By Sylvia Center Executive Director, Jennifer John

The 10th Annual Latke Festival Celebrated The Many Joys Of The Potato Pancake On Monday, December 3rd.

Hosted in the beautiful pavilion of the Brooklyn Museum and benefitting The Sylvia Center, the tasting event featured 26 different restaurants and chefs, each with their own take on the best latke for 2018.

Over 500 guests and 14 celebrity judges tasted latkes that ranged from the traditional to the edgy. Everyone ate, drank, and grooved to DJed beats. Each guest received a wooden token to vote for the “People’s Choice” winner, while the judges decided “Best Creative Latke,” “Best Traditional Latke,” and “Best Overall Latke.” Guests had different strategies for tasting, with breaks for drinks or salad or doughnuts, depending on their mood.

The announcement of the winners was kicked off with a proclamation from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office, presented by Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development, Alicia Glen, declaring it “Latke Day” in the city. Then, New York legend Veselka took home “Best Traditional” and “People’s Choice” titles for their “Dima’s Sweet and Savory Short Rib Latke.” Three-time winner Benchmark won “Best Overall” for their “Hoppin’ John Latke,” and “Best Creative Latke” went to the “Falatke,” a falafel-inspired take from Kalushkat.

Net proceeds from the event will power programs that teach young New Yorkers how to enjoy, prepare and speak up for healthy food. In fact, The Sylvia Center brought a group of their ‘Cooks for Health’ students from the Williamsburg Community Center to compete with their “Latke-purria.” Their recipe was a take on the Puerto Rican snack, the alcapurria, which is traditionally made with yucca, plantains and taro. The students’ entry was stuffed with savory black beans and topped with greens, compliments of Aerofarms. While Sylvia Center students didn’t win a title for their delicious vegan recipe, they loved the opportunity to show off their cooking skills next to seasoned professionals.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS THAT PARTICIPATED!

AeroFarms/Sylvia Center
BAM Cafe
Benchmark Restaurant
Big Daddy’s Smokehouse
Bricolage / Pearl Street Caviar
BRINS Jam & Marmalade
Claudette
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Feisty Flavors Catering
FONDA
FryGuys
Garden Court Cafe
Jacob’s Pickles
j’eatjet?
Korzo
Kulushkat
Little Red Kitchen Bakeshop
Mama O’s
Mae Mae Cafe
Mike’s Hot Honey
The Norm at Brooklyn Museum
Orwashers
Patina Restaurant Group
Riss’ Knishes
Veselka
White Tiger
Rise Flour
Burger and Lobster
Dutch Boy Burger
Baoburg
Shelsky’s of Brooklyn
Daddy O’s

VESELKA’S “DIMA’S SWEET AND SAVORY SHORT RIB LATKE” RECIPE (WINNER OF ‘BEST TRADITIONAL LATKE’ AND ‘PEOPLE’S CHOICE’)

INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

Potato Pancakes:

• 5 large Idaho Potatoes
• 4 Eggs
• 1 Onion
• ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
• Salt/Pepper

Short Ribs with Prunes topping:

• 4lbs boneless Short Ribs
• 1 Carrot
• 1 Onion
• ½ cup Honey
• ½ Red Wine
• Bay Leaves
• Salt/Pepper
• 1 cup Dried Prunes

Prune Reduction:

• 2lb dried Prunes
• 4 sticks Cinnamon
• ½ cup Honey
• ½ Red Wine
• Salt/Pepper
• ¼ Balsamic Vinegar

Sazon

• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon achiote (annatto)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

 Latkes

1. Shred or grate 4 Idaho potatoes and one onion in a food processor.

2. Place in mixing bowl, add eggs, salt and pepper, mix well.

3. Spoon potato mixture into a sauté pan containing about !/2 inch of oil at 350 degrees.

4. Fry until golden brown on bottom, turn over and continuing frying until golden and remove to drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Shredded Short Ribs

1. Place ribs in a roasting pan  with a coarsely chopped carrot and onion and roast at 450 degrees until browned. Add water, red wine, honey and salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for three hours until meat begins falling off the bone.

2. Allow meat to cool then pull apart with two forks. Add some of the cooking liquid back to the meat to obtain the desired consistency. Add finely chopped prunes.

