How To Add Everything Seasoning To Latkes And Avoid Burning

The comforting flavor profile of classic latkes makes a superb neutral base for experimenting with aromatic spices, condiments, and relishes. Adding pre-made everything seasoning to your latkes is a quick way to boost their flavor with little leg work. However, the best way to add this garlicky blend to your shredded potato cakes without it burning is to incorporate it at the mixing stage rather than using it to coat their exterior before frying.

Why is coating latkes in everything seasoning a bad move? Because the delicious seeds in the mixture, which are high in natural oils, burn quickly when they meet the hot fat in your frying pan. Although it may be tempting to gently press the seasoning mix onto the surface of your patties to create a crispy outer crust you'll end up with a raw middle and scorched exterior. The nutty, earthy notes in the sesame and poppy seeds will turn bitter as they blacken and the garlic flakes and dried onion will become acrid and unpalatable. You're essentially dealing with a pacing issue here because your shredded potatoes simply won't have enough time to cook through and become tender in the center before the seasoning burns on the outside. Indeed, if you've ever toasted sesame seeds in a hot, dry skillet, you'll already know how quickly they can turn from aromatically golden to bitterly black. The better bet is to mix the seasoning into the potatoes so they can impart their flavor to the patties as they gently fry.

To successfully incorporate the garlicky flavors of your sesame seed blend into your golden, crispy latkes, give it a taste first. Some everything seasoning mixes have more salt than others, so be sure to try a little to gauge whether you'll need to omit the salt in your standard latke recipe (here's a great recipe for everything seasoning if you'd like to make your own blend). Then place your wrung-out shredded potato and onions in a large bowl, along with the dry ingredients, such as breadcrumbs or matzo meal, and eggs before sprinkling over your everything seasoning. Give the whole lot a good stir to ensure an even distribution of seasoning throughout your potato mixture. Finally, form the potatoes into patties (you aren't looking for uniformly neat edges here but a craggy outline to create optimum crunch when fried) and cook in a pan of hot oil until the exterior is crispy and the middle is deliciously tender.

Serve your everything seasoning latkes with a schmear of cream cheese and lox or alongside some sunny-side-up fried eggs for breakfast. If you're a traditionalist, stick with the ultimate potato patty partnership of applesauce and plain sour cream. It's a winning combination that perfectly compliments the fresh onion in the latkes themselves and the additional flavorful dried onion blended into the everything seasoning.