Leek Latkes with Herbed Yogurt

By now you know that my mom was the primary cook in our house. She made us dinner almost every night. Still, my dad does have a few signature dishes that he'd make occasionally, which I really loved as a kid. One was apple pan dowdy. Another was matzah brei. And the third -- the marvelous third -- was latkes.

leeks and egg

My father's latkes are the best. They're lacy and delicate, well-seasoned, and unshyly fried to a (sometimes deliciously burnt) crisp, just the way I like them. I've made them his way several times over the years. I've also tried my hand at my mom's equally good sweet potato latkes, and have -- as she sometimes does -- mixed some zucchini into my pancakes. All varieties are worth making, now aren't they?

Hanukkah provides an annual excuse to blithely and guiltlessly fry things. Never one to squander such an opportunity, this year I decided to experiment in the fried-root-vegetable-pancake department. No potato latkes for us this time around; the wringing and sieving and squeezing what appears to be an endless stream of liquid from those tubers simply got the best of me. Instead, I turned to the book that now sits front and center on my new cookbook shelf: that'd be Plenty, the newish book from Tel Avivi/Brit Yotam Ottolenghi. It's like this book was written just for me: eggplant, pomegranates, tomatoes, feta, and yogurt are just about everywhere. And everything I've read about this book suggests that it's ideal when used as a starting point, a resource for improvisational cooking. That's just my speed.

Page 34 of Plenty contains a recipe for leek fritters that I've been planning to make for weeks in honor of the holiday. Encouraged to riff, I made a slew of changes to Ottolenghi's template. Most notably -- and I know this departs from the Hanukkah zeitgeist of frying everything in oil -- I swapped half the olive oil out for butter. Sorry, I couldn't resist. I also found that a bit of water really helps the leeks soften more quickly, so I added that along with the butter and oil. Out of shallots, I used half an onion. It works; shallots would be wonderful, though. Also, I skipped the whipped egg white. Less fuss, and the pancakes were still plenty fluffy. You can thank me later.

leek latke batter

You know what's great about this latke batter? It requires no squeezing. Leeks don't leak. They just stay put, incorporating seamlessly into a batter scented with tumeric and cinnamon, coriander and cumin. I might add a tiny pinch of ground cloves next time, for a base note.  Other than that, not much I'd change. The latkes are shockingly light, aromatic, and a really nice change from the usual potato variety.

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Improv cooking, again a success. Though that yogurt sauce? I actually made it according to the recipe. And after devouring half with a spoon tasting it, I wouldn't change a thing.

Happy Hanukkah, friends.

Leek Latkes with Herbed Yogurt

Serves 4

Right, so about that whole "by the recipe" thing. I actually swapped in creme fraiche for the sour cream Ottolenghi calls for, and I used a lot less of it than of yogurt (recipe says half and half). I liked the tang of the creme fraiche, but I've come to the purely speculative conclusion that this sauce would be great with any mixture of yogurt, creme fraiche, and/or sour cream that you like or can make based on what's in your fridge. Go forth and improvise!

When you do fry these up, use either a nonstick or cast iron pan. I test-fried a batch in a regular stainless steel pan, and with enough oil or butter they won't stick, but make your life easier and use something nonstick.

For the latkes: 1 lb. leeks (about 6 medium), quartered lengthwise, sliced 1/2-inch thick, rinsed, and dried 5 shallots or 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 stick (4 oz.) butter, divided 2 T olive oil 1/4 cup water 1 small serrano or Thai red chile, seeded and diced 1/4 teaspoon tumeric 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 2 eggs 2/3 cup milk 3/4 cup flour 1 scant tablespoon baking powder olive oil for frying

For the sauce:

1 cup greek yogurt, sour cream, creme fraiche, or a mixture (I used 3/4 yogurt, 1/4 creme fraiche) 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped 1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 tsp salt

In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add leeks and shallot or onion, toss to coat with butter/oil, then add water to pan. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated and leeks have softened. Remove from heat and add chile, parsley, spices, sugar and salt. Set aside to cool completely.

While leeks cook, make the yogurt sauce: blitz everything in a food processor until fully combined into a uniform, light-green sauce.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, melted butter, flour, and baking powder to form a loose batter. Add cooled vegetable mixture, and fold together just until combined.

Set up a platter next to your stove, and line it with 1 layer of paper towels.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Test oil heat by dropping a small bit of batter in; if it sizzles when it hits the oil, you're ready to fry. Use a standard ice cream scoop or 2 large spoons to scoop batter into the pan. My large skillet fit four latkes at once. Fry latkes for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to towel-lined platter when finished cooking. If doubling the recipe, you can store finished latkes in a warm oven (275 degrees F will do) while you make a second batch.

