Mushroom Pecan Latkes

Mushroom Pecan Latkes

Hanukah isn’t Hanukah without latkes. Normally they are made from potatoes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try something new this year. In fact, you can find recipes for latkes made from sweet potatoes, beets, zucchini or other root vegetables. For something entirely different, try these mushroom pecan latkes.

For this recipe you will need the following ingredients:

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
10 ounces of sliced white mushrooms
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup of cooked wild rice
1/2 cup of toasted chopped pecans
1 tablespoon of sour cream
1 large egg
3 tablespoons of matzo meal
3 tablespoons of dill
3/4 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
Smoked salmon (for garnish)
Pickled ginger (for garnish)

Pour three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a non-stick frying pan. Place the sliced mushrooms in the pan and sauté them. Add the salt, pepper and thyme. Move the sautéed mushrooms to a food processor and pulse them until they are chopped. Pour the chopped mushrooms into a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, except those used for garnishing, and stir to mix well.

Add a little more oil to the frying pan and heat it so the mushroom, pecan and wild rice mixture will fry. Unlike potato latkes which are formed by hand, take a tablespoon of the mixture and place it in the oil. Fry the mixture for a few minutes on each side. Drain the mushroom pecan latkes on paper towels. You may garnish the latkes with pickled ginger or strips of smoked salmon, or nothing at all. This recipe makes about 10 latkes.

While this recipe might not be something you would fix for young children, it can be a wonderful departure from traditional latkes. They are also a latke you can feel good serving to adult friends with more discriminating taste.