Tom Hunt, the food writer and campaigner, shares his recipe for turning any root vegetables into crispy latkes, a traditional Jewish potato cake. The recipe is flexible, allowing cooks to use up tired vegetables from the crisper drawer, such as beetroot, celeriac, or turnip. Hunt suggests adding ground linseeds for omega-3s and serving with poached eggs or apple compote and soya yoghurt.
The method begins by grating 150g of mixed root vegetables and one onion, then salting them to draw out excess moisture. After squeezing out the liquid, combine with flour or breadcrumbs, optional wholegrain mustard, ground linseeds, and baking powder. Fry in olive oil for three to five minutes per side until golden brown.
Hunt recommends serving the latkes with carrot leaves or parsley for colour, sauerkraut for a sour contrast, or poached eggs for protein. The leftover vegetable liquid can be mixed with olive oil to make a dressing. The latkes can also be reheated in the oven later.