....Oh. Consume.

Mushroom Shallot Quiche

A couple weekends ago, our friends Meryl and Benjy came to town. We slept in for the first time in years, and then we hosted a late morning brunch. There's nothing like nursing a cup of strong, steaming coffee, stirring eggs and cream, and soaking in a perfect fall day.

First to the table was my new cold-weather staple, citrus salad: peeled sliced grapefruit and oranges, a little honey, some mint, presto. Rebecca made French toast casserole, dripping maple syrup and topped with fresh blueberries. To round things out, I made this quiche.

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There are lots of things to love about this recipe, originally from Dorie Greenspan. Its filling calls for just two eggs, instead of the usual six. It comes together very easily. And it calls for layering the ingredients into the quiche, pouring the eggs and cream over the mushroom mixture, then topping everything with grated cheese and sliced scallions. This method came in especially handy over the weekend, when I learned that Benj didn't like mushrooms. No sweat: I just sautéed some arugula with shallot and piled it into one section of the quiche in lieu of mushrooms. Problem solved.

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This quiche here, it's made in a tart shell (which accounts for the smaller number of eggs). That means you'll be baking it on a baking sheet - the better to pile scraps of leftover pie crust on the pan next to it, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake off. Cook's treat.

P.S.Were you looking for a Thanksgiving side? I think this would be mighty handsome on your holiday table. Hope it's a wonderful weekend!

Mushroom Shallot Quiche Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 large egg 1-2 teaspoons cold water

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 cup chopped shallots (about 2 medium) 1/2 pound mushrooms, quartered (halved if small) 5 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided 1 tablespoon Madeira, vermouth, or white wine, optional

3/4 cup whipping cream 2 large eggs Pinch of salt Pinch of ground black pepper 2 green onions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced 2 tablespoons finely grated Gruyère cheese

Make Crust: Blend flour, salt, and sugar in food processor. Add butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 1 egg and 1 teaspoon cold water in small bowl; add to flour mixture. Pulse processor just until moist clumps form. If necessary, add second teaspoon water and repeat. Transfer to work surface and knead gently until dough comes together, about 4 turns. Form into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour. Dough can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Par-bake Crust: Butter 9 1/2-inch round fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer dough to pan, pressing onto bottom and up sides of pan; trim any excess dough so edge lies flush with fluted edge of tart pan. Chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a large piece of foil and press, butter side down, onto crust. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Using fork, pierce bottom of crust all over (about 10 times). Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool. Can be baked 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Make Filling: Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add Madeira, vermouth, or white wine, if using. Increase heat to high and sauté until liquid is absorbed and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 1/2 teaspoons thyme and cook 1 minute. Transfer mixture to plate. Cool mushrooms completely.

Assemble and Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cooled crust in pan on baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons thyme. Drain mushrooms, if needed. Scatter mushrooms over thyme. Whisk cream, eggs, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Pour egg mixture over mushrooms. Sprinkle with green onions and cheese.

Bake quiche until custard is set, about 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Beef Stew with Vadouvan

I didn't believe it was possible to make a flavorful beef stew without beef stock, but this recipe proved me wrong. An unassuming combination of cheap stew meat, green beans, tomatoes, and spices come together on the stove and cook low and slow, turning into something distinctly more than the sum of its parts. The green beans melt into lusciousness while, miraculously, maintaining their texture through hours of cooking. And the tomatoes become a complex, silky sauce that coats the beef and does wonders for a bowl of hot rice.

I adapted this stew from a Food52 recipe that, quite frankly, needed no adapting. It calls for coriander and cumin, which I used in moderation, and which are quite lovely. However, I also added plenty of vadouvan, an intriguing blend combining many of the spices in curry - cumin, tumeric, mustard seeds - with more French spices like shallots and nutmeg. It's positively seductive, and it works magic on this stew.

Susan on Food52 uses an interesting method for cooking this stew, skipping the browning process and instead simply covering the beef with water and cooking it just so. I'm not so bold; I insisted on browning the beef in just a tablespoon of olive oil, and I was happy to have browned the beef before making the stew. That said, I can't think of a time when Amanda and Merrill have steered me wrong, so should you want to skip the browning, I have every faith you'd make something delicious. Go forth, friends. It's beef stew season.

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Beef Stew with Vadouvanadapted from Food52 Serves 6-8

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 lb. stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks salt and pepper 16 oz. crushed tomatoes 1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed, halved 2 cloves of garlic 1 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon vadouvan (if not using, increase coriander and cumin to 2 teaspoons each)

Drizzle the olive oil into a heavy bottomed dutch oven or covered pot and place over medium heat. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper on all sides, and add beef to the pot in a single layer. Sear, turning as needed, until lightly browned on all sides.

