Beet Latkes with Chive Goat Cheese

To make the chive goat cheese, in a bowl, stir together the goat cheese, sour cream and chives until thoroughly combined. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.

To make the latkes, using a food processor fitted with the shredding disk, shred the beet, carrots and onion. Working in batches, wrap the grated vegetables in a dish towel or several layers of paper towels and squeeze as much water as you can out of them. Don’t skimp; really get your squeeze on here.

Place the shredded, squeezed vegetables in a large bowl. Add the garlic, flour, baking powder, egg, salt and pepper and mix with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are fully incorporated.

In a large pan over medium heat, warm 1/4 inch (6 mm) of vegetable oil until shimmering but not smoking, and line a large rimmed baking sheet with two layers of paper towels. Working in batches of four or five, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter into the pan and gently press with a spatula to flatten. Fry, turning once, until crisp on both sides and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total. Continue with the remaining batter, adding additional oil to the pan if necessary and adjusting the heat if the latkes are browning too quickly or not quickly enough. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the latkes to the paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain.

Serve hot, topped with the goat cheese mixture and a sprinkle of chives. Or, let the latkes cool and store in the refrigerator or freezer. When ready to serve, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven. Serves 6.

Adapted from Modern Jewish Cooking, by Leah Koenig (Chronicle Books). Copyright © 2015.