By Hanukkah. The menorah at home, lit alone on the first night, the blessings spoken to an empty room that is full of forty-two years of candlelight. The menorah at Cedarhurst, lit with Marvin on the second night, two candles plus the shamash, the light small and steady and sufficient.
Sophie made latkes this year. This is the milestone I have been building toward — the milestone referenced in the milestones, the December milestone, the teaching of Sophie to make latkes. She is nine. Her hands are strong enough for the grater. Her arms are long enough for the stove (with my supervision, with my hands nearby, with the particular anxiety of a grandmother teaching a child to work with hot oil). She grated the potatoes. She mixed the batter. She shaped the latkes. She fried them — carefully, the oil sizzling, her face serious and focused, the expression of a craftsman. The first batch was uneven. The second batch was better. The third batch was good. I said, "Bubbe burned the first batch too. And Bubbe's mother. It's tradition." Sophie laughed. We tried again. The fourth batch was golden.
I photographed the latkes. I photographed Sophie making the latkes. I did not post the photos. Some moments are private. The passing of the latke recipe from grandmother to granddaughter is private — not secret, not hidden, but private, held between the two of us in a kitchen that has held this recipe for forty years and that is now passing it forward, hand to hand, grater to grater, stove to stove. The chain is in Sophie's hands. The oil is hot. The latkes are golden. The tradition is secured.
After Sophie’s hands had done their work at the grater and the stove, after the fourth batch came out golden and we stood together in that quiet kitchen feeling the weight of what had just passed between us, I wanted a dish that honored the potato without overshadowing it — something that could sit alongside the latkes on the table and carry a little of the same humble, honest spirit. This radish potato salad is exactly that: potatoes again, but lighter, bright with the bite of radish, the kind of thing you make when you want to keep the celebration going without starting over from scratch. It felt right to end a latke evening with something that kept the potato at the center, just in a different form — the way Sophie is the same thread as Bubbe, just woven a little further along.
Radish Potato Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 lbs small waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), quartered
- 1 bunch radishes (about 10–12), thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes. Place quartered potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 15–18 minutes until fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Make the dressing. While potatoes cool, whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
- Combine. Transfer the warm potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss gently to coat. The warm potatoes will absorb the dressing as they cool.
- Add remaining ingredients. Fold in sliced radishes, green onions, and fresh dill. Toss once more to distribute evenly.
- Rest and serve. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 185 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 210mg