COMFORT CORNER:
SPECIAL HOLIDAY EDITION
BY KAREN D. PERRY
December is a t r iple
threat when it comes
to holiday parties. You
have Hanukkah, Christmas and
New Year’s to party hearty. Keep
healthy and safe during this hol-iday
season.
The first six days of this month
bring the conclusion of Hanukkah.
Its name, “The Festival of Lights,”
comes from the rededication of
the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. In
a miracle, one vial of lamp oil lasted
eight days and nights. We will look
at the latke, symbol of that miracle.
With Saturday, December 25, you
have the celebration of Christmas.
For two millennia, people around
the world have been observing it
with traditions that are both reli-gious
and secular. Our focus will
be the popular custom of sharing
a sumptuous meal with family and
friends.
Throughout antiquity, civiliza-tions
celebrated the first of the year
when they were commemorating an
agricultural or astronomical event.
An important reform was made
by Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. With
the Julian calendar, the first day of
January was made the official start
of every New Year. Our highlight
will be the celebratory New Year’s
Eve toast.
Speaking of the New Year,
January will be blustery and frigid.
Therefore, January’s column will be
devoted to casseroles. Remember
those one-dish wonders your
mother or grandmother made to
keep you warm on a winter day?
Find those recipes. When you do,
call me at (718) 225-0107 to talk
about the recipe and your wonder-ful
memories.
Wishing you and yours a joyful
holiday season. May the New Year
bring to all, health, happiness and
peace of mind.
GARDEN GREEN LATKES
(Makes 8 to 10 latkes)
1 medium leek, sliced into very thin rounds
1 medium potato, scrubbed with skin left on
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped into tiny pieces
1 cup thinly slices scallions, use green part only
½ cup chopped dill, plus more for frying
1 clove finely minced garlic
4 eggs
1/3 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable oil, for frying
Sour cream, for serving
Directions: Arrange a rack over a cookie sheet, set aside. Place leeks in a
medium and cover with cold water. Swirl to release sand then dry thoroughly.
Grate potato. Squeeze out liquid and discard. In a large bowl combine leeks,
potato, broccoli, scallion, dill, garlic, eggs, potato starch, salt, pepper and
baking powder. Stir until well combined. Heat ½-inch oil in a large cast-iron
or other heavy skillet. The oil will be hot enough when you toss in a potato
shred and it sizzles immediately. Using a ¼ cup measure, drop the batter by
dollops into the pan, three or four at a time. Flatten the pancakes slightly.
Fry until underside is golden and edges lacy and crisp. About 3 minutes. Flip
and fry an additional 3 minutes. Drain latkes on the rack. If desired, season
with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm, topped with sour cream and
dill. If needed, latkes can be reheated in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes.
GRAND RASPBERRY TRIFLE
(Serves 10)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
4 cups raspberries
2 cups heavy cream
1 ½ pound of your favorite pound cake
Directions: To make lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, bring ½
cup sugar, ¼ cup water and lemon juice to a boil. Stir to dissolve
sugar. Let cool. In a small bowl, combine jam with 3 cups raspber-ries.
Mash slightly. In a large bowl, whip cream with 2 tablespoons
sugar until stiff peaks form. Cut pound cake into ¾ inch slices.
Brush both sides of cake slices with lemon syrup. Use a
4-quart trifle dish or other glass bowl. Fit 1/3 of cake slices
snugly in the bottom of dish. Trim edges if necessary. Gently
spread 1/3 of the raspberry mixture on the first cake layer.
Spread 1/3 of the whipped cream on top of the raspberry layer.
Repeat to make two more layers. Garnish with remaining cup
of raspberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours.
HANUKKAH
This year, Hanukkah began at sun-down
on Sunday, November 28 and lasts
until sundown on Monday, December
6. Therefore, you have a few days left to
experiment with holiday latkes. We high-ly
recommend the “No-Potato Latke”.
When you hear the word “Hanukah”,
the classic potato latke comes to mind.
Through generations, mothers and
grandmothers have served the very
same delicacy. What if you believe that
holidays present the perfect opportunity to experiment? Try serving holiday
foods that are fresh, innovative and unexpected. We suggest a “no-potato latke”
that brings garden goodness to a late fall meal.
CHRISTMAS
The celebration of Christmas in
America got off to a rocky start. In the
17th century, it was outlawed in many
cities. After the American revolution, it
fell out of favor along with many other
English customs. Only in the 19th cen-tury
did Americans begin to embrace
Christmas. At that time, they turned it
from a raucous, carnival holiday into a
family day of nostalgia and peace.
Fast forward to the 21st century.
Christmas has become a festival of epic proportions. It is thought
that up to 85% of Americans celebrate Christmas. Is it religious
observance, shopping, togetherness with family and friends or a
combination of the three? Our focus will be on the most universal
and luscious symbols of Christmas, a holiday meal with loved ones.
What if your menu is set but you still need a showstopper for your
holiday table? The answer is a trifle. Originating in England in the 18th
century a trifle consisted of 3-4 layers in a clear bowl, with fruit, alco-hol-
soaked sponge cake and custard. Modern versions are imaginative,
like a combination of brownie, candy cane, and white chocolate. For your
family celebration, we present an alcohol-free version of the classic trifle.
28 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ December 2021