We asked nine local celebs to bring their favorite dish to the INDY’s Virtual Holiday Potluck. See the full spread here, and try your hand at a few of the recipes, below.
Mom’s Cheese Ball
Recipe courtesy of Lisa Prince
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained well
¼ cup green pepper, finely chopped
1 Tbsp seasoned salt (I prefer Lawry’s)
2 Tbsp onion, finely grated
2 cups pecans, finely chopped
Using your hands, combine all ingredients except for 1 cup of pecans and form into two medium-sized balls or one big one. Wrap in wax paper and chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. Once chilled, shape into better ball(s) and roll in remaining cup of nuts. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with an assortment of crackers. Freezes well.
Ron Grunwald’s Mother’s Latkes
Recipe courtesy of Steve Schewel
6 potatoes, peeled and grated
1 big onion
Baking powder, for sprinkling
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup flour
3 eggs
Enough oil to burn for eight days
Place grated potatoes in a colander and sprinkle it with some baking powder. And then the important part: squeeze, squeeze, squeeze handfuls of the potatoes to get the liquid out.
Pour the potatoes into a bowl and add the salt, pepper, and flour and stir to combine. Then add the eggs and mix it all. Finally, put lots of oil in your frying pan(s), get it hot, and drop in a small pancake-sized latke. Fry till it’s crisp, but not burnt. You’ve got yourself some delicious latkes ready for the sour cream and apple sauce on top. Happy Hanukkah!
Sweet Plantains
Recipe courtesy of Ken Smith
3-5 extremely ripe plantains, peeled and cut in 1-inch thick slices
3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
¼ cup of cooking oil, such as peanut, vegetable or canola
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter beings to sizzle. Gently toss plantain slices with brown sugar, then place into hot oil. Fry until the plantains are golden brown, then turn them over and continue frying, until they are caramelized. This should take about 2 minutes per side. Remove the plantains from the pan and drain on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil.