Betty's Kitchen Fare: Potato pancakes

On a snowy morning (or indeed any morning!) what could be better than a breakfast of orange juice, hot coffee and just-made blueberry pancakes. I know it’s so easy to grab that box of mix off the grocery shelf and add water, but with the investment of just a few more minutes, you’ll have pancakes that are so much better. (Video demonstration below).

Blueberry Pancakes

4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free preferred)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg, slightly beaten
¾ cup buttermilk (see note)
¼ cup milk (1 cup milk if using buttermilk powder)
1 cup blueberries

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. (Also add buttermilk powder, if using.) Add the beaten egg to the milk/buttermilk mixture and whisk.
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and stir.
Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat and brush lightly with some of remaining melted butter. Add pancake batter, I use ¼ cup of batter for each pancake, and sprinkle with blueberries.
Cook 3 or 4 minutes until small bubbles appear on the top, flip and cook for another minute or two until underside is browned.
Transfer to a warm plate and keep warm in a 150° oven while you cook remaining pancakes.
Serve with warm maple syrup.

Makes 12-14 pancakes

NOTE: If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand, buy a box of buttermilk powder which keeps for ages in the refrigerator.

Watch the video to see how easy and quick you can prepare great pancakes;

Eliza Boyer

I first learned how to make these delectable pancakes from my mother-in-law over 50 years ago. Her parents came from Lithuania and so did her recipe. I have changed them very little over the years. Of course, the advent of the food processor has made them much easier to make - and also given lie to the fact that it was a little blood (from grated knuckles) that made them so good! The recipe comes to mind just now because my granddaughter Eliza wanted them for her birthday dinner last Monday.

Here is my recipe:

1 pound potatoes

1 medium onion

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Peel potatoes and onion and cut into chunks. Put them through the coarse grater of a food processor. (Mixing the onion with the potato helps keep the potatoes from turning dark.) Remove and reserve. Replace the grater with the blade, return the potatoes to the processor and pulse a few times to the desired consistency.

Place a large strainer over a medium bowl. A handful at a time, squeeze the potatoes over the grater and place in a second bowl. When all have been squeezed, add the lightly beaten egg, the flour and the salt to the potatoes and mix.

Returning to the bowl with the potato liquid, carefully pour off the liquid and you will see a white, starchy substance on the bottom of the bowl. This is potato startch. Scrape it up and add to your potatoes. Mix well.

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet until the oil shimmers then add dollops of the potato mixture to the pan. Flatten slightly, and cook until browned, turn and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels and place on a cookie sheet. You may keep them warm in a 250 degree oven or cook them ahead of time and reheat in a 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and applesauce.

Note: you may make these quite small and serve as an appetizer! They also freeze well.