Prune Reduction

1. Add 2 cups prunes,  two cups water, cinnamon sticks and balsamic vinegar  to a sauce pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove pits if necessary. Put through blender or food processor and liquify.

Serve

1. Spoon some of the short rib mixture onto a latke, spoon on some of the prune reduction

MAE MAE’S BEET LATKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1 medium Tomato, diced
• 1 Cucumber, diced
• 1 small Red Onion, diced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Mint
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Cilantro
• 1 Lime, zested and juiced
• 1 tsp Lemon Verbena Oil
• ¾ cup Vegan Mayo
• 2 cups Matzah Meal
• ¼ cup Corn Starch
• 1 cup shredded Beets
• 1 cup shredded Yukon Gold Potatoes (squeeze out excess liquid)
• 2 tbsp grated White Onion
• 1 tbsp grated Garlic

1. Mix vegan mayo with chives and lemon verbena oil. Cover and set aside

2. Combine tomato, cucumber, red onion, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and

   chopped lime zest- season with salt and pepper to taste

3. Combine the grated beets, Yukon gold potatoes, onions, garlic, matzah

   meal, and cornstarch. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Let sit for 10 minutes to let the mixture absorb

5. Heat Canola oil in a sauté pan over medium heat

6. Add walnut-sized balls of the mixture into the pan- flatten into disks

   with a spatula. Cook until crispy on first side then flip and crisp the other side. Drain on paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.

SYLVIA CENTER’S “LATKE-PURRIA” RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

• 5 very green plantanos, peeled
• 1 pound taro root, peeled down to white flesh
• 1 pound yucca, peeled down to flesh
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sazon (see recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For The Filling

• 1 large spanish onion, small dice
• 2 peppers, red and green, small dice
• 1 16-oz can black beans, rinsed & dried
• 2 teaspoons sazon
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• Salt to taste (1 teaspoon or less)
• 2 tablespoons capers or green onions, minced

Sazon

• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon achiote (annatto)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

1. Using the shredding blade on a food processor, shred platanos, taro, and yucca*. The platanos is what will be binding mix and should be crumbled and somewhat moist. Transfer starches to a bowl.
2. Add the sazon and olive oil, folding to incorporate into the dough, working with the hands if needed.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge while you make the filling. This dough can be made up to 48 hours in advance as long as it is chilled and kept away from air.
4. Rinse and dry the black beans. Crumble them either by hand or in a food processor– careful not to puree! It should be dry and chunky.
5. In a saute pan, add olive oil and sweat the onions until translucent. Add peppers and cook until tender. Add black beans, sazon, oregano, and garlic. Cook for about 2 mins and add the capers or olives. Remove from heat.
6. To form latkes, take a heaping tablespoon of the dough and flatten into the palm of your hand, or on an oiled surface such as plastic wrap. Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center and using your fingertips, roll the dough towards the center to cover filling. You may need to add some extra dough if you are struggling to connect the outside pieces. Once the filling is covered, flatten into a disc. Continue until dough is gone.

Assembled latkes should sit in the fridge to firm up before pan frying.

* leaving some shredded yucca or taro visible gives this recipe the latke look the students achieved in class.

Sazon:
Add all ingredients to a spice grinder or coffee grinder and pulse until a fine consistency appears.

SYLVIA’S TABLE TRADITIONAL POTATO LATKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 4 Russet Potatoes, peeled and shredded by hand or food processor
• 3 tbsp Flour or Potato Starch
• 3 Eggs
• Salt and Pepper

Ingredients For the Toppings:

• Applesauce (store-bought or homemade) or Sour Cream

1. Sauté the onion in about 2 tbsp of olive oil till soft but not browned. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix the grated potatoes, onions, flour and eggs together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then turn them into a colander set over a large bowl. Drape a damp dishcloth over the colander. When it seems that very little liquid is draining off the potatoes, after about 15 minutes, carefully pour off the water leaving the starch that has collected at the bottom of the bowl. Mix the starch back into the potatoes – this will help hold the latkes together as they cook.
3. Place a large skillet over a medium heat and pour in equal amounts of olive and canola oil to a depth of about 1 inch. The oil is hot enough when a tiny bit of the latke mixture sizzles when you drop it in.
4. I make small latkes, 3-4 inches across, scooping up a large tablespoon of batter into my palm and flattening it out before sliding it into the pan. The edges of the latke are very ragged and make me think of multi-clawed crabs! It takes only a few minutes for the latkes to brown. Then I gently flip them. As they come out of the pan, I move them onto a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.