Add water to cover beef, the green beans, and the crushed tomatoes, garlic cloves, and spices. Stir to combine, cover the pot, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, until beef is very tender and green beans are soft but still intact. Check on stew periodically, stirring and adding more water if necessary. By the time the beef is thoroughly cooked, the liquid will have reduced considerably, so you'll probably have to add water at least once while the stew cooks.

Serve hot over rice, with plenty of sauce ladled overtop.

Mushroom Turnovers

Most of you regulars probably know that in the summer months, D and I operate under a cold-oven policy. Our apartment, see, it loves the heat. It clings to every last morsel of July humidity like there's some shortage (which, having spent the past week in town clinging to my vent, I can say with certainty there is not). Living in this hot, sticky mess, I'm so tired I can barely cook. We've been eating lots of salads these past few weeks, and in our near future, there's no shortage of those, either.

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On the rare occasions that I do turn on the oven (for, say, this peach blackberry wonder), I try to maximize its utility. That's what had me making these mushroom turnovers a couple weeks back. The oven was already on, so I figured I should get as much stuff inside as I possibly could. The beauty of these triangles is that you can cook the whole batch at once, freeze them, and then pop a couple into a container any which day and call 'em lunch.

I've been making spanikopita for years, both with puff pastry and with phyllo dough, and apple turnovers are a beloved winter brunch staple. But mushroom turnovers are the newest addition to my turnover repertoire. They're easy, delicious, and appropriate for all seasons. Also, they're pretty easy to make.

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I modeled the recipe on my stuffed mushrooms, which are inspired by the delicious stuffed mushrooms my mom makes. They're purist's mushrooms, made using the chopped up fungi, cheese, and little else. For my turnovers, I sauteed chopped mushrooms with shallots and garlic till soft and flavorful, deglazed with white wine, and cooked the whole mixture until the liquid had evaporated. Into each turnover goes a scoop of the mushrooms and a sprinkle of cheese. That's it.

If you don't make these until fall, I won't judge. It's pretty darn hot. But if you're already making that cherry pie, why toss a batch of these into the oven at the same time? That way, you can be as lazy as the heat requires for the rest of the week, and still not go hungry. A good deal, if you ask me.

Mushroom Turnovers makes 12 turnovers

1 package (24 sheets) phyllo dough (most boxes contain two packages) 3 tablespoons olive oil 6 tablespoons butter, divided 4 small to medium shallots, diced 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 2 lbs. mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and diced (including stems) salt and pepper 1/2 cup white wine 1/2 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Leave phyllo dough out on the counter, still wrapped, for at least 1 hour to thaw.

Meanwhile, add olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter to a large saute pan set over medium heat. When butter has melted, add shallots, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sweat for two minutes. Add chopped mushrooms, another pinch of salt, and several gratings of pepper. Cook mushrooms, stirring every so often, until soft, fragrant, and slightly shriveled, about 15 minutes. Add white wine to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized bits of mushroom and shallot from the bottom of the pan. Cook about 5 minutes more, until wine has totally evaporated and mixture no longer looks moist. Remove from heat and allow to cool at least 10 minutes.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 350. Unwrap phyllo dough so that the stack of sheets lies completely flat. Cover with a kitchen towel, and keep phyllo covered with towel while making the turnovers. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat, and take a second baking sheet to use as your workspace.

Now you have your workstation - phyllo on one side, mushroom mixture and butter next to you, lined baking sheet right nearby. Take one sheet of phyllo dough and gently place it onto the unlined baking sheet (your workspace). Brush lightly with melted butter - a 3 strokes per sheet, maximum. Place another sheet of phyllo over the first, and brush butter again. Repeat two more times, for a total of four phyllo sheets stacked one on the next. Then use a paring knife to slice this stack in two lengthwise, so you have two long strips (as in the first picture). Put 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture at one edge of each strip, and sprinkle about 1/2 tablespoon cheese (more, if desired) over the mushroom mixture. Then fold as you would a paper football (again, see top picture) until the mixture is completely wrapped in phyllo. Place onto lined baking sheet so the end of each strip of dough is tucked under the turnover. Repeat with remaining sheets of phyllo, until you've done these steps 6 times and made a total of 12 turnovers. Place turnovers on lined baking sheet with a bit of space between each.

Bake turnovers for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately, or cool completely on a rack, then transfer to the freezer. Turnovers will keep frozen for several months.