Potato Latkes and Mum's Sorrel Pesto

We've been managing a lot of potatoes in our diet of late. Tis the season to forage for these underground lovelies, and we've accumulated quite a collection on my kitchen bench. That's just dandy because, well, latkes... When talking potatoes, here's how it goes in our house. Ben is mad for mash, I adore steamed and dressed with red wine vinegar and capers. We're both bonkers for roasted and smashed. And then there's latkes.

Have you made latkes before? They're essentially keenly shredded potato, which is formed into a pancake with onion and egg, then fried. I quite favour them as a breakfast dish served with steamed spinach and a poached egg, the latkes playing the role of hash brown. I wouldn't be mad if some hot sauce appeared alongside. They're also delicious eaten in the form of latke leftovers, straight up and cold out of the fridge.  This is the recipe we use to make potato latkes in our house (recipe link).

Over Easter we caught up with long time friends and enjoyed a brunch of latkes alongside sliced tomato, cucumber and persimmon with sorrel pesto. We also had brioche Easter buns (from Chocolate in Mornington) and sticky figs. And coffee.

Isn't brunch the loveliest excuse to combine sweet and savoury? Over coffee, too, I mean, what more could you want? A bloody mary? Perhaps.

Here's the recipe for mum's sorrel pesto, which always seems to garner admiration. It is simple and lovely and zesty, the macadamias providing a certain, creamy difference to sharper pinenut or almond pestos.

Mum's Sorrel Pesto

Ingredients
1 big bunch Sorrel
2 small cloves Garlic
3 tablespoons Macadamia Nuts (or pinenuts or almonds)
A handful of Parmesan Cheese
Zest and juice of 1/2 - 1 small Lemon (preferably an organic Meyer lemon)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sea Salt

Method
1. Remove the hard stalks from the sorrel, peel the garlic and grate a handful of parmesan cheese. 2. In a food processor, blitz the sorrel, garlic, nuts, cheese, lemon zest and the juice of half the lemon. Drizzle the oil until it begins to resemble a paste. Taste and adjust for more lemon, oil, parmesan or sea salt as desired.
3. Store in the fridge in an airtight container or jar, with a layer of oil on top. It will keep good for a week. Enjoy on bread, through pasta, on crackers, with vegetable sticks or...latkes.

Heidi xo