Caramelized Onion and Rosemary Potato Latkes

One of my favorite ways of saving money in the kitchen is to re-purpose leftovers. This past week we happened to have a large reserve of red potatoes on hand, and so we decided to make some mashed potatoes. But even after eating a huge dinner there was still an abundance of those guys. Naturally, I put them away in a Tupperware container and whisked them away to the fridge for another day.

Because this latke recipe requires mashed potatoes, I have to spill the beans (or in this case, 'taters) about both of them, but they are easy to make and don't require a lot of ingredients. Lucky for you today's post is going to contain TWO recipes. Yes that's right, a 2 for 1. Happy cooking and happy faces, y'all!

For the mashed potatoes:
5 lbs. red potatoes, washed and chopped into 1 1/2-2" cubes
2 large white onions (other varieties will work as well)
6-8 oz. heavy cream (depending on your preferred healthiness level)
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely minced
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp olive oil

Put the potatoes into a large stock pot, and fill with water until the potatoes are covered with 1/2" water. Salt the water (about 1 tsp per 16 ounces) and cook on high heat until it reaches a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium, simmering for 35-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Meanwhile, chop your onion into ribbons, preheat a saute pan over medium high heat, and add onions drizzled with the olive oil. Continue to cook the onions until they are golden brown and caramelized, stirring as necessary but not too often. When the potatoes are done, remove them from the heat and drain the majority of the water, leaving about 6-8 oz. in the bottom of the pan (this helps to keep the potatoes from being too thick and dry, but also reduces the amount of fattening ingredients necessary). Mash the potatoes with a hand masher or cake mixer, and add the cream, caramelized onions, salt and rosemary. Voila! Now on to the...

Latkes:
6 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 quality tomato*
3 eggs
1 tbsp butter

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, and add your mashed potatoes. Preheat a cast iron (or other heavily weighted) skillet on medium high heat. Right before you dollop the latke mixture into the pan, coat the skillet with half of the butter, saving the remaining portion for the next batch. Once the butter begins to sizzle, spoon a 3-4 oz portion onto the skillet and spread out so that it resembles a small, but thick, pancake. Repeat this process until your pan is full. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until well browned, then flip and cook an additional 8 minutes. Slice your tomato into 1/4" medallions and serve on top of your freshly plated latkes; garnish with salt and pepper if desired.

*Avoid tomatoes grown in Mexico and Canadian greenhouses, as they tend to be void of flavor and on occasion will be grainy/mealy. The best options are available at local farmers markets or from your neighbor, even if they have blemished skin.