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Mini Kabocha Squash Latkes with Cranberry Apple Chutney

Faye Levy
These sweet and savory latkes are delicious with spiced cranberry apple chutney, which gains flavor and color from dried cranberries. The easiest way to prepare kabocha squash is to cook it whole so that this hard-shelled squash becomes easy to cut. Cook it by microwaving, boiling in water, steaming or roasting; if microwaving or roasting, pierce it first several times with a sharp knife. Cook the squash until very tender when pierced with a fork.
Chef’s Note: Make chutney before frying the latkes. Pink-fleshed Hidden Rose apples will give the chutney a delicate pink hue.
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Course Side Dish
Servings 4 to 6 servings, makes about 20 to 24 mini latkes

Ingredients
  

FOR KABOCHA SQUASH LATKES

  • 1 kabocha squash, about 3 pounds
  • ½ cup semolina
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil, such as sunflower, grapeseed or canola oil (for frying), more if needed
  • Mint sprigs (optional garnish)
  • Chunky Spiced Cranberry Apple Chutney (recipe below)
  • Yogurt or sour cream (optional)

FOR CHUNKY SPICED CRANBERRY APPLE CHUTNEY

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as sunflower,
  • grapeseed or canola
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
  • 2 pounds sweet-tart apples (about 5 or 6), peeled,
  • halved, cored and diced
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
  • ½ cup water
  • ⅔ cup dried cranberries

Instructions
 

FOR KABOCHA SQUASH LATKES

  • Wash the squash and prick it with a fork. Bake the whole squash at 350° until tender. Halve cooked squash and remove seeds and fibers. Scoop out meat with a spoon and put it in a large bowl. Using a potato masher, mash squash meat to a purée; a few small chunks might remain.
  • Measure 2½ cups purée and return to bowl. Add semolina, egg, salt and spices; mix well.
  • If you like, preheat oven to 250°F to keep latkes warm. Line a plate with paper towels.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a medium or mediumlarge nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Take 1 heaping tablespoon batter, push it off spoon with a rubber spatula into hot oil and gently flatten and smooth the pancake with bottom of spoon. Add more pancakes to skillet, leaving room to turn them over.
  • Fry latkes about 2 minutes, or until golden brown on bottom. Turn them carefully using 2 pancake turners. Fry second side until golden. Transfer to a lined plate.
  • Make more latkes from remaining batter.
  • Serve hot on a platter garnished with mint sprigs; accompany with cranberry apple chutney and yogurt.

FOR CHUNKY SPICED CRANBERRY APPLE CHUTNEY

  • Choose sweet-tart apples such as Jonagold, Braeburn, Fuji or Pink Lady or pink-fleshed apples like Hidden Rose
  • Makes 3 cups
  • Heat oil in a sauté pan or a wide medium-large saucepan over low heat. Add ginger root and sauté, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add diced apples and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
  • Add cloves, cinnamon, sugar, water and cranberries. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over mediumlow heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender and water is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes; add more water during cooking if pan becomes dry. Taste, and add more sugar if you like. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

Notes

Photo by Tami Chu.
Keyword apple, cranberry, squash