Merry almost Christmas, y’all! How the hell it’s already December is not only mind boggling, it’s downright terrifying! Can someone please explain how this shiteous year flew by as fast as it did? I mean, I’m not complaining by any stretch, but still!

I don’t know about you, but I always gain 5-10 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. No matter how much I try to work out or not take that second (and by ‘second,’ I mean fourth) helping, it never fails! So you know what? This year, I decided to ‘just go with it’ and enjoy myself.

And speaking of enjoying myself, this savory pancake recipe is one of my most favorites of all time! It’s an adaptation from my grandmother’s original and is married with inspiration from my friend, Mo’s green chile version that he serves at his Austin restaurant, JewBoy Burgers.

So why didn’t I call this a ‘latke’ recipe, you ask? Well, because when I think of the term ‘latke,’ I think of Hanukkah. And Hanukkah only happens once/year. But these, my friends, these pancakes are so damn good, they’re worthy of being served and enjoyed all year long. Trust me, they’re that f’ing delicious.

Supplies/utensils needed for this recipe:

• Box cheese grater

• Cheesecloth or light tea towel (to wring water out of potatoes)

• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

• Vegetable oil

• Small sauté pan

• Large sauté pan

• Large mixing bowl

• Colander

• Large cookie sheet topped with paper towels (to soak up oil from pancakes)

• Tablespoon (or a larger slotted spoon, depending on your desired pancake size)

• Metal spatula

Ingredients:

Makes about 8-15 pancakes, depending on your desired size

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped (from about 2 green onions)

• 1/2 cup sweet white onion (Maui or Vidalia), chopped 

• 1/4 cup Hatch green chiles, chopped (such as these)

• 1 large russet potato, skinned and cut in half (try to find a potato that is 3/4-1 lb.)

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 cup flour

• 1 egg, beaten

• (Optional) Sour cream and jalapeno pepper jelly (such as this)

Method:

1. In a small sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat.

2. Add green and white onions and season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste.

3. Sauté for 3 minutes.

4. Add green chiles and continue to sauté for about 5 more minutes.

5. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. Add water about 1/3-1/2 way up a large mixing bowl.

7. Using the box grater, grate the potatoes and put the flesh into the large mixing bowl filled with water. Set aside.

8. In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients (garlic powder, pepper, salt, baking powder, flour) and set aside.

9. In another small bowl, add the egg and beat until combined. Set aside.

10. Cover a cookie sheet with paper towels and set near the stove.

11. Fill a large sauté pan about 1/4-1/3 of the way high with vegetable oil. Turn heat to medium (it will take a few minutes for the oil to warm).

12. Place the colander in the sink and drain the potatoes.

13. Using a light tea towel or cheesecloth, add the potatoes like a bundle and squeeze out as much excess water as you can.

14. Put potatoes back into the large mixing bowl. Add the onion/green chile mixture - dry ingredients - and beaten egg. Stir to combine.

15. Bring mixture over to the stove. Turn heat to medium-high.

16. Using a tablespoon (or a larger slotted spoon, depending on your desired size), add pancake mix one by one to the hot oil. Note that cooking time for each side of the pancake could take up to 3-minutes!

17. Place finished pancakes on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet to cool.

18. Repeat until all pancakes have been made.

19. Serve warm with optional sour cream and jalapeno jelly.

Until we eat again,

The Lunch Belle