While no one on the Seed + Mill team ever complained about eating crispy fried potatoes, we all agree that the real highlight of eating potato latkes during Hanukkah is the toppings! We decided to make a classic Lemon Tahini Sauce to swoosh onto our latkes as a base for a variety of tasty, colorful toppings! The recipe for the potato latkes is by Nikki Russ-- of Russ & Daughters fame-- so you know you're in safe hands before you start getting creative with what goes over the top!

Watch us make them on Youtube and Reels. 

INGREDIENTS

For the latkes
2 ½ lbs russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely shredded on a box grater (you can also use a food processor with the shredding attachment)
1 medium onion, coarsely shredded on a box grater
2 large eggs, beaten 
½ c finely chopped scallions
¼ c matzo meal 
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly Seed + Mill Organic Tahini
2 tsp salt 
½ tsp pepper 
½ tsp baking powder
Neutral oil, for frying

For the lemony tahini sauce
½ c Seed + Mill Organic Tahini
¼ c cool water 
¼ c lemon juice 
Salt & pepper to taste

STEPS

For the latkes

1. In a colander set over a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the onion and squeeze dry. Let the potatoes and onion drain for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour off the liquid in the bowl, leaving the starchy paste at the bottom. Add the potatoes and onion, along with the eggs, scallions, matzo meal, butter, salt, pepper and baking powder; mix well.
2. In a large skillet, heat an 1/8-inch layer of oil until shimmering. Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of the latke batter into the skillet about 2 inches apart and flatten slightly with a spatula. Fry the latkes over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Transfer the latkes to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a platter. Repeat to make the remaining latkes, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. 

For the sauce

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt. Slowly pour in the water and whisk until you have a thick, smooth sauce that you can dollop on top of your latkes. If the sauce is too thin and runny, add 1-2 more tbs tahini and whisk to thicken it up.

To assemble

1. Dollop 1 tbsp of tahini sauce onto each latke and start layering on all your toppings. If you are serving the latkes very hot, you will need to be quick with your assembly to avoid the tahini sauce melting over the sides of the latkes. We would recommend waiting for the latkes to cool ever so slightly before the assembly step.
2. For this dish, we finished off our latkes with a mix of: lox, chopped beets, red onions, dill, chives, and sliced apples (which go surprisingly well with the tahini sauce!)