Latkes with Smoked Trout and Herbed Cream Cheese

To make the herbed cream cheese, in a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, shallot, lemon zest and juice and herbs until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

To make the latkes, using the fine grating attachment of a food processor, grate the potatoes and the onion into a bowl. Transfer the mixture to a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove the excess liquid.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the salt and pepper. Add the grated potatoes and onion and the flour and toss to thoroughly combine.

In a large fry pan over medium heat, pour olive oil to a depth of 1/2 inch (12 mm). Heat the oil until almost smoking. Working in batches, drop the batter into the oil, using 1 heaping Tbs. per latke. Press down on the latkes with the back of a spatula and cook until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the latkes to the prepared baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while cooking the remaining latkes.

To serve, top each latke with a dollop of the herbed cream cheese and a few flakes of the smoked trout. Garnish with the trout roe and serve immediately. Makes about 3 dozen latkes; serves 12.