Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 13

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped

cup water

Olive oil for panfrying

Replace the flour with matzo meal to make these Pa.s.sover friendly.

HAVE READY layers of paper towels or a large, clean paper grocery bag for absorbing the oil after frying.

Combine the shredded veggies in a large mixing bowl. Add the shallot, flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, and fennel seeds. Use a wooden spoon to mix everything well; the flour mixture should evenly coat all the veggies. Add the water and stir again, until all the flour is dissolved.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pour a -inch layer of oil into the pan. Let the oil heat for about 2 minutes.

Form the beet mixture into b.a.l.l.s the diameter of a quarter, then flatten into 1-inch medallions. Fry the medallions in batches for 5 minutes; turn over and flatten them a bit with a spatula. Fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve ASAP.

POTATO LATKES.

MAKES ABOUT 18.

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES WITH A FOOD PROCESSOR, A LOT LONGER WITHOUT.

COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR.

This is the perfect recipe for the traditional Jewish fried potato pancake. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these guys are sure to please everyone at the Hanukkah table. Because they are made with matzo meal, they're good for Pa.s.sover as well. If you non-Jews among us are like "Hannuwha?" and "Pa.s.swhatover?" don't worry about it, just make up a batch the next time a need for fried potato-y goodness arises. Serve with applesauce and Horseradish-Dill Sour Cream (page 208). The recipe doubles perfectly, so make enough for the meshpuchah and then some.

2 pounds white potatoes, peeled

(Russet, Idaho, et al.)

1 small yellow onion, peeled

cup potato starch or cornstarch

teaspoon salt

teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups matzo meal

Lots of vegetable oil for frying

HAVE READY a brown paper shopping bags or paper towels for draining the oil from the latkes. You may also want to have the oven on at 200F to keep the latkes warm until you're ready to serve. If serving immediately, just have a baking pan covered with aluminum foil ready to keep the finished ones warm after they've been drained.

If using a food processor, use the grating blade to shred the potatoes and the onion. If shredding by hand, use a grater to shred all the potatoes. Dice the onion as finely as possible.

In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon or your hands (We use our hands, it's faster), mix the potatoes and onions with the potato starch until the potatoes have released some moisture and the starch is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, and stir. Add the matzo meal and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes. The mixture should become liquidy but sticky.

In the meantime, preheat a large, preferably cast-iron but definitely nonstick skillet over medium heat, a little bit on the high side. Pour a -inch layer of vegetable oil into the pan. The oil is hot enough when you throw a bit of batter in and bubbles rapidly form around it. If it immediately smokes, the heat is too high and you should lower it a bit. If the bubbles are really lazy, give the oil a few more minutes or raise the heat a bit.

IN Brooklyn we p.r.o.nounce latke lat-kuh, but in other parts of the country we've heard lat-key, which sounds really cute. Both p.r.o.nunciations are correct, so go with whatever suits you.

With wet hands (so that the mixture doesn't stick), roll the batter into golf ball-size b.a.l.l.s. Flatten into thin, round patties. Fry about four to six at a time; just be careful not to crowd the pan. Fry on one side for about 4 minutes, until golden brown. Flip over and fry for another 3 minutes.

Transfer to the paper towels and proceed with the remaining latkes. Once latkes have drained on both sides, place in a baking pan and keep at 200F or cover with aluminum foil, to keep warm.

ACORN SQUASH AND BLACK BEAN EMPANADAS.

MAKES 12 EMPANADAS.

TIME: 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES,.

LOTS OF IT INACTIVE.

Most Latin American and Spanish-speaking countries have their own variation of empanadas, but they are all basically a savory stuffed pastry. We make our empanadas into triangles as a matter of efficiency, because we hate cutting circles and then having sc.r.a.ps to reroll. If you want to do circles, more power to you! The flaky crust has a hint of cornmeal, which makes this empanada dough especially tasty. Plus, the nutty flavor of acorn squash goes great with black beans. Serve these with Tropical Avocado Salsa Fresca (page 213), Guacamole (page 69), or Sour Cilantro Cream (page 209).

Pastry: 2 cups all-purpose flour

cup cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

teaspoon baking powder

cup cold nonhydrogenated vegan shortening

- cup very cold water

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Filling: 1 acorn squash (about 1 pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 average-size red onion, sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 jalapenos, sliced thinly (seeds removed if you don't