Root for Latkes!

By far, my all-time favorite vegetable latke recipe (was featured in a "circle dinner" series in Cookie Magazine). Much lighter than the original fried potato fare, these little veggie cakes + a dipping dish of sour cream can actually be a pretty complete meal for the little guys. The parsnip and carrots hold much more flavor than the original recipe, and this is super delicious when you mix some chopped fresh dill into the sour cream.

Root Vegetable Latkes:

1 large parsnip, peeled and shredded

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and shredded

2 large carrots, peeled and shredded

3 leeks (white and light green parts only) or 1 onion, chopped

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 large eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup LIGHT extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a colander, rinse the parsnip and potatoes under cold water. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels; transfer to a mixing bowl.

2. Stir in the carrots, leeks (or onion), flour, baking powder, eggs, salt, and pepper.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Drop in large spoonfuls of the batter, flattening each with the back of the spoon. Cook, turning once, until brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel–lined baking sheet in a 200°F oven until serving.

For those of you looking for something a bit more spiky or if you're hosting a wild and crazy Chanukah sin-dig, definitely check out this recipe for Vodka Latkes!