Guideline for Yield: One potato will make about 2-3 latkes. One person will eat 3 latkes, depending on the size.

Photo Credit: ©Eric Vitale

 

SYLVIA CENTER'S ART OF COOKING RECAP

By Sylvia Center Executive Director, Jennifer John

On Thursday, November 1st, The Sylvia Center Celebrated Both The Foundation And The Future Of The Organization With Their Art Of Cooking Benefit At Hudson Mercantile.

Over 270 guests enjoyed delicious food, great company, laughter, and were moved by stories from two recent graduates of the Teen Culinary Apprenticeship program. 

The night started off with cocktails and perfect bite size hors d’oeuvres inspired by our guest chef and student collaborations from all over the city. Patti Jackson (Delaware and Hudson), Sohui Kim (Insa and The Good Fork), and Antonio Mora (Quality Meats) shared their knowledge and skills with students during class in the previous weeks, and then prepared and served these appetizers together during the event. Guests were thrilled to talk with the students about what they have learned with The Sylvia Center. 

The night continued with a delicious dinner curated by Chef Anita Lo. Executive Director, Jennifer John, honored the seven founding board members for their vision and years of service to the young people of New York. Dr. Dodi Meyer accepted the honor on behalf of the group, which included Richard Aaron, Joel Cooperman, Rabbi Anne Ebersman, Trudy Elbaum Gottesman, Chaim Wachsberger, and Great Performance’s own, Dean Martinus. Dr. Meyer’s speech highlighted the deep need for programs that address food insecurity and diet-related diseases during the important early years of life.

Liz Neumark, Chair of the Board of Directors, presented The Sylvia Center Future Community Leader Award to Nerelly Jimenez and Rishon Philips. These Teen Chefs were recognized for their potential to serve their own community by sharing the principals of healthy eating with their peers, family, and neighbors. The program concluded with a lively auction conducted by Christie’s veteran, John Hays. The marquee item of the evening was a private dinner prepared by Chefs Anita Lo and Sohui Kim. 

The Sylvia Center raised over $570,000 through the generous donations of many amazing supporters and sponsors. The Sylvia Center thanks Great Performances for their outstanding service and support, and Hudson Mercantile and Bentley Meeker for the beautiful event space. Most of all, The Sylvia Center thanks our community chefs and students for being role models in their communities and continuing to inspire us and others to grow together.

Photo Credit: Amanda Gentile

GrowNYC's 'Concord Crush' Happy Hour at Project Farmhouse

By Liz Neumark

FRIDAY NIGHT AT PROJECT FARMHOUSE WAS A BACCHANALIAN TRIBUTE TO THE CONCORD GRAPE!

According to GrowNYC: “New York State is the second largest producer of Concord Grapes in the United States. Not only are Concords grown in the ‘Grape Belt’ across Lake Erie significant to New York State’s vibrant agricultural composition, they are crucial to the economic stability of communities there. They are also delicious!

To revitalize this iconic Northeastern fruit, Greenmarket has reached out to some of the best chefs, restaurants, and mixologists in New York City. Throughout the month of October, Greenmarket highlighted Concord grapes, as well as the delicious dishes (from appetizers to desserts) and drinks created in New York City restaurants, and capped off the month with a ‘ConcordCrush’ Happy Hour at Project Farmhouse on October 26th, where New Yorkers sampled Concord-infused cuisine.”

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Representing Great Performances (or shall we say Grape Performances!) were Chefs Monica Ng and Saul Bolton.

Chef Monica, who is the Executive Pastry Chef for the company and oversees the creation of countless desserts, breads and treats daily, created a Concord Grape Marble Cheesecake. Chef Saul, Michelin Starred for his landmark restaurant in Brooklyn and oversees, The Norm at Brooklyn Museum for the company, created a Terrine of layered Hudson Valley Duck Rillets, Smoked Breast and Foie Gras served with Concord Grape Gelee, Concord Grape Raisins and toasted sweet-salty Walnuts.

