At your next Hanukkah party why stop at topping the fried crispy beauties with just apple sauce or sour cream? Have a latke bar! Place a large platter of latkes out and add bowls of toppings.
See how, below the jump…
Latke Bar
I only use egg whites for my latkes. Think about it. Yolks make doughs and batters tender and cakey. I want my latkes crispy and crunch (all the better for holding up to some toppings). I use egg whites. My latkes are crispy and stay that way longer. Save the yolks for your cakey sufganiyot.
These are some great toppers for the latke bar. You can also add caviar, chopped eggs, chopped red onions or scallions, sour cream,
3 cups peeled and grated Russet potatoes
1 large Spanish onion-peeled and grated
2 egg whites-lightly beaten
All-purpose flour about ¼-1/2 cup
Salt and pepper
Neutral oil for frying-about 3-4 cups (prefer canola or peanut oil)
Cured Salmon Remoulade
2 oz cured or lightly smoked Wild salmon slices-diced small
2 T. capers
¼ cup chopped red onion
2 T. prepared horseradish
1 T. fresh lemon juice3 T. flat leaf parsley-chopped
¾ cup mayonnaise dash of hot sauce (optional)
Tapenade
½ cup pitted kalamata olives
1 T. capers
1 clove garlic-chopped
2 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. Extra Virgin olive oil
2 anchovy filets (optional)
Salt and Pepper
Muhummarah
This delicious Middle Eastern condiment makes a great dip, crust for fish or poultry and perfect topper for the latkes
2 red peppers-roasted1 cup walnuts-toasted
2 T. tomato paste
¼ cup pomegranate molasses
1 cup fresh bread crumbs-left over challah is perfect
1/3 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
¼ t. chili flakes
1 t. ground allspice
½ t. ground cumin seed
Salt and pepper
Apple-raisin Chutney
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar1 1/2 pounds tart green apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 large garlic cloves
1 2-ounce piece fresh ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden raisins
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
Place all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until the apples are tender and the liquid has evaporated – about 45 minutes.

Thanks for the reheating tip! I’m having a party on Saturday night and I’d prefer to spend my time in the living room with my guests, and not in the kitchen, hovering over a frying pan. Two questions, for clarification -
1. In the recipe, you say 1/4 to 1/2 c of all-purpose flour. In the instructions, you mention matzo flour. Which would you suggest I use?
2. About how many latkes will this recipe yield?
Raina - another way to make sure you get to spend time with guests and not on “latke duty” is to make the latke-frying part of the party! Take shifts frying and tasting…I did this with a blintz-making party last Shavuot, and it was a lot of fun. Check it out: http://jcarrot.org/blintz-blitz/
That’s such a great idea! I’ll have to keep this one in mind…And topping latkes with tapenade and muhammara is such a good idea. I have all the ingredients, so I’ll be making those topings for sure. Thanks!
Leah - cool idea - so we’ll just have to join you next shavuous for the “Blintzkreig” :)
see ya real soon
Last night we used two non-traditional toppings on our latkes. One was spiced orange-cranberry sauce leftover from Thanksgiving dinner, and the other was chopped peaches tossed with brown sugar and cinnamon. I had put the latter in the freezer back in the summer, looking forward to a bit of culinary sunshine in winter. It worked!