Potato Latkes with Apple Confit and Crispy Sage Recipe

DIRECTIONS

For the apple confit:

Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the apples, lemon juice, and sugar. Toss well, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer the apples until tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover the pot and coarsely mash the apples using a wooden spoon. Add the calvados and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute.

For the crispy sage:

Line a small plate with a paper towel and heat a small, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the sage leaves. Toss the leaves so they are well coated with the butter and sauté until they start to foam up, turn dark-green, and become crispy, about 1-2 minutes. (The leaves must not turn brown or they will burn.) Transfer to the plate and set aside.

For the latkes:

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/16-inch julienne using a mandoline, about 4 cups. (Alternatively, use a medium-sized hand-grater or food processor with shredder attachment.) Place the slices in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Set aside for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.

Drain the potato slices and place on a clean kitchen towel. Blot out all moisture and transfer to a large bowl. Add the shallots and toss well. Dust with the flour and salt, and season with pepper, to taste. Toss well again.

Add the eggs and stir until well blended. Transfer to a colander or medium-sized sieve and suspend over a bowl. Let the potato mixture drain for 15 minutes. (This step will make the latkes crispier as the potatoes will lose a lot of moisture.)

Line a platter with a paper towel and heat a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to generously cover the pan, about 1/8 inch. Using a regular fork and spoon, grab ¼ cup of the potato mixture, shape into a 1 ½-by-3-inch log, and place in the hot oil.

Sauté until golden-brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. (You may have to reduce the heat as the pan gets hot: The latkes should not turn brown too fast and the oil should never come to smoking point.) Transfer to the platter lined with a paper towel. Repeat until the potato mixture has all been used up, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.*

Place the latkes on a platter. Spoon a dollop of the apple confit on top of each latke. Garnish with a crispy sage leaf and serve immediately.