Latkes

Makes 15 Latkes

·      2.4 lb (1.1 kg) peeled russet potatoes

·      1 (about 8 oz/225 g) Spanish onion

·      2 eggs, yolks + whites separated, at room temperature

·      ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons (40 g) matzo meal (preferably Streit’s)

·      3¾ teaspoons salt

·      Clarified butter and/or Schmaltz (pg. 169), for frying

·      14% sour cream, for serving

·      Roasted Applesauce (pg. 216), for serving

·      Chives, finely sliced, for serving

·      Freshly grated horseradish, for serving

Roughly grate the potatoes into a bowl filled with cold water. The water will slow oxidation and help with crispiness later on. Set aside while you grate the onion into a separate bowl.

Remove the grated potato from the water with your hands and transfer to the bowl with the grated onion. Reserve the water.

Working in batches, use your hands, a cheesecloth, or a kitchen towel to squeeze the potato and onion together, removing as much liquid as possible. Discard the liquid and transfer the strained potato and onion to a clean bowl as you go.

By now, the starch will have settled in the bowl with the potato water. Carefully pour out the water; you’ll clearly see the starch remaining at the bottom.

To the bowl with the wrung potato and onion, add the reserved starch, egg yolks, matzo meal, and salt. Mix together until well combined.

In a separate bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer, whip the egg whites to semi-stiff peaks. Do NOT overwhip—once you hit soft peaks, whip for an extra 5 to 10 seconds, then stop. Delicately fold them into the potato mixture.

Fill a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet about ¼ inch deep with clarified butter and/or Schmaltz. Set over medium-high heat. Once the fat is hot, use a 1/3-cup measurement or #10 (3¼ oz) cookie scoop to scoop the batter in a mound-like shape into the pan. Repeat, working in batches to prevent crowding. Lower the heat to medium. Using a spatula, lightly flatten each mound. Generously salt the side facing up. Fry until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, then flip each latke and salt the other side. Each side of the latke should be a deep golden brown.

Place the latkes on a paper towel–lined plate to absorb excess fat, then transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet tray.

To serve the Arthurs way, top the latkes with a dollop each of sour cream and applesauce, a sprinkling of chives, and some freshly grated horseradish.

Moroccan Toast

Makes 4 Toasts

·      Moroccan-Style Eggplant

·      2 large eggplants sliced in

·      ¾-inch rounds1

·      ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil

·      ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive

·      oil

·      ¼ small Spanish onion, finely

·      diced

·      ½ red bell pepper, finely diced

·      3 large cloves garlic, minced

·      Packed 1½ tablespoons dark

·      brown sugar

·      1½ teaspoons Moroccan or

·      sweet paprika

·      1½ teaspoons ground cumin

·      1 teaspoon ground turmeric

·      Juice of ½ lemon

MAKE THE MOROCCAN-STYLE EGGPLANT

Place the sliced eggplants on two parchment-lined sheet trays. Lightly sprinkle both sides with salt. Let sit for 10 to 20 minutes, until some of the moisture is drawn out. Thoroughly pat dry with a paper towel. Do not be tempted to skip this step, or the eggplant will turn out bitter and wet.

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the neutral oil over medium-high heat. Turn on your hood fan to capture the smoke (alternatively, let your fire alarm go off so the good-looking firemen come over).

Working in batches, fry the eggplant until the exterior is just shy of burnt, about 5 to 7 minutes on the first side and 3 to 5 minutes on the second. Don’t move them around too much. They will look very dark, but the interior should be white and creamy and feel soft when poked. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Add more oil between batches as needed.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the olive oil to the skillet. Sauté the onion and pepper until lightly browned and soft, about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Next, stir in the brown sugar, paprika, cumin, and turmeric and cook for another minute, until fragrant.

Return the cooked eggplants to the pan. Mash the mixture until it reaches a spreadable consistency and is beginning to stick to the bottom. The final color should be lightly golden. If it’s dark, you’ve likely burnt and overcooked your eggplant, and you’ve fucked up.

Stir in the lemon juice and adjust salt and spices to taste (depending on the season, your eggplants may require more brown sugar).

MAKE THE CRISPY CHICKPEAS

Strain the chickpeas and pat them dry. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and fry until golden brown and slightly shrunken in size, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to absorb oil. Place in a bowl and toss with the za’atar and a generous pinch of salt. (You can also do this in an air fryer.)

Let cool. Store in an uncovered container until ready to use. These will keep for a few days but are best eaten the same day.

ASSEMBLE

Cook the eggs to your liking (we prefer poached, which can be done up to 24 hours in advance).

Lay out all your prepared components, like a real chef would.

Butter the challah and toast in a pan. For each serving, place one slice in the center of a large plate. Spread a couple tablespoons of Harissa Mayo all over the surface of the bread. Place about ½ cup Moroccan-Style Eggplant on top of each slice. Use a spoon to shape a mini crater in the center and add the eggs. Season them with salt and black pepper. Delicately spoon at least ¼ cup of the Arthurs Cucumber Salad over the eggs in a little mound. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons Savory Tahini Sauce all over the Arthurs Cucumber Salad.

For topping, squeeze a bit of lemon over top and splatter around some Paprika Oil. Finally, scatter over the remaining topping ingredients to suit your taste. The finished plate should be kind of a hot mess—teetering, over-accessorized, and delicious.

Deli Sprinkle Cookies

Makes 24 Cookies

·      226 g (1 cup) butter, at room temperature

·      83 g (2/3 cup) powdered sugar 245 g (1¾ cups) flour

·      3 g (¾ teaspoon) salt

·      110 g (¾ cup) toasted almonds, finely chopped

·      200 g (1 cup) sprinkles

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour and salt. Mix until just combined, then add the almonds and mix in.

Shape the dough into balls the size of Ping-Pong balls (about 30 g/1 oz each).

Pour the sprinkles into a shallow dish. Roll the balls in the sprin- kles, and gently reshape if necessary. Transfer to a sheet tray, and freeze until solid, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. If opting for the longer freeze, transfer to an airtight container once hard to save space and protect them from the freezer air.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Arrange the cookies on a room-temperature, parchment-lined sheet tray, leaving 2 inches between them. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating halfway through. The bottoms should be golden.

Let cool in the pan, then transfer to an airtight container, where they’ll keep at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.