medium heat or soft enough to mash
4. slowly add another ¾ cups of apple cider and continue to cook until a soft puree.
5. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cayenne and salt.
6. Refrigerate until cool.

Papa Jack's Brisket

1. 1 double 5-6 pound beef brisket
2. 3 tablespoons flour salt and pepper to taste
3. Canola oil for sautéing
4. 1 quart veal stock
5. 4 bottles of a flavorful beer (Try Heineken)
6. 1 large Spanish onion, sliced
7. 6 carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal
8. 3 tablespoons ketchup

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cover brisket with flour, salt, and pepper.
3. Put oil in a large sauté pan and heat. Once the pan is hot, place the brisket in the pan and sear on all sides until golden brown.
4. Place brisket in a large roasting pan. To the roasting pan add the veal stock and the beer, the sliced onions and the carrots. Spread ketchup over top of brisket.
5. Cover and place pan in the oven. Cook for 3 hours. Then, remove the cover from the pan and cook for another half hour.
6. Remove the brisket from the pan and let it rest on a carving board for 30 minutes. Take the remaining stock, reduce and season, and use it as gravy for the brisket. Make sure to carve the brisket against the grain.

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Amanda Mayo
Pantry
1622 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA 02446
(617) 487-5209
pantrystores.com"As a half-Korean, half-WASP with a Jewish godfather, holidays were always a bit of a mishmash. Now living far away from family, my house has become the holiday home for all those who can't make it home. Now I blend the flavors of different cultures and about 20 families. These latkes are a Chanukah favorite, and are now requested at group brunches (topped with poached eggs)."

Kimchi Latke

•  6 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias (reserve two for garnish)
• 1 pound potatoes, (Russet or sweet) peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 cup kimchi, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons serrano chile, finely minced (depends on heat of kimchi, adjust to liking)
• 1 large eggs, beaten
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
•  Vegetable oil, for frying

Garnish

• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon of gochujang

Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine sour cream, sesame oil, and gochujang. Set aside.
2. Grate potatoes, squeezing excess water with a towel or cheese cloth.
3. Combine 4 scallions, grated and drained potato, kimchi, garlic, Serrano, egg, flour, salt, in a large bowl and stir until incorporated.
4. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large non-stick skillet (preferably cast iron). Add the latke mixture to the pan in batches, a heaping tablespoon per patty, flatten with spatula until about ¼ inch thick.
5. Fry over high heat until golden brown on both sides, about 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Tilt the pan to redistrubte the oil every once in a while. Remove the latkes to a paper-towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as necessary (about 4 batches total, depending on the size of your pan).
6. Serve warm. Garnish with sour cream mixture and additional scallions.
7. Enjoy!