We have family coming for dinner next week, and I am test-driving family recipes and trying out a couple of new things. I hope to serve Waldorf salad (without nuts or brown sugar), cold poached salmon with sauces no one is allergic to, the mushroom-and-wild-rice casserole (without flour or butter or cream), Brussel’s sprouts, and “the chocolate thing” I used always to make for my college classes (without dairy or refined sugars or nuts). And latkes for Sunday breakfast.

There are challenges cooking special meals like in every family. I have been slow to figure all this out—it’s taken me years—but with practice it’s becoming almost easy. (I still make mistakes.) For breakfast I will have smoked salmon frittata and latkes. Allergies. That’s why no dairy or wheat flour or granulated sugar in my latkes. All organic.

My mother used to make what she called potato pancakes—potatoes and minced onions patted into fat pancakes and fried in margarine or Wesson oil. They were not wonderful but we loved them as a treat anyway. Yesterday I made my first batch of sweet potato latkes. I wish they were like everyone’s grandmother used to make. But no, not that delicious. No sour cream or applesauce. I served them with homemade cranberry sauce and they were the better than I have ever found in a restaurant and everyone in my family can eat them. Gary ate eleven latkes. (I ate the other nine.)

Someone asked me the other day what drove my interest in baking and cooking and so forth. I did not know how to answer her at the time she asked. But then when I thought of it later, it was obvious: it is the creativity, the making and experimenting, and developing something new.

In order to cook latkes, I wanted a recipe, but I wanted it to be my own. I went online and reviewed a great many recipes from other cooks, and then I fiddled and made something new.

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My recipe:

Sweet Potato Latkes with Cranberry Sauce  

makes about 20 gluten- and dairy-free latkes, serves four (or two ravenous and greedy people)

Grate potatoes and onion using a food processor. Pick through for any large pieces (usually onion) the processor did not grate and save for stock, or mince fine and add back in.  

• 1-2 sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and quartered lengthwise
• 1/2 onion, peeled and quartered

Transfer the mixture to a clean dish towel and squeeze out any excess liquid, then transfer to a large bowl. Stir together flour, salt, pepper and the baking powder and sprinkle over grated potato. Stir to thoroughly combine.

• 4-5 tablespoons potato flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

beat eggs and pour over and combine

• 2 eggs, well beaten

In a cast iron skillet, heat 1/4 inch oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. About one notch below 6 on my stove’s dial.

• olive oil for frying

Working in about 5 batches, pack a 2-tablesoon scoop with potato mixture, form into balls, and flatten. Ease four at a time into the pan about 2 inches apart. Using a spatula, flatten the batter latkes further if necessary. Treat gently. 

Set countdown timer to 3 minutes. Cook less than 3 minutes, turn, and cook less than 3 minutes on the other side until browned and crisp, about 5-6 minutes total. (Lower the heat if the latkes darken too quickly. Raise heat if they fail to brown.) Drain on paper towels. 

Serve with cranberry sauce. NOTE: They do stay warm and crispy for quite a while. Reheat on a rack in 375° oven for 10-15 minutes. 

• 3 cups fresh cranberries, roughly sliced in food processor
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or less—I started with 2 tablespoons and had to add a glug more)
• 2 cups freshly-squeezed orange juice
• cinnamon stick

In medium saucepan, combine cranberries, syrup, and juice and stir over medium heat until cranberries noticeably soften. Lower heat further and simmer about 10-15 minutes until thickened. Fish out the cinnamon stick, pack into jars while hot, cool, and store in the fridge.