Photograph and recipe courtesy of Abe Fisher.

The Latke

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Makes one big latke, cut into wedges to serve

2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons flour
2½ teaspoons salt
1 egg

1. Combine all ingredients quickly, don’t overmix.

2. Using a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, fill hot pan halfway with oil.

3. Let oil get hot (a dollop of the mix should sizzle) before adding all of the mixture to the pan.

4. Cook 5 minutes on the first side, flip and cook 5 minutes on the second side, flip and cook 2 minutes, flip again and cook 2 minutes. Remove from oil and drain.

Gin Cured Salmon

1 side of filleted salmon, pinbones removed
1 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons granulated or brown sugar
1 bunch dill, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
¼ to ½ cup of gin

1) Combine all salt, sugar, dill, parsley. Then add ¼ cup gin to dry ingredients, until mixture has a wet sand consistency. Use this “sand” to pack the fish, laid out on a sheet tray with space in between each piece.

2) Pack fish with wet sand mixture. Let it sit in fridge 7 days, uncovered, to cure.

3) After 7 days, slice thinly to serve.

Pickled Beets

2 bunches of baby beets, rinsed but skin on
2 cups water
2 cups white distilled vinegar
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons ground allspice
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup chopped chives, to garnish

1) Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

2) Place beets, liquids, sugar, allspice and salt in a pan. Cover, and cook in oven for 45 minutes, until beets are fork tender. Allow beets to cool in the liquid. (Peels will come right off.) Discard peels and cooking liquid.

3) Dice beets small and mix with chopped chives, reserving a few to garnish finished dish.

Homemade Boursin-Style Cheese

1 head garlic
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt to taste
¾ cup butter
1 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons dried chives
2 tablespoons fresh dill
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
½ cup sour cream

1) Preheat oven to 275˚ F.

2) Wrap whole head of garlic in foil. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and bake for 1½ hours or until very soft.

3) Combine butter, cream cheese and roasted garlic in a food processor with white pepper. Process until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in chives, dill, parsley and sour cream. Salt to taste. Store up to a week in the refrigerator.

To assemble the dish:

Serve latkes hot, cut into wedges. Schmear boursin across each plate; place one latke wedge down; top with two shingles of sliced salmon; add second latke; shingle two more layers of salmon. Top with pickled beets; garnish with chopped chives.

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