CHANUKAH, DECEMBER-SOMETHING

GRANDMA PURPS’S LAID-BACK LATKES

Grandma never fried her Chanukah latkes in ganja oil, but the wonderful smell of them cooking saturated the house so completely that it made for an ideal time to sneak up into the attic for a few stealthy puffs with the other stoner cousins. Even better, by the time we returned to the kitchen—lit up like a menorah on the eighth night—those deliciously deep-fried potato pancakes would be waiting for us in all their golden-brown splendor, served with apple sauce and sour cream.

Holidays are a time set aside for understanding and embracing all the cultures and traditions of the Earth, so Jews and Gentiles should feel free to experience the Festival of Lights firsthand, particularly after consuming these particularly potent potato pancakes. But remember to call them latkes, and to spin your dreidel on the left-hand side …

STONES 12

5 pounds russet potatoes, washed and unpeeled

3 cipollini onions or 2 regular onions

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups THC Oil (see recipe)

Sour cream and applesauce, for serving (optional)

1. Shred the potatoes, using a box-style grater or the grating disc on a food processor. Keep the shredded potatoes from turning gray by immersing them in water.

2. Grate the onions and set aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 250°F and place a baking sheet inside.

4. Drain the potatoes and press them against the colander to squeeze out all the water.

5. Mix the grated potatoes and onions in a large bowl. Add the eggs, plus the salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Add the flour and mix again. You may need to add a little more flour if the mixture seems too loose.

6. Heat ½ cup of the THC Oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Test the oil by dropping 1 teaspoon of the latke batter into the pan; if it turns brown within 1 minute, then the oil is ready. Make your latkes by frying 1 heaping tablespoon of batter until golden brown on each side. Drain the latkes on a paper towel. Use a spatula to transfer the latkes to the oven where they’ll keep warm on the baking sheet. Repeat this process in batches until all the latke batter is used up, adding oil to pan as necessary. Reserve any remaining oil for another purpose. Serve latkes with sour cream and applesauce if desired.

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