Garden Court Café: Jeera Latke with Spiced Pickled Persimmon and Ginger Crème Fraîche

Jeera Latke with Spiced Persimmon Pickle and Ginger Creme Fraiche

Dreamed up by Garden Court Café's Tsering Nyima, this recipe incorporates spices such as jeera (cumin), allspice, ginger, and chili for a traditional Hanukkah treat with an Asian twist. These latkes were part of Garden Court Café's entry in Great Performances' annual Latke Festival, held at the Brooklyn Museum.

Ingredients

2 Russet (Idaho) potatoes, peeled and grated
1 small white onion, grated
2 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp toasted jeera (cumin) seeds
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for frying

Spiced Persimmon Pickle
4 unripe persimmons, washed, peeled, and sliced into small wedges
1 tsp dry chili powder
3 allspice berries
2 slices ginger, cut into dime-sized pieces
1 pint rice vinegar
1 pint apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp salt
½ cup sugar
3 juniper berries

Ginger Crème Fraîche
2 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp cultured buttermilk
2 oz ginger juice

Instructions

Latkes

  1. Place grated potato and onion in a cheesecloth-lined colander and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 30-45 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth and squeeze to wring out all excess moisture.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the drained vegetables with the remaining ingredients. 
  3. Heat ¼" olive oil in a skillet until sizzling hot. Place large teaspoons of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form ¼ to ½ inch thick patties. Brown them on both sides and drain on paper towels.

Persimmon Pickle

  1. Place all ingredients except for the persimmons into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 
  2. Place persimmons in a heatproof jar.
  3. Pour pickling liquid over the persimmons and let cool. Cover jar and refrigerate overnight.

Ginger Crème Fraîche

  1. Combine cream, buttermilk, and ginger juice in a glass jar. Cover tightly with cheesecloth and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Stir, screw on lid, and refrigerate for 24 hours before using.

Serve latkes with spiced persimmon pickle and a dollop of ginger crème fraîche.