Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh cod skin and bones removed
- salt for potatoes and seasoning
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup milk
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 8 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and halved
- 1 large egg well beaten
- 2 cups matzo meal
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
- sour cream, applesauce or lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Season cod with salt and place in an 8-by-12-inch baking dish. Pour the olive oil and the milk over it, and lay the thyme sprigs and garlic on top. Cover with aluminum foil, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked and begins to flake apart. When the fish has cooked, remove it, reserving the thyme and the cooking liquid.
- Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large pot of cold water and season with 2 tablespoons salt. Bring the water to a boil, and cook the potatoes until a knife passes effortlessly through them. Strain in a colander and return to the pot, cooking over very low heat for about 4 minutes to get rid of any excess moisture. Remove from the heat, and mash in the pot until smooth. Stir in onion powder.
- Lightly beat the egg in a large bowl. Stir the mashed potatoes, little by little, into the egg. Add the leaves of the reserved thyme. Using a fork, flake the cod, and then fold it into the mashed potatoes. If the batter is too stiff, mix 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of the reserved cod-cooking liquid into the batter. If the batter does not hold together, add up to 1/4 cup matzo meal. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat about ½ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Form the mixture into small patties about ½ inch thick. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the latkes for 3–5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Serve the hot latkes immediately with your choice of toppings, such as sour cream, applesauce, or lemon wedges.
Notes
If you aren't following kosher, you can use fine bread crumbs to replace the matzo meal.
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