Smoked King Salmon on Potato-Apple Latkes with a Salad of Watermelon Radish and Apple

This recipe comes from Greg Dunmore of Ame restaurant.

Makes about 20 latkes

This dish is great for a small finger food or even as a first course, just make the latkes a little bigger.  The trick is choosing the apples.  Make sure you get an apple that is not high in sugar for the latke because it would burn before crisping and then a nice sweet one for the salad.  Just ask you local apple vendor and they should be able to help you select the proper apple for each job.

¼ cup Crème Fraiche
20 each Apple-Potato Latkes (recipe below)
2 pounds Smoked King Salmon, sliced thin into approximate half-dollar shape
½ cup julienned apple
½ cup watermelon radish, peeled and julienned
2 tablespoons Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe below)
¼ cup Salmon Caviar
2 tablespoons Chives Chopped

To assemble, spoon a scant teaspoon of crème fraiche onto the latkes, then place a slice of smoked salmon.  Combine the radish and apple, toss with the lemon-mustard vinaigrette, then place about a teaspoon on top of the salmon, followed by 5 pearls of salmon caviar onto the salad.  Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped chive, repeat for each latke and serve immediately.

Potato-Apple Latkes

3 cups peeled and shredded Yukon or Yellow Finn potato (do these at the last minute, so they do not brown)
2 tablespoons of minced onion
1½ cups peeled and shredded apple (do these at the last minute, so they do not brown)
½ cup all purpose flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons of clarified butter

To Make the Latkes, squeeze the shredded potato in a cloth napkin to release the excess juice.  Next, combine the potato, onion, apple, flour, egg, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the clarified butter over medium heat until hot.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of the latke mixture for each latke into the pan and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.  Using a slotted metal spatula, transfer the latkes to paper towels to drain, then place them on a baking sheet pan and keep warm in the oven.  Repeat with the remaining latke mixture, adding more clarified butter as needed.

Lemon-Mustard Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½  tablespoon Dijon Mustard
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼  teaspoon salt
pinch freshly ground white pepper

To make the Vinaigrette, whisk together all the ingredients.

This recipe was demonstrated as part of the Macy's Cellar Get Green series, produced in partnership with CUESA, the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture. www.cuesa.org