Photo Credit: ©Amanda Gentile

10TH ANNUAL LATKE FESTIVAL

By Shelley Clark

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE…LATKE SEASON!

This year’s Latke Festival on December 3 at the Brooklyn Museum will mark the tenth edition of the event produced by Great Performances as a fundraiser for The Sylvia Center, the nutrition education non-profit that helps young people develop the healthy habits that will lead to happier, more productive lives.

The festival, dedicated to the potato pancake and the myriad creative interpretations it can inspire, has become one of the New York City Holiday Season’s most eagerly anticipated – and delicious – annual events.

New for 2018 is an additional winning category. In addition to the Best Latke, as determined by a panel of distinguished food expert judges and a People’s Choice Best Latke voted on by the evening’s guests, there will be Best Traditional Latke, also decided upon by the official judges. This year the panel will see the return of Alicia Glen, the deputy mayor of the City of New York and David Berliner, CEO of the Brooklyn Museum, who will be joined by some notable newcomers, including: Actress Debi Mazar and her Chef husband Gabriele Corcos, the hosts of the Cooking Channel’s Extra Virgin; former longtime Editor-In-Chief of Food & Wine and now Executive Director of Speaking Broadly, Dana Cowin; Editor-In-Chief of Gastro Obsura, Alex Mayyasi; and CEO of Four Freedoms Park,

There will also be a number of new restaurants joining Latke Festival veterans such as Benchmark, the 2017 winner for Best Latke with their Plantain, Sweet Potato and Tortilla Latke with Ancho-Braised Chicken, Pickled Onion and Crema and Shelsky’s of Brooklyn, the People’s Choice Winner with a Latke Reuben Caraway Seeded Latke Stuffed with Riesling Braised Sauerkraut and Swiss Cheese, Topped with Corned Beef, along with The Norm, Burger & Lobster, Dizzy’s, Kulushkat, and Velselka. Among the newcomers to the 20-plus restaurant roster are Bricolage, Baoburg, Dutch Boy Burgers, FONDA and White Tiger.

Tickets for the 10th Annual Latke Festival are $75 for General Admission and $110 for VIP perks such as an exclusive lounge. They can be purchased via Eventbrite.

The challenge was set before us! Create an innovative menu and dining experience for the World Science Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center with the following guidelines:

-Serve room temperature foods, family-style
-Preset food on the tables before the guests came into the room
-Incorporate “science” themes and elements, but still maintain recognizable elements
-Create an interactive component
-Design a unique after-party collaborating with Celebrity Chefs for a Science Dessert Party

We embraced every element and came up with the following menu.

FIRST COURSE
Peekytoe Crab and Avocado Salad Pumpernickel and Cherry Tomato Panzanella, Meyer Lemon, Mint
Set on Mini Petri Dishes (see recipe below!)

SCIENCE FAMILY STYLE, ROOM TEMPERATURE DINNER
Baked Potato with Broccoli and Cheddar Soup Served in Test Tubes
Artisanal Bread with Infused Oils and Pecorino Espuma, Foamed to Order
Cold Fried Chicken with Blue Cheese Powder and Red Hot Gelee
Torched Tuna and Swordfish Mosaic, Torched with Hand Torches in front of Guests on Salt Blocks
Mini Croque Madame with Fried Quail Egg
Vegetable Frittata with Hummus and Black Olive
Baby Beet Salad Dill Yogurt, Grapefruit “Caviar”

BUTLERED DESSERTS TO COMPLEMENT CELEBRITY DESSERT CHEFS
Dragon’s Breath Popcorn
Fruit Tartlets
Rice Krispy Lollipop
House Made Nutter Butter

SPECIALTY DRINKS
“The Science Project” Prosecco, Cointreau, Brandy, Grenadine, and Dry Ice Pellets
Red and White Wines in Beeker Carafes

Photographs courtesy of Sean Smith

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Peekytoe Crab Salad

Ingredients:
8 ounces peekytoe crab meat, picked
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1 tablespoon chervil, chopped
1.5 teaspoons Thai birds eye chili, seeded and minced
Zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, chili, and zest and juice of lemons.
2. Place crab meat in a separate bowl. Pour oil mixture over crab meat. Add chives and chervil.