Lemon Latkes
Posted on: December 19, 2024. Updated on: December 19, 2024.
by Carolina Gelen
Table of Contents
Lemon Latkes
Lemon latkes are your typical latkes with whole lemon slices incorporated in the potato and onion mixture. The thin lemon slices melt between the potato layers and deliver a refreshingly bright flavor to each bite. Pair with a rich, black pepper sour cream for the perfect combination!
How to choose the best lemons for cooking?
Since we’re consuming the whole lemon, choosing the right kind of lemon is crucial to the success of this recipe. Here are some aspects to look for:
- The lemon has a thin, smooth skin. Avoid lemons with bumpy, rough skin, they tend to have a thick pith which makes them really bitter.
- The lemon feels juicy to the touch. A hard-to-squeeze lemon tends to have a thick pith layer which we aim to avoid.
- The lemon is small in size. Aim for a size a little bit larger than an average lime.
Additionally, a great test is eating a raw, thin slice of lemon on its own:
- The lemon should be sour in the beginning, followed by a strong, citrusy, floral flavor, with a little bitterness. The bitterness should be mild and somewhat pleasant, like eating a grapefruit.
- If the bitterness is overpowering, choose a different lemon. The bitterness will not go away during the cooking process.
For this recipe, make sure to slice the lemons as thin as possible for the best result.
Frying Tips
- Always keep an eye on the oil and never let it get too hot, to the point where it starts smoking.
- If your oil got too hot, too quickly, an easy way to cool down its temperature is by adding more oil to the skillet. This will immediately reduce the temperature of the oil.
- Use a thermometer: For this recipe, we are aiming to keep the temperature around 340°F (170°C) for the best result.
- Adjust the heat as you are frying. The oil will get hotter and hotter as you’re frying, so reduce the heat as needed with each batch of latkes you are frying.
Looking for other Hanukkah recipes? Try:
- Pickle Latkes
- Spicy Tuna on Crispy Potato Latkes
- Orange Cardamom Margaritas with Olive Oil Washed Tequila
- Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Cake
- Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Fried Feta Balls with Hot Honey
Lemon Latkes
Servings: 14 latkes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Lemon Latkes
- 2 small (250g or 9 oz) lemons
- 4 medium (1.2 kg or 2.6 pounds) Russet potatoes
- 1 medium (200g or 7 oz) yellow onion
- Salt
- 1/2 cup (64g) cornstarch
- 1/3 cup (40g) breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
- Neutral oil, such as grape seed oil, avocado oil, sunflower seed oil work just as well
Black Pepper Sour Cream
- 1 cup (240g) sour cream
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- Prep the lemons: Cut the 2 ends off each lemon. Slice each lemon in half lengthwise. Thinly slice each lemon halve into 3 mm or 1/8 inch-thin half moon slices. Set aside.
- Prep the potatoes: Thoroughly wash and scrub the potatoes. Using the coarse side of a box grater or the shredder attachment of your food processor, coarsely grate (shred) the potatoes and onion.
- Make the lemon latkes: Add the grated potatoes and onion to a bowl. Season with a hefty pinch of salt. Massage the salt the grated potatoes and onion for 1 to 2 minutes. The salt will draw out excess moisture. Place the grated potatoes and onion in the center of a large cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel. Fold the corners of the cheesecloth and wrap around the potatoes and onion. Squeeze as much excess liquid as you can, in the bowl. Discard the liquid and pat dry the bowl.
- Add the potatoes and onion to the bowl. Add the sliced lemons, cornstarch, breadcrumbs and toss until evenly coated. Add the eggs and mix until combined. The mixture should stay together when pressed between palms.
- Fry the lemon latkes: Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Line with paper towel. Heat a deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Fill the skillet with about 1-inch (2.5-cm) of olive oil. Since we are frying in olive oil, we want to keep the temperature lower than usual to prevent the oil from burning. If using a neutral oil, while you could fry at a higher temperature try to stay close to the suggested temperature, to prevent the lemons from burning. Heat for a few minutes, until the oil reaches 340°F (170°C).
- Grab a small handful (about 1/3 cup) of the lemon latke mixture. Press it between your palms to roughly form a patty, squeezing any excess liquid out over the latke bowl. Carefully place the latke in the hot oil. Repeat with 3 other latkes. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes on one side, until golden brown. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the latkes from burning. Carefully flip the latkes using a spatula or two forks and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on the other side, until golden brown.
- Place the fried lemon latkes on the paper towel to drain any excess oil, then remove the paper towel and place directly on the cooling rack. Season with salt.
- Make the black pepper sour cream: Add the sour cream to a small bowl. To a small pan over medium heat, add the pepper. Toast for 1 minute, until smoky and fragrant. Add the pepper and a pinch of salt to the sour cream. Mix until combined. Serve with fresh latkes.
